A Traveler's Guide to Money

Hello fellow travelers!

I was recently asked how a seasoned traveler like me deals with money 

abroad—fantastic question, right? Now, before I get started, you are probably wondering how this Virginian could be considered a seasoned traveler. Well, as of today, I have been to 15 countries and stepped foot on 4 continents. By March, I will be adding Russia to my list, which will put me at 16 countries and 5 continents. I am not saying that I am any kind of expert, but I have gained quite a bit of knowledge while traveling that may be useful. Are you still reading? Good, let’s get started! 

First thing first, a seasoned traveler should always ask themselves two very important questions before they embark on their journey: 1) where am I going? And 2) how much time do I have to plan and save? Duh, right? The reason you should consider these two questions is because each country is different (e.g. Europe is more expensive than Central America).  The answers you provide to those two questions will affect your budget. ***Tip: Planning is a great thing, but do not be scared to be spontaneous and show up at the airport for a last minute trip! 

Next, how does your bank work with traveling abroad? For instance, I have one account with a military bank thanks to my Dad. Military banks do not charge much for international transactions, which is vital to my existence! I don’t want a bank charging me excessive fees for doing something I love. My suggestion is either plan for transaction fees or look for another bank specifically for travel. ***Tip: Check with your bank about international travel! 

What is your budget after you book the airline ticket(s)? Now, take out at least two hundred dollars in cash. After the $200 is removed, what do you have left for travel expenses like food, lodging, and fun? I would suggest considering a hostel, which is full of travelers from all over the world! Not for you? Okay, well then I suggest trying to CALL Expedia or Travelocity because they offer a much better deal via the phone then booking online--this was recently discovered by B and I when we booked our tickets/hotel to Russia. Keep reading to understand what you should do with that $200 in cash.***Tip: Look around for a week or two at different sites before you book--flight prices change constantly. 

When you travel to other countries, please, I beg you not to get sucked into any of those money exchanges they have in the US, other countries, at the airports, and even outside the airports. Why? Well, let me tell you my first real experience with a money exchange place…it was my first time to Europe and I had only been to countries that took US currency (like Nicaragua) beforehand. Now, I arrive in Italy with my $200 in cash and wanted to exchange it. I found a place in one of the many crowded streets of Venice and walked up to the exchange counter. I will be honest; I did no research about the euro and went to Italy, which was the worst thing I could possibly have done! So, like I was saying, I walked up to the counter and gave the man running the exchange $200 USD and he gave me less than 110 in euros. I was like okay and signed the paper. Hello, where was that lightbulb that should have been going off? I got ripped off and they got a nice chunk of change for that exchange. Lesson learned!  Wait, what do you do with the $200 in cash if not exchange it? Keep reading!***Tip: Read about your travel destination beforehand and understand the exchange rates. Take advantage of drops in currency from other countries—makes for more affordable travel! Hence why B and I are heading to Russia. 

This brings me to my next suggestion; please take at least 1 debit card and 1 emergency credit card—American Express does not charge for international transactions (Something I recently heard from my Mom)! ATMs in other countries offer the best exchange rate because it is current at the time of the transaction! Voila! You will never need to worry about the exchange rate again! That $200 in cash is your emergency money so tuck it away in a shoe or safe. Also, now you don’t need to carry around your passport because you don’t need a passport to go to an ATM. ***Tip: Alert your banks that you will be abroad. Do not let them cut off your lifeline because you neglected to tell them it isn’t fraud.

Better yet, if you are quite interested in where technology is taking us, then I dare you to take a gander at Bitcoins while traveling to Paris or Tokyo. Bitcoins are a digital currency that is not regulated by any government. Sounds scary, huh? Well, Xapo is a company that will offer you a secure, convenient place to maintain and spend your Bitcoins. One of the many benefits of becoming a member of Xapo is that you will never have to worry about exchange fees while paying for something abroad. Xapo offers a vault and a wallet for the upmost security of your account. The vault is insured for any fraud and/or bankruptcy that Xapo may experience. Now, the wallet is like your checking account that you access from your phone. So who actually takes Bitcoins? This is a growing trend amongst small businesses due to no fees, but you can also order a debit card and use it at MasterCard or Visa accepted locations (Xapo has not officially released which card they will go with). Bitcoins could be the future for traveling! Always remember that like any bank, Bitcoins can be hacked, too. ***Tip: Check your finances while traveling abroad. Being proactive will ensure that you have the best trip and stay on top of any possible fraud!

B and I at Machu Picchu

Lastly, these are opinions that I have gained from experiencing the good, the bad, and the ugly side of traveling. I want you to find what works for you. If you like the fact that you can exchange money in our US airports and then come back to get the same exchange rate with no fee, then great—do it! (Keep the exchange receipt to do so!) Please just be smart about how much money you take with you while exploring the city you chose. Lock the rest of your money up in a safe or get creative and hide it. Don’t take all your lifelines with you to explore either—lock up that $200 emergency cash and at least one credit card. Keep your cash and credit cards safe and always check after you get back from exploring to ensure that your lifelines are still locked up. Being cautious is a necessary survival tool while traveling abroad. Consider embracing technology while traveling and try Bitcoins. Like I said, find what works for you because my advice is simply derived from my own experiences abroad.

