Travelling the world can be difficult to do without money. While it is possible to pre-pay for many of the bigger items such as flights, hotels and even tours. There are also many smaller items that just have to be paid as you travel.

What this means is that you must either carry some form of cash or ability to access money. Taking the time to organise money or know how you can access money before leaving home is a great idea.

Cash Options

When travelling there are some ways that you can get or access cash. There are some that are going to come with a cost while others will be a minimal impact. The main difference comes down to how comfortable you are with the different options available.

Cash

Carrying some cash is the easiest way to have it available. You can change currency for most major countries before leaving home. Which takes a lot of the guesswork out of the whole process.

However, at the same time cash is also possibly the least secure option. If you lose cash or have it stolen there is little if anything you can do to recover it. Carrying a few hundred or even a thousand dollars in cash is feasible. But much more and you are in my opinion exploring yourself to risk.

Even if you are careful, there is always the thought in the back of your mind at how much you are carrying. Plus there are also requirements in almost every country that you declare if you are carrying more than $10,000 in cash. Which subsequently requires supporting documentation of where and how you got the money.

Credit Card

Depending on where you are travelling a credit card can be a good alternative to cash. But does come with one big downside. Unless you are going to keep up to date with the exchange rate and calculate every purchase you never know just how much you are spending.

Although in some places a credit card may not be a lot of use. I have found places where they might only access VISA or MasterCard. While some areas may not have credit card facilities at all.

While it might be possible to get a cash advance on a credit card, this is a very bad idea. Besides any fees you would pay at home, there is likely to be other fees added on as well. Such as currency exchange fees and potentially withdrawal fees. I am no financial advisor, and it is your choice. But to me, a cash advance while overseas unless it is an extreme emergency seems like a real bad idea.

Bank Card

You can consider taking you regular bank account card to withdraw money. Some banks do have banks they work with in other countries, allowing you to use their ATM’s and branches.

However, you need to make sure that you are aware of any fees and charges that you may get charged. They can very quickly add up, and can quickly make it a very expensive option.

For example for someone from Australia with a Westpac Bank account, you might expect the following fees. A 3% foreign transaction fee on all debit or credit card withdrawals. A 2% cash advance fee on credit card withdrawals where “credit” option is selected. A $5 ATM Withdrawal fee if you do not use a Global ATM Alliance network or a Westpac Group partner ATM. Potentially other fees from the owner of the ATM.

So if you were to withdraw $100, and all potential fees were involved it would cost you an additional $8+ using your bank card. Or could be $10+ if you were to withdraw money from your credit card.

Travel Card

Every time I have travelled I have had travel money cards with me. They are potentially the most flexible option, but not much more secure than cash.

Most travel money cards have the ability to act as a bank card and debit card. Meaning that the money loaded on the card can be withdrawn from an ATM like you bank card. But you can also select the credit option when making a purchase.

There are some things that you might want to check on the different cards before moving forward.

– Do they charge a fee to get the card?
– Is the exchange rate different to the cash rate?
– Are there any fees when reloading the card?
– How do you reload the card?

It is worth comparing all the features of any card before going ahead. Just to see if there is any additional benefit between one over another. Just a reminder I am not a financial advisor so please do your research before getting a card. Which is also the reason why I am not naming any particular offer.

What You Might Need Cash For

From my point of view, there are some things that I book and prepay and others that I leave until I arrive. Generally, we think about how we are going to get there, the flights, trains or such. Plus we also look at booking and paying for somewhere to stay. Sometimes I will even do a little research and book some tours in advance.

But it is everything else that is left to pay with cash or credit card when we are there. The list can get a little longer so it is worth thinking about what may come up.

– Transport from airport to hotel
– Public Transport
– Taxi’s
– Meals (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)
– Snacks
– Drinks (Can include everything even water)
– Souvenirs
– Tips (Some countries this is unavoidable)
– Attraction Entry Fees
– Shows (e.g. Broadway, theatre, stage shows)
– Other entertainment (e.g. Las Vegas Gambling)
– Shopping
– Pampering (e.g. massage)
– Impulsive tours
– Impulsive car or bike rental
– Entry to national parks

I can be certain there are things that I have not included. But you get the idea; many things can take cash once you arrive.

Unexpected situations

There are also other considerations where you might plan one thing but find a very different situation. I have two stories that show this working in both directions from when I have travelled.

