Schillings, drachma, pounds, and kroner
© Diane Goldberg under the original topic name
Study the stations
Every airport and train station in the world has multiple modes of transportation to the city it serves. Study all available modes of transport via the screen of your friendly computer before you pack your luggage. You'll see a wide range of choices.
For example, cab fare from London Heathrow to Center City London runs around sixty dollars. Transport in a prearranged mini-cab can chop that down to around $40. The airbus makes stops near all the hotel areas for around $15. A new high-speed train whisks passengers from Heathrow to London Paddington in around fifteen minutes for around $30. The budgeteer who is traveling light can take the tube for less than $7.
Many air/hotel packages offer transportation from the airport to the hotel as an optional part of the program. Consider this add-on when you are arriving in a city late at night or when the value of the dollar is falling.
Dollars and centimes
Currency exchange is a money-eating process that bewilders even the most experienced traveler. A few caveats can help you minimize the damage to your wallet.
1. When the dollar is strong in comparison to local currency, use your credit card. The bank to bank exchange rate is better than the one on the street.
2. Take a credit card with an internationally functional PIN. Send in a rather large payment prior to leaving home. You can use this credit card to make cash ATM withdrawals without incurring interest.
3. Exchange traveler's checks at the company office they are drawn on - such as American Express or Thomas Cook's or the bank that guarantees them. The bank that guarantees them is printed on the back of the check. As you approach the end of your stay, exchange money in small amounts - remenber it will cost you again to change it back into your home currency.
4. Carry small denomination traveler's checks in local currency. Use them whenever possible and avoid check-cashing or exchange fees.
In a strange city where you do not speak the language, sights may seem inaccessible. Take a local service train schedule with you to the tourist information office. Check out the brochures for the sights on your "must-see" list. Ask for help. Tourist information center staff are very good at helping you work out local itineraries. If you are American and don't mind (or enjoy) a bit of a walk, tell the staff that you like to walk. I have bumped into the stereotype of the "lazy American" when well meaning people told me a brief stroll was "too far to walk." When I explained that I loved walking, the directions changed from "get a taxi" to "a short walk from the rail station."
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