BootsnAll Travel Community

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Anyone still finding places without banks?

Whole countries, no, but it's not hard to wind up in a town somewhere without an ATM. In Syria, it's still only the big cities (Damascus, Aleppo, Homs, Lattakkia) that have machines, and the biggest bank isn't connected to the international networks - or at least, it wasn't 2 years ago.

Even in Europe, we ran into trouble in one town in Greece where there wasn't an ATM. Would have liked to have stayed a couple extra days, but it would have taken us a full day to go and fetch more money, so it seemed like a bit of a waste.

Don't forget to tell your bank/credit card you are traveling. Give dates and general area of travel.

When I went to Mongolia in 2004, all the guidebooks said there were no ATMs there, so I took some Euros in cash from home and then dollars from an ATM in Russia. As it turned out, there were ATMs in Ulaan Bataar so I shouldn't have bothered. But anyway there probably still aren't any outside of UB, or maybe in Kharkhorin.

When I went to Serbia in 2001, atms would not take foreign cards. But I suppose that's probably changed by now too.

In Yemen most atms only took Visa, so it took me a while to find one that would take my card (Cirrus/Maestro/Plus). You should always take some emergency cash in case this happens. (But then again, once I went to Holland and my card wasn't working, I still had British pounds on me but the bank in the stupid little town I was in didn't want to change them! They said I could only do it in Leiden, the nearest city, but luckily I found a hotel that would change them.)

Madhu, why should you tell your bank? I've never heard of this and certainly never done it.

Right, this is our experience after nearly finishing our 12 month round the world trip.
Nationwide good bank no charges (debit card and credit card)and there may be other banks also that don't charge check this out you need to save every penny.
Set up a standing order to pay off monthly the full owed on your credit card, no interest to pay then.
Don't just have one account (debit or credit), have two at least and keep the cards in different places, spread money, some in your wallet for daily use and use a body belt for everything that's important, passport plus copies,flight tickets,cash.
Draw out larger amounts whereby avoiding paying to the withdrawing bank fee. Put the extra cash in the money belt for safe keeping. Ask for discounts everywhere you'll be surprised how many people will knock of money.
ATM's the only place we have had a problem is China, we can only withdraw money from the Bank of China.
Register for a website and keep in touch with family and friends, join Hospitality club good for meeting local people and accommodation may be offered free.
Check out our website www.getjealous.com/trio

Best of Luck with the trip.
Jean

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Originally posted by seraphim:
Madhu, why should you tell your bank? I've never heard of this and certainly never done it.

They might think the card was stolen...here you are using it in your own country one day and viola 2 days later you are in BKK. Maybe its a US thing because in Europe the borders are so close.

I usually send email to my bank and credit cards. American Express in their email requests even has a subjectline which says "My Travel Plans"..all I did was use that drop down box.