When I arrived in Vancouver for the first time, I had planned to use an airport shuttle service. The price was somewhere around $20 to get from the airport to my hotel on a shared shuttle service. However, due to some delays, I missed the last service for the day. I end up taking the train from the airport to the city for $5. Saving some money, but adding a little stress.

On the other hand, when I arrived in Nice, France, it turned out to be a public Holiday. I had planned to take the bus from the airport to the city for around €3 or €4. But I arrived to find no public transport operating at all; the only option was to take a taxi. The cost was €45, much more expensive than I had planned, but the only option.

Keep A Cash Backup

As you can see from the last story having some cash can be a great benefit. So one thing I do is always make sure I have some cash tucked away somewhere. Sort of like a just in case fund. It may only be $50 or so, but it is money that can help me out in a tight spot.

But at the same time, it is money I know I will rarely ever need. I tend to travel with more backup options for access to money than people have to backup their computer.

How I Carry My Travel Money

I just want to give you a brief overview of how I travel with cash and cards. The fine details are not so important as everyone travels with different things. But there are a few key points to keep in mind.

I always travel with multiple options; there are multiple credit cards or travel money cards. Plus I also often travel with two or more different currencies.

The important thing about how I travel though is that I never keep it all together in one place. I try and split the cash between at least three or four different locations, on me or in my luggage. While trying to do the same with the cards to some degree.

What this means is if my wallet is stolen, I might lose one card and some money, but not all of it. The same if I lose a bag, some money and/or cards might go, but not everything. So for me, it is about building some level of failsafe into carrying money.

Enjoy The Holiday

I hope that this post has given you some things to consider for your next trip. Getting your travel money organised is always a little bit of a grey area. You just never know how much is enough, or if it might be just a bit too much. But hopefully, I have been able to give you some things to think about when trying to consider how you will access your money overseas.

Pinning down the actual definition of what a long haul flight is can be difficult. Some airlines define the difference between short, medium and long haul based on distance. While other airlines determine it based on the aircraft. However, I think most of us can agree to spend more than a couple of hours flying can get uncomfortable.

There are of course certain routes that you cannot avoid long haul flights if you choose to travel by air. Routes such as Australia to Europe or North America, or Europe to North America. While there is nothing that you can do about the seats. There might be a couple of things you can do to make the flight a little more bearable. Below is a couple of things I consider when travelling long distances.

Hydrate

The speed with which you seem to dehydrate when flying is the thing I dislike most. Ultimately the only way to avoid this to some degree is to keep up the fluid intake. However, there are often some objections around the idea of hydrating when flying.

Objection 1: Water Is Expensive At The Airport

The most common complaint many people make about drinking water on a flight is the price of buying it at the airport. Of course, the security restrictions stop you from taking a bottle of water with you. Leaving the only option to pay the premium price once you have passed through security. Even though I agree the price is often high, I put a much higher value on my health. If I have to pay $4 for a bottle of water I can buy anywhere else for $1; I will do it.

Objection 2: The Bathroom

Sometimes it is a case that you end up with a window seat, and it is too difficult to go to the bathroom. So the idea is to drink less water to save the trip. I don’t want to get into the details of it, but I book or request an aisle seat. That makes it easy for me to drink all I need and use the bathroom when I have to.

Objection 3: I’m Not Thirsty

I try and drink on a regular basis if I feel thirsty or not. I have heard it said that by the time you feel thirsty you are probably already slightly dehydrated. There is also the thought that often a feeling of hunger can be a need to drink. So consider having a drink before looking for another snack.

Drink Water

So that is the first thing I do is drink water and as much as I need. If you don’t want to pay the price for water at the airport, consider carrying an empty water bottle with you. Consider taking an empty bottle from the water you have purchased before. Even though I cannot see why it would not be allowed, at least if security say no, you have not lost anything valuable.

Support

There is a fairly wide consensus that the seats in aircraft are not comfortable. Maybe the ones right up front in first class may be acceptable. But for most of us, we only get to look at those as we head towards the back of the plane.

There, unfortunately, is no ideal solution to magically make the seat more comfortable. However, some ideas might help just a little.

• A blow-up neck pillow. Easy enough to carry, just requires a little bit of air to blow it up.
• A foam neck pillow. You may need to find extra space to take this, but it can be a little more comfortable.
• Try rolling up a jacket to use as a pillow; this does work better if you are in the window seat.
• If it is the sitting part, consider getting a small foam cushion to bring along.

