Newbie's first trip officially scheduled!

[Looking4Wife]

My first trip is officially scheduled.  I will be in BAQ from 4/14/2005 thru 5/16/2005.  I would love to meet any other gringos that might be there during that time.

What do I do about money...?

1.  Where is Carl Malden when I need him?  Do people still use those American Express Traveller's checks?  Sorry for my ignorance, but my only ventures outside of the US have been to Canada... and, no, not for prescription drugs :-)

2.  I think I have seen discussions on the board saying sometimes (always?) its best to simply carry an ATM card, and as little cash as possible.

NOTE:  Sounds good, but what if the ATM card is stolen?  Then I've got no access to funds?  

3.  Where are the convenient and safe places to change from dollars to pesos?

4.  Where can I check the exchange rate online?

Also, what website(s) have you used to get your passport quickly?

Gracias

[BenKramer1]

... in response to Newbie's first trip officially scheduled..., posted by Looking4Wife on Mar 13, 2005

1. To get a passport fast you need to get down to your Post Office ASAP and they can guarantee that you will get your passport in two or three weeks (your option) for an extra fee of course. You will need your birth cert and your Driver's license. You will also need to know your parents birthday and birthplace (this was very suprising to me).

2. You had better cram and learn as much spanish as you can in the next month. I went to Cali for the first in December and believe me its a huge handicapp trying to communicate with these ladies when you dont speak their language.  You will want to have some private time when there is no translator around.  As a result fo my first trip I am now studying spanish on my own and hope to have intermediate level of spanish on my next trip.

Just my thoughts,

Ben K

[AGUILA]

... in response to Newbie's first trip officially scheduled..., posted by Looking4Wife on Mar 13, 2005

Sounds like a great trip planned. After a month in Barranquilla you will become the expert of that area.
Where do you plan on staying for the month? In an apartment or hotel? Are you using an agency while you are there?
I will be there during the latter part of your trip if things stay as planned.
Have a great trip!

[Looking4Wife]

... in response to Re: Newbie's first trip officially sched..., posted by AGUILA on Mar 14, 2005

"After a month in Barranquilla you will become the expert of that area."

That really sounds funny, since I feel as though I know so little right now :-)

I will be staying in an apartment, which will save on hotel costs.

I am working with Jamie's agency, International Introductions.

[Hoda]

... in response to Newbie's first trip officially scheduled..., posted by Looking4Wife on Mar 13, 2005

[This message has been edited by Hoda]

1. Where is Carl Malden when I need him? Do people still use those American Express Traveller's checks?
- Carl would only get in your way in BAQ :-) Take a few AE checks just in case of emergency. I would take a few MC/VISA debit/credit cards. Carry only ONE with you, when you leave your hotel. Lock everything else up!

2. I think I have seen discussions on the board saying sometimes (always?) its best to simply carry an ATM card, and as little cash as possible.
- Bingo...put different denominations, in different pockets. So you don't have to whip out your wallet. Most cab rides will probably cost between 3 to 10k peso's (based on travels in Cali). So keep the smaller notes in your front pockets.

NOTE: Sounds good, but what if the ATM card is stolen? Then I've got no access to funds?
- That's why you should have more than ONE card with you!

3. Where are the convenient and safe places to change from dollars to pesos?
- Most Money exchanges suck in terms of dollar for peso's. Plus, why be seen walking out of one? Using ATM's at the public malls, where there's usually armed security is your best bet. USE ATM'S DURING THE DAY ONLY! Carry what you need & leave the rest locked up. Make as few trips to ATM's as possible.

4. Where can I check the exchange rate online?
- Expedia.com has currency converter on it's home page.

Also, what website(s) have you used to get your passport quickly?
- Depending on where you live & if you're willing to spend anywhere between 3 to 7 hours at the US passport center. Make an appointment, bring all the required proof of ID & your TICKET indicating that you're traveling in the very near future (usually under 2 to 3 weeks). You can get your passport the same day!

Good Luck...

p.s. It's been repeated, but you need to hear...photo-copy your passport.
I'd even make a copy of my ssn & birth certificate. You hope, that you NEVER have to use them....but what the hell is a few seconds to copy a doc, just in case?

[Gator]

... in response to Good for you...., posted by Hoda on Mar 14, 2005

right on the mark-read his post several times.  I would only add the following:

AMEX bad news BUT, get $200 USD checks and tuck them away for emergencies.

I have had both Visa and Master Cards stolen-once in Ecuador and once in Venezula.  Both times the cards were replaced the next day by overnight express mail. Tip, copy the front and back of any cards you carry and keep in a safe place.

