The totally off-topic thread

[Bundy Bear]

I'll out myself here as well. :shock::shock:

What other methods are there to buy overseas currency.

You don't have an hour to go and get it.

If you only want $100-$150 equivalent of foreign currency why would you bother going anywhere else.

So I think some of you should pull your heads in. :evil:

 

[Flashback]

It's just like I saw an American couple at the Novotel Darling Habour yesterday, who were cashing some money at the hotel... (also not a good rate) and heard them say "glad we're doing this here right now, so easy!".....

 

[JohnK]

What other methods are there to buy overseas currency.

Exchange booths and ATMs at the overseas location.

You don't have an hour to go and get it.

It takes me a couple of minutes to get cash when I am in Suvarnabhumi Airport waiting for the luggage to come out. If you go to an overseas country regularly why not keep money on you from a previous trip. I have just over 1,000 THB in small notes at home and I always used to keep 50-100 SGD in my wallet until I spent it on the last trip as I was not sure when I was going back. I also have Euro sitting at home to be used on the next trip in August/September.

If you only want $100-$150 equivalent of foreign currency why would you bother going anywhere else.

Unless you are travelling to Swaziland or Lesotho and will get there in the middle of the night and need some rand then I am sure you can find some currency peddlar on the street cheaper than Travelex.

It's just like I saw an American couple at the Novotel Darling Habour yesterday, who were cashing some money at the hotel... (also not a good rate) and heard them say "glad we're doing this here right now, so easy!".....

Hotels are worse than Travelex. I remember a NZ trip a couple of years ago most Grand Chancellor hotels were 1 AUD = 1 NZD (exchange rate 1 AUD = ~1.12 NZD) and one of them was actually offering less NZD than the AUD.

 

[anat0l]

Fine, I'll 'fess up.

This was on my Japan/NZ trip. I was in SYD T1 just coming out of the QP (no WP at this time - only SG) and heading to gate 25 to board LA800. I had almost no NZD (NZD 25 to be more precise) and fearing a customs interrogation if I got prompted on why my stay was short and I had "no money", I decided my only recourse was the Travelex in SYD T1. The rate was not very respectable and they also charged a commission, but they kept trying to cajole me with their promo offer of phone card, Travelex Advantage, etc. etc. "don't look at the rate alone - look at the whole package" (I did, and it still sucked). Long story short I changed a good sum of money that should have been enough to stave off any interrogator at AKL.

But then once at AKL, not only was the incoming NZ Travelex offering a better rate, I ended up not being interrogated at all!

I blame this one on naivety and panic (after completing the currency change I had only 10 minutes left before departure and they were about to change the status from "Final Call" to "Flight Closed" - I ran all the way to the gate to find no one there except for the gate agents). Had I been more sage (viz. next time), I would have put up with an interrogation at AKL and/or changed at an NZ bank or failing that at least in NZ.

 

[drron]

Like JohnK I keep a small amount of the currency of places i am likely to visit.On this trip i have noticed that the airports in Thailand are not as good as in town as far as the excgange rates go.
On 10/5-25.56 at the airport,26.01 in town.12/7 25.43 at the airport 25.86 both in Bangkok and KhaoLak.
I put it down to the lack of tourists.Here at Le Meridien Khao Lak they are saying 40% occupancy-it appears a lot less.A report in todays Bangkok post with the retiring GM of the Oriental saying that not one of their 45 suites is booked for the next 2 months.

 

[docjames]

anat0l, I've never been asked by customs anywhere (suppose most figure if you can afford to get there, then you'll have the cash), but if i was, my approach is/will be:

1. See these three credit cards, all of which i can use and/or pull cash from if needed.
2. See this card - it works on my savings account, can pull cash from any atm
3. Do you have the internet, would you like to see my bank statment(s)?

I cant imagine a situation where that's insufficient evidence?

The only time this wouldnt have worked was for travel to cuba as there were no atms. I would also not land in some african countries without at least a reasonable initial supply of USD cash.


I might add - i have used travelex, once, pre-ordered and collected at the airport. For the convenience, (I dont work in the cbd so getting to/from a suitable bank is a pain), the very small (yes, i checked) rate difference was irrelevant.

 

[bambbbam2]

Last time I was at the SkyCity in Auckland, I found they had a bank in the lobby. Seemed quite reasonable rate.

So anyway I picked the GBP up yesterday and they told me it was the last lot they had - if I hadn't shown up soon they would have used up the cash they had reserved for me.

Was lovely GBP though - all brand new notes, in sequential order.

 

[anat0l]

anat0l, I've never been asked by customs anywhere (suppose most figure if you can afford to get there, then you'll have the cash), but if i was, my approach is/will be:

1. See these three credit cards, all of which i can use and/or pull cash from if needed.
2. See this card - it works on my savings account, can pull cash from any atm
3. Do you have the internet, would you like to see my bank statment(s)?

I cant imagine a situation where that's insufficient evidence?

The only time this wouldnt have worked was for travel to cuba as there were no atms.

