Carrying a stash on the bike for me has nothing to do with the availability of cash machines. While not being paranoid about all of the possible scenarios that could crop up to bite you in the a$$ I believe in planning for some worse case scenarios. So you get stopped on a main road in Guatemala by some hooded gunmen(exactly as reported by an overlander in a thread on the HUBB in the last 12 months or so) If they actually search you, empty your pockets, pat you down for money belts etc and get what is on you and maybe go through your luggage as well then your pretty much screwed if they get the lot.
Or it could be as simple as some bad dudes in a quiet street in broad daylight with some knives and evil intent, as happened to me.

The stash is for the worst case scenario where all of your cash,cards are stolen and you need that $200 or so to get to the next city big enough to sort out replacement, maybe money wiring etc. Its for gas, hotel,food till all that is sorted out.

Maybe for you thats overkill but hey its not a lot of money if your bike gets stolen, easy to find a spot on the bike to conceal it and provides peace of mind for that worse case scenario where you lose the lot.

Hi Chris!

Man, you are very optimistic person! :thumbup1: I guess you know Murphy's Law and if it comes to you, then all at the same time!

In example Iran. No foreign cards are accepted anywhere. No Western Union or moneygram or company has a branch there, as well.....:(

So if you get rubbed or even just run out of money in Iran, it gets interesting! You have to have good luck to find locals who might donate you some money...:helpsmilie:


Just in Eastern-Turkey the ATM ate my VISA-card. I had no more money in my pocket. I'd try to call my girl-friend, who was sitting at our host, but I couldn't because the charge of the phone was empty. That was the original reason why I took off and got out of the house. I had my laptop with me and tried to find a place with wifi to do skype for blocking my card very soon and call my gf. But without money no internet in that town. And my fuel tank, was empty, too. Wanted to fill it up on the way back... :(

It was just in Turkey, 40 km of distance and I had some Euro's left in my wallet, which I could pay wifi-cafe for blocking my credit-card. Everything else was more easy to handle, later. But by imagine such a situation further east, I guess my blood pressure increases tremendously...

And waiting for a new card, which has to be delievered by the local post staff in foreign countries...??? If you are lucky it might just take a few weeks.

Of course it's everybody else to decide. But storing some extra money somewhere at the bike is never a fault, in my opinion.

Hope we never need them!!:scooter:

Ciao Alex

Money
 

We all have our own ways the best is what you are comfortable with
Rode Southern Asia all the Stan’s carried cash card MasterCard but also US$ money belt before boarder crossing would take $100 and put in pocket and change at broader to what ever currency rates were always ok would check before hand so we’re in the know sometimes would pay in US dollars as a lot of people in these areas keep there savings in US if you do this have small notes as no change offered also find good policy when getting funds choose high profile ATM best at banks avoid railway stations and best if not in riding gear

Lots of places don't have ATM machines, and to claim that they're found in "every village" seems a bit silly. Go to Africa and see for yourself. Lots of ATMs--sometimes city-wide--run out of cash, especially on weekends or holidays. Last time that happened to me was on my most recent trip, in a heavily-touristed area of Vietnam. And lots of stuff happens which requires cash, sometimes in large amounts--cards get eaten by ATM machines, lost, stolen, or are locked out by security-conscious banks back home.

I usually leave my US dollar stash untouched, but every now and then it turns out essential. Seems to me this depends largely on where you go in your travels, together with how lucky you are...or believe yourself to be.

There are also whole countries which have fallen off the international banking map-Venezuela comes to mind, but there are others.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Mark

in a front wheel tube.

No Money, no cards.
 

A backup, cards and cash, is just plain commonsense.

Just been pickpocketed in Monastorix in Athens, cards and cash, no backup, but my wife is here, so no worries really. She is laughing herself to tears about the experienced traveller getting so easily robbed.

Front left pocket, how do they do it?

If I had been on my own, I would have significant problems

Safe travels everyone

Peter, from Oslo

If you have a Revolut card you can use it wherever MasterCard is accepted and you can lock the card down remotely from your phone.
And the card tells you when it has been used...

Good exchange rates, but limited cash withdrawals.


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[QUOTE=chasbmw;593554]If you have a Revolut card you can use it wherever MasterCard is accepted and you can lock the card down remotely from your phone.
And the card tells you when it has been used...

Good exchange rates, but limited cash withdrawals.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk[/QUOT

Hi there Chas,
I have a new Starling Bank MasterCard card which I understand carries no fees for cash withdrawals abroad at all. I have yet to use it but will be using it in anger from Feb onwards on my Beijing ride.
I am considering the Revolut Visa card my only issue is the max £200 month free cash withdrawal , as I would like to operate on a cash paying basis only to minimise card fraud whilst shopping for anything really as advised by Chris Scott in the AMH.
Have you found anything else with no or minimal cash withdrawal fee that I may consider?
Best
Adrian

I think that FairFX operate on the basis of a minimal charge £1.50 I think for cash withdrawals.

Remember that with a Revolut card you use your App to lock down the card when you are not using it. So you can disable swipe payments, contactless,ATM withdrawals and online transactions. It also uses a location based security system. Also you get a message on your phone when the card is used.

So I use both FairFX and revolut.


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PS. As the revolut is a cash card, you just top it up as you go along so the amount of cash you are “carrying”in the card is limited.

So much easier know than carrying 6 months of money in travellers cheques stuffed up the main frame tube of my BMW.

I always put my money in the inner pocket of my trousers or shirts.
Its much more safer.
And keep my passport and other ids in my bag. And a scanned copy of all my docs in my email

MasterCard / Visa
 

No MasterCard or Visa in Iran