The good news is that unless you are travelling on a very frequent basis, you only spend so much time in the seat. Leading on to the next point.

Stretch

From the very first long haul flight I took, I made a point to get up and move semi-regularly. Keeping yourself tucked into the seat for the whole flight will see you feeling it when you get up. You will take longer to get moving when you finally get up.

If the opportunity is available, I will get up and walk up and down the aisle, once or twice. I just try and avoid doing so around meal service times. If you are drinking water and need the bathroom, this does help get you moving. Plus where possible I request an aisle seat, this makes it easy to get up and move, even if just in the one spot.

Warmth

No matter where I am flying, I always either wear a jacket or carry one with me. While you might be travelling between two hot climates, the temperature in the aircraft can be cooler.

Carrying a jacket if flying from a hot to cold climate can also save space in your luggage. To date, I have never been stopped from carrying my jacket in addition to my carry-on bag.

Survive The Long Haul To Enjoy The Destination

There you have it a couple of tips that I hope will help you on your next long haul flight. But even if that flight is still uncomfortable, just remember it is only for so long. Just sit there and think about your destination and not where you currently are. Getting your mind off the uncomfortable seat may help more than trying to make it something that it is not.

There are very few tourist attractions that I have visited that do not have somewhere to buy a souvenir. Just what you can expect will vary between attractions. But there is not doubt that they are a way that many attractions make money.

In some cases, I do not see a whole lot wrong with some attractions trying to make a little money from souvenirs. Especially when it comes to heritage sites looking to create revenue to help with maintenance or restoration. However, for some other attractions, there is no doubt that souvenirs are big business. With souvenirs contributing significantly to their bottom line.

However, for some other attractions, there is no doubt that souvenirs are big business. With souvenirs contributing significantly to their bottom line. While it might not be all that bad, sometimes it just takes a little restraint. Today I have some ideas for you on getting a memory, without breaking the bank to do so.

Consider What You Are Buying

When it comes to buying souvenirs what is it that you are buying? Are you buying something that truly represents the place you are visiting? Maybe you are buying some gimmick that has been created just to capture your attention. There are something that you may want to consider before buying something, thinking that you are doing the locals a favour.

1. Is it made locally?

Many souvenirs are not all that authentic when you think about it. There are many items that are sold as souvenirs that look identical except for the picture all over the world. Often they are made in another country and have no true local importance.

2. What will you do with it?

If you buy this souvenir are you going to display it somewhere? Use it in some way? Or is it just going to get put away in a box to look at maybe every couple of years?

3. Is it a gift?

Many people love the idea of buying souvenirs for people back home, for family, friends and coworkers. While the thought is nice it is something they are going to cherish? Or is it something that may just get stuffed in the back of a cupboard that they will not even recall where it came from.

Why Buy The Souvenir?

When you think about what you are buying and these few questions you need to think hard. Because often there are pressures involved that lead you to purchases you might later regret.

Think about the time you are travelling for. Often you feel that there is a limited time and that if you don’t buy it now you will miss out. While this might work out ok for small items like a postcard or keyring, larger items come with other challenges.

I remember when I visited Venice as part of a cruise. The attraction of buying glassware in Venice was too much for a couple of passengers. It was only later when they returned to the ship they questioned their choice to buy these. They were large and somewhat heavy, but their next challenge was how to get them home in one piece. It might have been an appropriate souvenir to buy locally, but an impulse purchase they end up regretting.

If you fail to think about all the factors when buying a souvenir you may end up in not the best situation. So even if you have to take an extra five minutes to think about the purchase it can be time well spent. If you do not even have five minutes to make the decision, it might be an idea to walk away. Especially if it is something large, expensive or awkward.

My Souvenir Collection

When you read the above, you may get the impression that I am looking to encourage you to not buy souvenirs. There could be nothing further from the truth. What I am trying to do is offer you some advice to be a little more cautious when buying.

I have been known to buy my fair share of souvenirs from time to time. However, for the most part, my collection is made up of small easy to transport souvenirs. However, my souvenir collecting habits have somewhat changed over the time that I have travelled as well.

My First Trip To Melbourne

In early 2010 I visited Melbourne for a week and well I might have over done the souvenirs a little bit. By the end of the week, I had collected some dozen souvenirs plus a range of postcards.