I got the big quiz from AKL last June (2008) when I went to NZ for the first time. I only had a couple of small items to declare (duty free gifts for a friend), but they gave me the full third degree examination (luckily I didn't have the interrogation room or the like). Maybe it was just my bad luck or perhaps I fit an archetypical profile of a person who may not have enough money to spend in NZ and/or is trying to bum for PR in NZ (Asian, uni student, don't know anyone personally in NZ.... hmmm... and if I'm a citizen of AU why the hell would I want to bum for PR in NZ??? *mind boggles*). So part of the questions was how was I going to pay for my expenses whilst in NZ. I rattled off my credit cards and limits (didn't have the Amex at that time, but my credit line on my existing Visa would have sufficed), money I had in my bank account and some cash on hand. I ended up leaving completely unscathed (well, at least physically and legally), but I could tell that the customs officer would have been more content if I had been detained.

So from then on in I've made sure that I have some funds for entry, although in retrospect now you do make a point, docjames. I have another entry (actually - multiple entries!) into NZ later this month.... Personally, I've had a better run with AU customs (including dreaded BNE) compared with AKL. Sure, the sample sizes don't match, but honestly the first time I entered NZ I really wondered what was up the backsides of these customs agents...

 

[docjames]

IMHO and IME, NZ are notorious for being sticklers. They're "ramped up" due to their strict quarantine, but seem to often be right onto everything else as well.

The classic was when about 100 people on a (?JQ or QF, cant remember) flight were given an apple as a snack, and took it with them off the plane, didnt declare it, and all copped fines. True, letter of the law and within their rights, but surely a warning would be appropriate as many would presume it was ok as they got it on the aircraft.

Basically, I just tell them what they want to know and expect it'll be enough.

 

[oz_mark]

The classic was when about 100 people on a (?JQ or QF, cant remember) flight were given an apple as a snack, and took it with them off the plane, didnt declare it, and all copped fines. True, letter of the law and within their rights, but surely a warning would be appropriate as many would presume it was ok as they got it on the aircraft.

I have heard many times on aircraft where you are told that all airline food has to remain on the aircraft. But, yes, a warning and confiscation of the Apple would maybe have been more appropriate.

 

[JohnK]

For me Friday's have become "Oh no, it's Friday!". :-|

Another week has passed and my body has remained alcohol free Monday-Thursday and I can only hope that I do not overdo it again today. :shock:

And my diet is not working either as I am back to where I was 3 months ago. I was doing better when I was drinking when I felt like it and did not care what, or how much, I ate.

 

[docjames]

Walking to/from bar = exercise? :mrgreen:

 

[serfty]

Maybe you should start walking to work ... (at least it's downhill in the AM )

 

[Keith009]

Or come shopping with me - I don't mind walking up and down the longest shopping strip in the Southern Hemisphere repeatedly. It's my only form of exercise. Cabs required all other times.

 

[JohnK]

Walking to/from bar = exercise? :mrgreen:

I don't know. You are the doctor. What should do I do? And I can sign one of those Medicare consent forms for a lengthy consultation if you give me advice that no other doctor has given and it actually works.

Maybe you should start walking to work ... (at least it's downhill in the AM )

Don't laugh I did it once coming back from Toowong to Spring Hill. It took just over an hour and I was exhausted to the point where my feet went numb a couple of times and I had to walk with numb feet. I should have asked the Swedish bird, who was stalking me, out though. She was not really stalking me but she was asking an awful lot of questions and I should have invited her to the Mill Hotel & Restaurant for a cheap meal, which is what she wanted by the way, and a few drinks. Oh well one of the reasons I am still single.

Or come shopping with me....

Now Keith seriously shopping is an exercise that should only be attempted once in a lifetime. Oh and shopping is for people who can't play golf. Not that I can play golf but if I can convince myself long enough I may actually start to believe my own publicity.

 

[mysavings789]

You're still single John? How old are you?

Brisk walking is a good exercise. Shopping is not my option. My legs cannot stand in long hours, I get easily exhausted. And as long as my pocket concerns I better stay at home.

 

[Mal]

Last time I was at the SkyCity in Auckland, I found they had a bank in the lobby. Seemed quite reasonable rate.

Yeah it does, and open weekends/ pretty late at night too. Much better than some of the other options to convert cash/tc's etc.

 

[Keith009]

Oh and shopping is for people who can't play golf.

I suppose you're right there...

 

[anat0l]

Now Keith seriously shopping is an exercise that should only be attempted once in a lifetime. Oh and shopping is for people who can't play golf. Not that I can play golf but if I can convince myself long enough I may actually start to believe my own publicity.

There's an idea. How about next time you play golf, walk the whole course (i.e. ditch the golf cart)?

 

[serfty]

There's an idea. How about next time you play golf, walk the whole course (i.e. ditch the golf cart)?

I think you'll find that the carts in Feb was unusual for John and he walks the course most times; indeed I'm willing to bet he walked it this morning ...