Halifax: Advice for new international travelers

[Kate Armstrong]

Doug,

I would also like to offer a suggestion from my international traveling 
(nowhere recently but I believe it holds true). If you are getting 
traveler's checks (usually strongly recommended), get them in $20 
denominations (rather than $50/$100). They are a pain to sign in one 
go, but they are also accepted far more widely, and I believe you have 
less chance of being charged exorbitant exchange rates. Small 
shopkeepers justifiably are not happy when a traveler wants to make a 
small purchase, and get "change" for a large bill. There are days when 
just a few transactions like that cancels out the shopkeeper's cash 
reserves.

Be sure if you do get traveler's checks to keep a list of the numbers 
separate and, as Jennifer suggested, a copy of the numbers "back home." 
This is the most reliable and quickest way to get traveler's checks 
replaced if there is a problem.

OTOH, maybe credit cards have made traveler's checks obsolete. I'm 
still thinking at least some cash is good.  ;-)

The one suggestion I would, by my own experience, disagree with 
Jennifer is regarding prescription drugs. By all means keep them in 
their orginal containers! Carry a spare set of prescriptions 
separately. This is also true for eye glasses prescription.Your wife 
must keep her medications close by in her carryon luggage. If she and 
her checked luggage do not arrive in the same place at the same time, 
it is not the huge worry (and vacation spoiler) it might otherwise be. 
The separation happened once with medication for my mother, who takes 
several daily essential medications. I also was parted once from my 
passport (stolen in Italy), and that was "fun" - not!

Have a grand time in Halifax. I'll be with you in spirit!

Cheers,
Kate

"The best way to predict the future is to create it now, together."



On Jul 11, 2005, at 10:03 AM, Jennifer Hurley wrote:

> Doug, in the last year I've traveled to Thailand, Cambodia, Bhutan, and
> India, so I think I can offer some advice.
>
>> Currency: Is it best to convert money at my home bank, at the 
>> airport, at a
>> bank in Halifax, or just rely on merchants and vendors to properly 
>> convert
>> my US Dollars?
>>
> I like to change some small amount of money at the airport, use my 
> credit
> card as much as possible, and change larger amounts of money either at 
> a
> bank where I'm traveling or the hotel (check the rates--some places 
> hotels
> are as good as the bank, and some places they really rip you off).
>
>> Credit cards will be best for currency conversions for things like car
>> rentals and meals and hotel, yes? But should I alert my credit card 
>> company
>> about my travels ahead of the trip?
>
> Credit cards have the best rates, but most charge 2-3% on the 
> transaction.
> That's usually still better than the cash rates.  DEFINITELY alert your
> credit card company to your travels, or they may put a hold on your 
> card
> assuming that it's been stolen.
>
>> Medicines: My wife has a whole pharmacy in the cabinet. Will it be
>> necessary for her to carry the actual written prescriptions from her
>> doctors with the medicines? Should she carry the original pharmacy 
>> bottles,
>> or can she safely transfer her pills to something that packs more
>> compactly? Are there medicines she cannot bring with her?
>
> All the guide books say to bring copies of your prescriptions and leave
> things in their original bottles.  I often ignore that advice 
> completely and
> have never had a problem.
>
>> Is there anything else you can think we need to know or do to prepare?
>>
> Bring a couple of sets of photocopies of your passport, credit cards, 
> and
> plane tickets, just in case the worst happens and you lose them all.  
> I keep
> one set in my suitcase and one set in my daypack.  It's never happened 
> to
> me, but it always makes me feel safer to have them.  I also leave a 
> set with
> a friend at home.
>
> Have fun!
> Jennifer Hurley
> ----------------
> Hurley~Franks and Associates | Planning & Urban Design
> 1429 Walnut St., Ste. 601 | Philadelphia, PA 19102
> P: 215-988-9440 | JLHurley at HFAdesign.com | http://www.hfadesign.com
>
> Association for the New Urbanism in PennsylvaniA (ANUPA) |
> http://www.anupa.org
>
> ****************
> This e-mail and any files transmitted with it may contain confidential
> and/or proprietary information.  If you have received this in error, 
> please
> contact the sender by replying to this message and delete this 
> material from
> any system it may be on.
> *****************
>
> *
> *
> ==========================================================
> OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> ------------------------------
> To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
> view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
> http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
>
> To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
> http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
>

*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html

To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist