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Get a good credit card with cheap forex fees for ATM withdrawals. Credit cards use standard exchange rates then add on the forex fees. You'll get much better rates than at any local banks or money changers. I use penfed credit card which charges 1% but there are credit cards that doesn't charge any forex fees. Before you leave for the trip, preload whatever amount of money you think you might need on your trip. Why? Because cash advances on your credit card accumulates interest the second you take it out. If you have a positive balance, there's no interest. Why credit vs debit card? Because credit cards have much stronger protection to dispute false charges. With a debit card, you'll get your money back but that's after the bank feels like returning your money. One of the first things you should do when you land is start looking for a prepaid sim card. A quadband phone will work anywhere in the world for voice and 2g data. Put the smallest amount of credit on the sim as possible. Unlike the US, most countries have free incoming minutes. This allows you to keep in contact with your family for cheap. Also I might be the only one here advocating dumbphones over smartphones. 1 ridiculous battery life compared to smartphones 2 they're really cheap that if its lost, you won't care 3 don't make you look like a tourist as much Unless you have to do online banking, forego the tablet or netbook. Your facebook or twitter or your photosharing site doesn't have to be that secure to require your own computer. Just do as other said before, change the password before you get there, then afterward when you get home. If you do need online banking, bring a netbook or a tablet. One device that I can't live without is an eink ereader. Get a kindle/nook/kobo and get hours and hours of entertainment while you're waiting for that bus or plane. But this makes you look like a tourist. Then again it's also a conversation starter too because most people are curious about it. One device that's iffy is a music player. I love having a soundtrack while I travel but it does make it harder for people to strike up conversation with you. Of course it works great when you want to stop talking to other people. Of course you can just use a smartphone which would cover all these functions but the browsing experience, battery life, reading experience won't be as good as dedicated devices. You have consider that against the weight advantage. When I travel, I bring a nook and a cheap motorola world dumbphone which both use the same charger. If I need to use the internet, I use internet cafe or the hostel's computer.
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Jun 2, 2011 22:09
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the ATM fee is a given even with debit/ATM cards unless you have card that refunds it like charles Schwab bank. when I traveled to Rome, Egypt, Singapore over the last 3 years I had significantly better rates from my bank vs any amex or money changers and local banks even on top of the forex fees. check your credit card agreement though because different issuers have different fees
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Jun 3, 2011 05:45
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WAFFLEHOUND posted:I'm planning for a month and a half trip almost exclusively out of an MEI Voyager backpack and was looking for some advice on packing. We're going to be doing some trekking in the Himalayas and while we won't have to worry about sleeping bags (we'll be doing homestays), I'm concerned about the size of the MEI packs. We'll be paying for a hotel room even when we're out trekking, so theoretically we could leave the MEI bags and try and cram a smaller pack inside our one bag to travel. Alternatively, we could just grab a rain cover in case we need one on the MEI pack and toss in enough stuff for our treks and be good to go. http://www.seatosummit.com/products/display/143 Sea to Summit packable bag. Took it to Europe last year for a month. Sturdy and great as a grocery bag or trinket storage or just daypack. Stuffs into a smaller-than-a-baseball sized stuffsack. I also hike with it quite frequently and use it store snacks and drinks. Those alternative cheap 10 dollar nylon kiva ones were too flimsy and broke.
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May 12, 2012 12:13
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Does anyone have any recommendations for proxy services? I would like to be able to buy barnes and noble nook books on the road and occasionally listen to pandora.
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Jul 30, 2012 09:47
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