Be smart, be safe, and be adventurous.

Me walking in the streets of Peru

Happy travels!

-Katie

Six Things: Enjoy Mother Nature's Icy Treatment

Hello, fellow wanderlusters!

Winter is one of my favorite seasons. Okay, you are right, I love all seasons. However, there is something so magical about winter. Imagine walking in the snow with a hot chocolate in hand...it is just so warm and inviting! 

As you may remember, back in August I wrote a post that was quite simple. In actuality, I simply listed 6 pictures of things you may want to consider. So, shall we get started with the winter version of 6 things? 

1.) Winter Fashion

Sporto Delinda Bootie: $69.95

**Yes, cozy snow-proof booties! I plan to pick up a pair to take with me to Germany.

2.) Check Out A New Blog

Classy Girls Wear Pearls

3.) A Treat For Your Taste Buds

Starbucks Gingerbread Trio: $13.96

4.) A Gift For The Special Man In Your Life

Rugby Toggle Shawl Cardigan: $99.99 

5.) A Little Arm Candy

Lauren Ralph Lauren: Signature Holiday Shopper: $168.00

***I received this Christmas present in red and absolutely adore it! 

6.) A Touching/Beautiful Documentary

First Position: $19.99

What are a few things that are on your list?

Happy Holidays!

XXOO

Books: Helping Us Survive the Holidays

Hello, fellow travelers!

During the holidays, one may find oneself in need of some entertainment or relief from a family like the Griswolds. 

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

Many of us find ourselves on a long flight back home or off to a vacation in a far away land. So, the question is how do we entertain ourselves? Personally, I find curling up with a good book is the best way to pass time.

Soon to be B and I!

Books Worth Reading:

• 50 Shades Trilogy: $27.75 
• FIFTY SHADES OF GREY: "When college student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating.  The unworldly Ana realizes she wants this man, and Grey admits he wants her, too—but on his own terms. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian’s secrets and explores her own desires."
• FIFTY SHADES DARKER: "Daunted by Christian’s dark secrets and singular tastes, Ana has broken off their relationship to start a new career. But desire for Christian still dominates her every waking thought. They rekindle their searing sensual affair, and while Christian wrestles with his inner demons, Ana is forced to make the most important decision of her life."

• FIFTY SHADES FREED: "Now, Ana and Christian have it all—love, passion, intimacy, wealth, and a world of possibilities for their future. But Ana knows that loving her Fifty Shades will not be easy, and that being together will pose challenges that neither of them would anticipate. Just when it seems that their strength together will eclipse any obstacle, misfortune, malice, and fate conspire to turn Ana’s deepest fears into reality."
• Lolita: $10.85 (I am currently reading this one.)
• "Awe and exhiliration--along with heartbreak and mordant wit--abound in Lolita, Nabokov's most famous and controversial novel, which tells the story of the aging Humbert Humbert's obsessive, devouring, and doomed passion for the nymphet Dolores Haze. Lolita is also the story of a hypercivilized European colliding with the cheerful barbarism of postwar America. Most of all, it is a meditation on love--love as outrage and hallucination, madness and transformation."
• A Walk in the Woods: $7.99 (I am currently reading this one as well.)
• "The Appalachian Trail trail stretches from Georgia to Maine and covers some of the most breathtaking terrain in America–majestic mountains, silent forests, sparking lakes. If you’re going to take a hike, it’s probably the place to go. And Bill Bryson is surely the most entertaing guide you’ll find. He introduces us to the history and ecology of the trail and to some of the other hardy (or just foolhardy) folks he meets along the way–and a couple of bears. Already a classic, A Walk in the Woods will make you long for the great outdoors (or at least a comfortable chair to sit and read in)."
• Me Talk Pretty One Day: $10.87
• "A recent transplant to Paris, humorist David Sedaris, bestselling author of "Naked", presents a collection of his strongest work yet, including the title story about his hilarious attempt to learn French. A number one national bestseller now in paperback."
• The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo Trilogy: $35.51
• "All across America, readers are talking about Stieg Larsson’s best-selling novels, set in Sweden and featuring Lisbeth Salander—'one of the most original and memorable heroines to surface in a recent thriller' (The New York Times). The trilogy is an international sensation that will grab you and keep you 'reading with eyes wide open' (San Francisco Chronicle). '[It] is intricately plotted, lavishly detailed but written with a breakneck pace and verve' (The Independent, U.K.), but 'be warned: the trilogy is seriously addictive.' (The Guardian, U.K.)."
• Anna Karenina: $12.24 (I plan to read this on my way to Germany!)

