Travel Essentials Money Matters

“A Wise Person should have money in their head - but not in their heart”

Quote Source - Johnathan Swift

Money Matters

This is not money advice, just some considerations. In the old days we traveled with cash - and then travellers cheques came along, these were great and made the issuers a small fortune on. all those that weren’t cashed! They were however pretty safe. They seems to be consigned to the history books. There are cards you can load with currency, and use with a pin like a bank card. The pros are is that you can only spend what you have on the card, and unless you keep an eye on the card, you can’t tell how much you have left. They also don’t work everywhere. Yes you can go on line, but on line doesn’t exist everywhere. We have used debit cards, but you can get stung by your bank for non sterling transaction fees. You can use credit cards, but same as Debit cards. We have noticed over the years that banks tend to block Debit card transactions, far more than credit card transactions. In fact we can remember when we last had a credit card blocked. You used to have to let your bank know when you were away and which countries you were in. They seem to have stopped this now. It didn’t make any difference if you did - they still blocked it, and if you are like us and don’t have a mobile phone on massive roaming charges, chances are there is not much you can do till you can get to a reliable internet connection. Ironically we seem to have gone full circle and are now back to cash again! Most big cities you can use your debit card to get cash out of cashpoints, and even destinations you think - no way, may surprise you, but once out of the capital or the major cities it might not be possible. A lot of the time you may use money traders - either at cross boarder or on occasions back street. Remember a lot of these are probably illegal, and potentially dangerous. You have to trust your guid for gut. if you don’t like it - don’t do it. The same goes with bureo de changes. Check your rates and calculate it yourself.

What we do

  • In Vietnam I remember a lad in tears after he had his back pack ripped off by a scooter gang. He had $15,000 in it. His life savings, for his dream trip. Why would you do that? The world has banks, there are cards you can use. So when we say take a bit more we are talking a couple of hundred, not thousands. I felt so sorry for him, and wish I has $15,000 spare to give to him. His dream shattered. It can be a big bad world out there so be sensible. It also makes it worse for the next batch of travellers - criminals will be thinking - maybe they will have 15k too.

  • Have different means of payment, often when one card doesn’t work, another will. We take a mix of cards debit - credit - Visa and Mastercard. One always works. In addition we take cash. People always like cash, and many will take it without exchange, eg you can pay in the currency you have. But check the exchange rates. In our experience people are pretty fair.

  • It’s difficult, we know, but if you are staying in a hotel with a safe - it is probably safest there. If you haven’t got a hotel safe a hard case is probably the best place to stash spare cash. We use a small wire lock to chain the case to something immovable like a radiator. Would it stop someone stealing it - probably not if they wanted to, but it makes us feel better.

  • This is mainly aimed at men, but most will work for ladies too, plus any specialist sanitary / ladies requirements.

    The Bag

    Life Ventures - Hangable (pull out hook) wash bag (with detachable velcro mirror). 2 main compartments and a zip pocket.

    25cm x 15cm x 7cm. this takes everything else not in the Man Bag and Medical Kit.

    We also have as pulls on the zips 2 twist lockable micro S (3.5cm) carabiners with gate - ideal for securing hats, keys / pack pack zips in markets etc. We have 2 more on the Man Bag and 2 on the Ruck Sack - they are great.

    Random

    1 coin with hole in it for good luck. 3 plastic clear zip bags. 1 film canister empty and 1 plastic sample jar. 6 Zeiss spare lens wipes. 4 spare ear plugs.. Duracell Ultra Power only 2 AA and 2 AAA spare batteries. (these can be hard to get abroad especially good ones)

    KIt

    1 small needle and thread sewing kit and spare buttons. 1 one size fits all bath plug - emergency. 1 Sea to Summit titanium fork / spoon (Spork) and a serrated knife (butter eating). 3 trouser turn up bungy cords. 1 pipe cleaner bungy cord - holds lights - cameras etc in place. Short length para cord (bracelet)

    Shaving

    1 Braun - battery shaver - we have used these for 25 years. They work fine. Duracell AA batteries lasts 3 -4 months, replace with new before you travel. 1 kings shave 15ml shaving oil, and 2 new BIC type disposables. as emergency / to give away. Or go hairy!

    Ablusion - Washing

    They have soap shampoo almost everywhere abroad and even in suprisingly run down places too.

    We only take Lush solid shampoo honey and ginger - leaves hair great, does body too. No risk of spillage. Comes in a tin 6cm x 6cm. Last months! (with short hair).

    1 small non perfumed soap - wash in an emergency and to do laundry in an emergency. 1 small 30 ml posh shampoo if staying in non posh hotels, for a luxury day or two.

    1 new boxed unused toothbrush and small toothpaste (to give away or emergency use).

    1 NEUTROGENA® Clear & Defend - face wash - as some perfumed soaps are really nasty. Also helps keeping spot free.

    1 non perfumed hotel soap - can also be used for laundry. Or better still use the laundry, or pack enough so you don’t need to.

    Anti insect - Anti Sun

    1 Microweave head net. 6 Deet wipes (More in medibag and day pack) and 1 x 100 ml incognito deet free repellent. or SMIDGE midge repellent 100 ml. DEET works but is awful stuff. It melts plastics (sunglasses) and burns skin, but sometimes its the only thing that works. - Sunscreen first - deet second. 1 once a day Calypso SPF 40 150ml and 1 Riemann once a day SPF 20 or 30. 200 ML lotion. We use this dingy sailing / scuba and have never been burnt. It is the best. Plus if needed 1 200 ML in a plastic bag in suitcase. and 50 ml SPF 50 in man bag as back up.

  • There are plenty of scams out there involving taking your card away, and its only when you get home home you find you’ve been done. It has never happened to us (yet)

  • I remember listing to a group boasting how much they had beaten a seller down, and how much they had got stuff for. Yes there are some rules for bartering, eg deciding on the value of something, but ultimately if you like it and you can afford it then buy it. No one wants to get ripped off, so before you ask a price, have in your mind what you think it might be worth.

  • If you can get some of the currency for the country you are going to, so you have a few days money

Specimen Specimen

Specimen Specimen

Typical tourist set of coins - Nepal - We have over 1000’s coinsSpecimen from more than 130 countries in the Museum collection.

Set of notes from the Falkland Islands - with an unusual portrait of Queen Elizebeth the 2nd - We have over 600 Bank Notes from over 125 Countries - including some oddities such as the Barrentzberg Notes and regional note from Lewis and the Lake District of England.