Currancy rates I like ONADA (http://www.oanda.com/convert/classic)  Lets you put in different percentages for credit cad, et. al. other rates

Also go to their "cheat sheat"and print that out.
http://www.oanda.com/convert/cheatsheet

One sheet will give you the exchange rate from pesos to USD
from 1000 CPO to 900.000 CPO. 1000 =  0.41, 2000 =  0.82, 3000 =  1.23, 4000 =  1.64 5000 =  2.05  6000 =  2.46  right up to 900000 =  370

You and reverse this to give the rate from USD to pesos from $1USD to $900 USD  $1=2240.70, $2=4481.40, $3=  6722.10, right on up to $900=2.016.630 CPO's.
Prints out wallet size.

Have a great trip.

[Gator]

... in response to Your Tio Hoda is..., posted by Gator on Mar 14, 2005

BE SURE AND LET THE CARD HOLDER KNOW YOU WILL BE TRAVELING TO COLOMBIA.  This will prevent a fraud alert hold being placed on the card(s) when foreign charges start showing up on the account.

[Hoda]

... in response to I Forgot to Add..., posted by Gator on Mar 14, 2005

On one trip, one of my cards got flagged. No biggie, I called the company & informed them that I was indeed in Cali, using the card.

Good catch...

[doombug]

... in response to Newbie's first trip officially scheduled..., posted by Looking4Wife on Mar 13, 2005

Took multiple credit cards and an ATM card when I went to Lima.  Also, made cash withdrawls prior to leaving the States.

Credit cards were accepted in nearly every restaurant and moderate sized store I'd visited.  And ATM machines are easy to find in the big cities,  many distributing cash in dollars.

I applied for my passport (form number is "DS-11") about 2 years ago, paid around $60 extra for the expidited delivery, and got it in less than a week.

Otherwise, it costs $55 for the "processing fee," $30 to execute the application, and $15 to have your photo taken at the office.

Original birth certificate and drivers license were the forms of ID I used to prove identity.

"If you do not have a U.S. passport, you must provide proof of U.S. citizenship and valid photo identification. Examples of proof of citizenship include birth or naturalization certificates. Drivers' licenses, social security cards, or voter registration cards do not constitute proof of citizenship [A driver's license DOES fulfill the "photo ID" requirement]."

Not all passport offices will take your photo.  You might have to procure your own prior to visiting the passport office.

U.S. State Dept., "Tips for Travelling Abroad":
http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/tips_1232.html

U.S. Embassy, Bogota, "American Citizen Services":
http://bogota.usembassy.gov/wwwsc017.shtml

[pablo]

... in response to Newbie's first trip officially scheduled..., posted by Looking4Wife on Mar 13, 2005


L4W,

All good comments from the other posters but I would add the following, taken off another forum.

......

I carry a small wallet with a State ID card (not my driver's license, a photocopy of my passport, a small amount of money and no credit/debit/ATM cards. I am always wearing an ankle wallet with additional money and my passport, just in case. I go to the bathroom if I need additional money from the ankle wallet. If I am ever confronted, I will open the small wallet so that they can see the money, throw it down away from me, and back away.

reponse

A non-valid credit card would be useful in the "throw away" wallet. Maybe not as the bad guy(s) might want you take you to an ATM machine to withdraw cash.

The one thing that I don't like with debit cards is that most of the Colombian ATM's I used would print my account balance on the receipt when taking out cash. Not a good scenario if in a "fast kidnap" situation.

Plus I could never understand the logic of limiting the amount of pesos you could withdraw at one time, anywhere from 200,000 to 400,000 (if I recall correctly) only to turn right around and be allowed to take out more, having to go through the hassle of entering all the information again.

I'm note sure if it's wise to carry your passport with you while in Colombia, hidden or not. I think it's safer to carry a color photocopy of it rather than the original. I was stopped a couple times but my US drivers license always sufficed, never was I asked for my passport, although keeping a copy on you is smart. Losing a passport to theft is a royal pain in the arse.

response

Seems to me an old credit card along with other stuff in the wallet is kind of like chaffe thrown from an airplane to avoid a missle attack. It's there as a distraction and makes the wallet look less like a decoy. Most robbers are a little too nervous to carefully look at the expiration dates. Also, credit cards you carry there should have low limits if valid.

As for ATM cards, not only do the low transaction limits cost you more because you have to do it twice to get the cash you are trying to get out, they also put you in greater danger b/c the more time you spend at an ATM, the more you call attention to yourself. I think the banks use the lower limits to generate more transaction fees. When using an ATM, I personally prefer to do it in a shopping mall where strong arm robberies are pretty rare and it is hard to be followed without noticing the person following.

response

You bring up a good point about the shopping mall ATM's being safer. Much better than the ones attached to a building outside. I would add to use them during daylight hours rather than at night.

The one time I had to make multiple withdrawals was time consuming and a longer line started forming behind me. I had two friends though watching my back for any problems.

Even hiding a few hundred dollars in pesos can be a bit challenging as most ATM's give out small denominations which can lead to a rather large roll.

......

Have a great trip.  You will be glad you took a month to be gone.