• "Described by William Faulkner as the best novel ever written and by Fyodor Dostoevsky as “flawless,” Anna Karenina tells of the doomed love affair between the sensuous and rebellious Anna and the dashing officer, Count Vronsky. Tragedy unfolds as Anna rejects her passionless marriage and must endure the hypocrisies of society. Set against a vast and richly textured canvas of nineteenth-century Russia, the novel's seven major characters create a dynamic imbalance, playing out the contrasts of city and country life and all the variations on love and family happiness."
• "While previous versions have softened the robust, and sometimes shocking, quality of Tolstoy's writing, Pevear and Volokhonsky  have produced a translation true to his powerful voice. This authoritative edition, which received the PEN Translation Prize and was an Oprah Book Club™ selection, also includes an illuminating introduction and explanatory notes. Beautiful, vigorous, and eminently readable, this Anna Karenina will be the definitive text for fans of the film and generations to come."
• Tigers in Red Weather: $17.15 (I'm intrigued by this book and will read it soon.)

• "Nick and her cousin, Helena, have grown up sharing sultry summer heat, sunbleached boat docks, and midnight gin parties on Martha's Vineyard in a glorious old family estate known as Tiger House. In the days following the end of the Second World War, the world seems to offer itself up, and the two women are on the cusp of their 'real lives': Helena is off to Hollywood and a new marriage, while Nick is heading for a reunion with her own young husband, Hughes, about to return from the war.
  
  Soon the gilt begins to crack. Helena's husband is not the man he seemed to be, and Hughes has returned from the war distant, his inner light curtained over. On the brink of the 1960s, back at Tiger House, Nick and Helena--with their children, Daisy and Ed--try to recapture that sense of possibility. But when Daisy and Ed discover the victim of a brutal murder, the intrusion of violence causes everything to unravel. The members of the family spin out of their prescribed orbits, secrets come to light, and nothing about their lives will ever be the same.
  
  Brilliantly told from five points of view, with a magical elegance and suspenseful dark longing, Tigers in Red Weather is an unforgettable debut novel from a writer of extraordinary insight and accomplishment."

Budget Friendly Route:

• Head to your local library to rent!
• Borrow from friends and family members who already own them.
• Go check out a used book store!
• Head to your local Salvation Army for cheap books!
• Ask Santa to bring you books for Christmas ;)

Check back soon for Christmas present ideas!

Happy reading!

Guns Don't Kill People, Zombies Do!

Hello, fellow survivors!

"I will not negotiate with the undead!"

The time has come. Rudy Eugene, of Miami, has become the first...zombie! Fear not, B and I will help you become one of the few survivors. Read on to learn how to survive the zombie apocalypse because it will save your life and your brains. 

Survival Necessities:

The Dulles Gun Show has many choices!

• Emergency Kit
• Emergency Plan
• Emergency Food
• Security

Gathering: 

1. How:


• Nation's Gun Show: "C & E Gun Shows is dedicated to producing the most professional, safest and ethical gun shows in the country.  We strive to provide our patrons with the best available selection of firearms, ammo, knives and related merchandise, and our dealers with the largest crowds of qualified buyers anywhere, while always doing all we can do to protect the constitution of the United States of America."


• Gather Supplies:
• Guns, Ammo, MREs, Knifes, and Clothes
2. Where & When:
• The Dulles Expo Center:
• 4320 Chantilly Shopping Center, Chantilly, Virginia 20153
• Dates: June 9 & 10
• Hours:
• Saturday: 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.
• Sunday: 10 a.m. -5 p.m.
3. Cost:
• Adult: $12 
• 3-Day: $18
4. Best Equipment:
• Machete: Always reliable and never runs out of bullets.
• Glock 22 (Generation 4): According to B, "The 40 caliber (cal) provides adequate stopping power without sacrificing high magazine capacity. It holds 15 rounds of 40 cal ammo, which is above average for a large bullet." 



Estimated Price: $549

• Viridian X5L (Generation 2) Gun Laser: According to B, "Red is dead. The Viridian site admits a green laser, which travels farther in sunlight." Will ensure that you kill the zombies with one bullet!
• Estimated Price: $275
• Ammo 556 Green-Tip: Hard to find, but is very accurate. This round will pierce body armor almost as easy as a zombie's skull! 
• Estimated Price: $500 for 1,000 rounds
• MREs (Meal, Ready-To-Eat): Packaged food that contains high caloric meals that are used quite often in the military. They usually have a shelf life of about five years.



6 MREs for $17

• Water Purifier: Make your water safe to drink.



Estimated Price of Steripen: $90

5. Test Yourself:
• Create a contingency plan!
6. Security: 
• Barricade! 
• Be aware of zombies and looters! 
• Don't trust the cops, they think zombies are a myth!
• It will become a man-eat-man world.

"This is the way the world ends; not with a bang or a whimper, but with zombies breaking down the back door."

-Amanda Hocking

They're dying to get into the gun show!