cash & food stocks

hi

two new questions :

1. cash - cards- travellers cheques - which is a reasnable option ? i saw that in some places u do still have bank of china for atm use. isn't it expensive to withdraw cash using your credit card ?

2. and even when u do do that, do u withdraw just enough for the next trip or carry for all the days needed ? the worry is about remote places and carrying money on your person.

3. food stocks - again - do u buy as u go along ? or buy in bulk for at least the next entire trip

4. also each time u go off somewhere - in a dorm kind of accomodation do u leave yr bags behind or crry it all with u ? there are pluses to doing either - i'd just like to know how well seasoned travellers do it.

thanks in advance for bearing with my questions which may seem too basic - its a first trip of this kind and i'd rather do whats tried and worked with everyone else.

jm

Hi Spicesoup,

Others should be able to advise you on Qs. 2-4 (although common consensus is outside the big cities, make sure you have cash - RMB - to cover all of your requirements. No ATMS in rural areas), but I want to warn you about Q1.

NEVER use your credit card to make cash withdrawls. You will be charged an extortinate fee plus interest on ALL cash withdrawals using your credit card. Always use your debit card for cash withdrawals. Take it as read that when cash withdrawals are mentioned alongside ATMS, it is forDEBIT card usage, not credit card.

The few times I have travelled (only Prague, Thailand, NY - off to China and Taiwan next week for 3 weeks), I leave my baggage in my accommodation but always take valuables i.e. passport, money, tickets, cards, camera, mobile etc in a day bag (mine is a brown leather satchel with magnetic locks and inner zips for increased secruity, with the bag flap facing my body). However, I never stay in dorm accommodation, so cannot offer any advice. I would guess use the hotel's/hostel's left luggage facility if you just have clothes in your main rucksack/bag.

For my forthcoming trip I intend to:
Q1. Use cash only using debit card withdrawal (credit card for purchases in big/major cities) to withdraw enough from an ATM in a big/major city
Q2. Next trip and/or when I arrive in the next big/major city
Q3. Buy as I go along (hotels, food stalls, etc)
Q4. As stated above, all valuables in day pack and rucksack/bag with clothes left in room (non dorm/shared)

Sounds like you're planning a trek? If so, then your requirements will differ from my own and others may be able to provide a much more informative response based upon your requirements.

Enjoy your trip!

P.s. I'm also guessing that you're travelling to China? You didn't explicity state the country, aside from references to Bank of China. Which region will you be visiting? It makes a difference if posters know where you will be travelling to allow them to tailor their advice to that particular region.

Hope that helps!

thanks

all the tips are useful. now the debit card bit - will check how this works internationally with my bank. and whether they have arrangements with a network. none of mine seem to have "cirus" printed on them - so will need to find out.

yes i am travelling to tibet. to lhasa and onwards. will be spending the next few days figuring out a rough route plan before i get there. (actually i posted this on the tibet branch of throntree - did it get posted elsewhere ?).

the storage-leave-behind bag + day bag is a neat idea. will do that.

have never trekked and the maximum i walk regularly is an hour a day - so will have to figure out how demanding treks and bike rides will be before embarking on these.

am hoping to mingle with the villagers and live that life for soem of the time.

AND am nervous. !!
jm

You might want to find a bank with branches and ATMs in your destination region. My bank charges a stupid international withdrawal fee. Not to mention all the other stupid fees. They suck. I will dump them as soon as I can sort out how to open an account and get a debit card delivered from a better bank. A friend suggested HSBC, and they indeed do have branches in many countries, but not sure how good their terms are or if they're in your target region.

Another couple of points. Always have at least a days lodging, transport, food, etc. on you in local cash. Then, when you're on the wrong side of town with no international ATMs and none of your cards work--not even the credit cards--you won't be too stressed trying to remember where you last saw an international ATM. When you are at an international ATM, figure out how many days it will be before you can get to another one, then how much you need per day, add some padding, and presto, withdraw that amount. This is in addition to your stash of dollars and maybe travelers checks.

I always hide in my main backpack $100 USD and a copy of my passport. Have always left it in the hostel and nobody has yet ever found it. I recommend you do the same in case things get stolen.

As long as your debit card has a Visa/Mastercard logo, you will be able to get money from China's ATMs without problems.