[valleydude]

... in response to Newbie's first trip officially scheduled..., posted by Looking4Wife on Mar 13, 2005

Hey this is what I am doing, I am ordering myself a VISA gift card to carry, then I have no worries and no surprises later that are going to affect me very much.

They say they are good anywhere VISA is accepted.
I have begun experimenting with them and had no problems with one being used in Venezuela.

For my next trip, I'm loading one of those up with a couple hundred bucks and I'll balance that out with some cash.
Then if someone steals it, I have no sweat. I'd much rather haggle about a lost gift card then having my credit or bank account in limbo. AmEx has those too. Look for them at the checkout lines in Walgreens, CVS, etc.. if you don't want to order online.

Good luck on your trip, and I have been to Ohio so you are pretty much screwed when you get back. I mean that jokingly.
There are plently of nice looking latinas here in the other Cali to keep the eye candy factor going. I don't think there are many in Ohio are there?

V-Dude

[Looking4Wife]

... in response to Re: Newbie's first trip officially sched..., posted by valleydude on Mar 13, 2005

"There are plently of nice looking latinas here in the other Cali to keep the eye candy factor going. I don't think there are many in Ohio are there?"

There are definitely a few here in Ohio, but you have to go out of your way to look for them.  That's one of the reasons I want to simply go to the source, and immerse myself in them (no pun intended :-)

The gift card idea sounds innovative.  I will definitely check into that.

Gracias

[Nikkyo]

... in response to Newbie's first trip officially scheduled..., posted by Looking4Wife on Mar 13, 2005

L4W,
Best of luck on your first trip!  Here are my tidbits of advice from my variety of world travels:

1.  Normally the best exchange rates are at the ATMs, so carry your ATM card, maybe 1 credit card and keep 1 or more credit cards locked up in the hotel safe as backup.

2.  Make a color copy of your passport and carry that, keep your original in the hotel safe.  An American passport can bring the locals a lot of money so I do not recommend carrying the original with you.

3.  Keep some US dollars with the 1 or more extra credit cards in the hotel safe.  Depending on where I am going I usually keep $100 - $200 US dollars in the safe.

4.  If you have one available in your city/town, then go to a travel medicine clinic.  It can be a little pricy but they will usually do a good job of checking for any prevalent diseases in the country that you will be traveling and if requested they will usually give you a prescription for a powerful anti-biotic so you can address any illnesses very quickly.

5.  Usually I go online and get some local currency delivered to me prior to my trip, that way I have local currency in my pocket when I am at the destination airport.  This is especially helpful if your plane arrives late at night and the money exchangers are closed.  Here is one web site that I have used many times with great success http://www.foreignmoney.com/Currency/ForeignCurrency.aspx
This site is by no means the only one around, just do a Google search and you can find quite a few.  I have just found this one to do a very good job but I'm sure there are others out there that can provide just as good a service.

Once again best of luck and enjoy yourself!

Buena suerte, chao pues,
Nikkyo

[Onephd]

... in response to Newbie's first trip officially scheduled..., posted by Looking4Wife on Mar 13, 2005

"1. Where is Carl Malden when I need him? Do people still use those American Express Traveller's checks? Sorry for my ignorance, but my only ventures outside of the US have been to Canada... and, no, not for prescription drugs :-)"

** Bring about one or two hundred(I always have about $250 in travellers checks or get a travel card from American Express. Just have it for emergency in case you loose your wallet.  The don't expire and they are just good to have.

Also you might want to think about not carrying all of your cards so that if your wallet is stolen, you will have another back at the hotel in the room safe.

"2. I think I have seen discussions on the board saying sometimes (always?) its best to simply carry an ATM card, and as little cash as possible."

***Yeah, you don't need much cash. Just enough for taxis, and beach Peddlers, etc.   Just make sure to call your credit card company and let them know you are travelling to SA and the dates so they don't turn your card off after you use the first time.  I had that happen to me the second time and I had to call them from Colombia to tell them I was there and using the card.  Basically it triggers a fraud alert if you don't let them know you are out of the country.

"NOTE: Sounds good, but what if the ATM card is stolen? Then I've got no access to funds?"

***Thats why you have travellers checks locked up in your hotel safe along with your other cards and maybe some Cash.

"3. Where are the convenient and safe places to change from dollars to pesos?"

***Use any secure looking atm.  The chance of it being eaten in minimum as they have the swipe type of machines so your card never goes in the machine.  Just use machines in public areas, well lite and during the day if possible.  Just use common sense.  Airports give you the worst rate so only exchange a minimum amount there (perhaps $75-100 and then find an ATM after you arrive in the hotel)

"4. Where can I check the exchange rate online?"

***yahoo has a place to check the exchange rates. see link.

http://finance.yahoo.com/currency?u

"Also, what website(s) have you used to get your passport quickly?"

***Basically when you apply for your passport, you can request that it be expedited at an additional cost.  shouldn't take more than, 2-3 weeks total if that long.  I think more like two weeks.  But don't delayy do it ASAP

Gracias