Don’t pay in dollars – International travel tip

by Gadling Staff on

Like it or not, the gold standard for international currency payment is now the Euro.

The United States Dollar is still being used, but it doesn’t hold the prestige it once did. There was a time when you could purchase goods at a great discount if you paid with hundred dollar bills. However, nowadays, merchants will increase their base price and round up figures to give you can even dollar amount. Merchants do not want $5 dollar or $10 bills. Whatever you pay will be rounded to the next $20.

So pay with local currency — or pay with Euros.

Counterpoint: Bring American dollar bills – International travel tip

Use index cards to communicate – International travel tip

by Gadling Staff on

If you’re unfamiliar with the native language of the country you’re visiting, index cards can be your best friend.

Before I travel, I always write down common questions and sayings on index cards in the native language to make communication easier. Write the questions or sayings in the country’s native language on one side and on the side, write the English translation. (This way, you don’t accidentally ask the taxi driver where the ladies room is.)

Things you should include on your card include asking about bathrooms, police, hotels, and any other issues you think you may face. Also, be sure to write down your allergies, medical conditions, and medications.

Beware of generous thugs – International travel tip

by Gadling Staff on

In certain countries a popular scam in tourist areas involves a lost wallet. It works like this:

  1. A stranger picks up a wallet in front of you.
  2. He offers you half the cash inside.
  3. If you accept, he disappears and his larger, angrier accomplice appears, demanding the full amount that was in the wallet.

In short: When traveling abroad, if something seems too good to be true, assume it is. Especially if it involves free money.

Bring an emergency credit card – International travel tip

by Gadling Staff on

Pickpockets and thieves are rampant in certain parts of the world. While falling prey to one is unlikely, it always helps to be prepared. I recommend activating a new credit card before departing on your trip.

Remember to notify the card company you’ll be leaving the country and always keep it in a secure spot — separate and apart from the rest of your travel money! — wherever you’re staying.

In the event your wallet is lost or stolen, you can rely on you emergency card for the remainder of your trip.

Carry cash for the country you’re going TO – International travel tip

by Gadling Staff on

When traveling abroad, get at least a small amount of foreign currency for tips and other unexpected cash expenses before leaving the airport or crossing the border. Although many countries in Europe are now using the Euro, there are still some that are not.

Imagine our panic when we drove across the border from Switzerland — where we had been using Francs — and hit a toll in Italy before we got a chance to find an ATM for Euros. Luckily, there was an option to charge our 1 Euro toll, but other countries may not have that option.

[Ed’s note: this is a great way for train conductors on cross-border trains in Africa to earn extra money. The second you cross the border, the currency of the old country is no longer valid, and the trains will only accept currency from the new country. Changing money right at the border offers very poor exchange rates. Therefore, it’s wise to try to have currency for the destination country before boarding the train.]