The theory I had approached the trip with was to buy a small souvenir and a couple of postcards at each attraction. After three days I realised this was going to be an expensive and impractical approach. The first stop seemed reasonable a keyring and two postcards for $5.00. I had to reconsider my idea when I found a keyring and two postcards at another place would cost over $10.00.

My Last Trip

On my 2012 Europe trip I there was no way I could have kept up with buying keyrings and postcards at every stop. On this trip, I visited almost 30 different cities and a countless number of individual attractions. I would have been bankrupt by the time I got home buying something at every single place. Not to mention potentially needing a second suitcase.

I took the approach of buying one or two postcards at each stop and occasionally a keyring. I would estimate in total I spent less than $100 which barely averages $3 per stop. But I have plenty to look back on as memories.

The Best Souvenirs

I feel that the best souvenirs are not even the ones you purchase, but the ones you can capture for nothing. I discussed this topic previously in a post titled “The Best Souvenirs Cost Nothing.” I still very much believe this to be true.

Capturing a moment or a place in a photograph for free and have more of a memory than spending money on a token item. I have over 20,000 memories on my computer from all of my trips. While I have one small box not much bigger than a shoebox with the souvenirs I have purchased.

Both photos and souvenirs can lead to great memories of a trip. However, I find that the photos have much more value to me. Because I have personally captured something that I saw, it triggers a memory for me. The individual souvenirs and postcards tend to do this to a lesser degree. Because I can remember a place I visited but in a more abstract manner.

Work Souvenirs

One other thought on the concept of buying souvenirs comes to mind if you are travelling for work. You can easily show you care especially for family members with a simple postcard. In many areas, it is easy to buy a postcard and stamp. All you have to do is find a few minutes to write a brief message and address. Even if it takes longer to get home than you do, it still is a memory for the family to know you were thinking of them.

Enjoy The Memories

Whether it is photos, postcards, keyrings or something a little more just think of the memories that those souvenirs give you. Because at the end of the day the best souvenirs are the memories that we get when we travel.

Over the past few months, I have been revisiting many of my early posts from this blog. There seems to be something of a recurring theme that I have noticed in many of the posts. At the time of writing, I often would open with a line about not getting an early start.

I Love Early Starts

If there is one aspect of travel that I love it is getting up and about early. Every city just can seem a little bit different in the early morning before the crowds build up. You can see different things that you often miss when they are blocked by people.

Depending on the city and the day it can also be a very good time to catch the sunrise. To see the city wake up, as the shadows of the night once again are exposed by the sun’s light.

Not to mention the benefits of arriving at some attractions when the open. Something I managed to do when I visited Stonehenge in England. I stayed in a hotel nearby and arrived at the exact opening time. By the time I had finished looking around and was leaving, the tour buses had started to arrived loaded with people. Whereas I would estimate no more than 20 people were there in the hour, I was there.

What Is An Early Start

To me, an early start is not about what time you get out of bed. I am up and awake many days at 6 or 7 am. To me, an early start is the time you are ready and leaving the hotel.

I can be awake at 6 am, but it might not be until 9 or 10 am that I will be ready to walk out of the hotel. But I can also wake up at 8 am and be on the move by 8.30am. I have found it comes down to two things, discipline and planning.

Early Starts Need Planning

I have had much better results in working with an early start when I have planned what I am going to do. Often when I have planned what it is, I am going to do the results are very positive.

When I plan either my morning or my day I find that almost every time I will get going earlier. When I wake up and have to think about what I am going to do for the day, I am not motivated to go.

Although when I think about this, it is not about being motivated to go. It is more about having to think about what to do. Taking the time to research the options available. Looking up routes or schedules for how to get where I might think to go. All of this takes time and when no stand out options appear you need to dig deeper to find something.

Booking An Early Start

A great way to help ensure you get an early start is to book it in. I mean find a tour and get it booked in so that you have a fixed time that you have to get going by. That is exactly why I was awake to capture the image above. The cruise ship arrived in port early and I had a tour booked that left not long after we arrived.

Of course, this only works if you want to get an early start. Tours run on a schedule, and if you are not ready, you miss the bus, quite literally. There have been some tours that I have taken when travelling where I have had to be up between 5, and 6 am to be ready for a 7 am pickup.

Starting Early, Starts The Night Before

I have found the best way to ensure that you can get away early in the morning comes down to the evening before. Give yourself the time to research or plan the following day, or at least what you will do in the morning. Doing so will give you a reason to get up, get ready and get moving in the morning.