more border stuff and other problems in c.a.

[nanagosa4]

I forgot to mention in my previous post on border crossings to C.A. from U.S total wait time 13hrs!
Since these crossings took all my travel money I had to use some plastic or travelers checks.
No one, no business, no bank or hotel will accept my travellers checks, its like I have $600 in my pocket that is useless. One bank in El Salvador yesterday would not take either my debit, or my mastercard. Luckily I had a Visa which is just about tapped out now, because banks and machines won't take anything else. I have money, but can't get at it, again if I knew I would be putting out so much money at the borders to cross I would have brought more cash, but I thought thats what atm's, banks and travellers checks are for. Who walks around with all there liquid cash on them?
Any suggestions would be appreciated, I wanted to go all the way thru Panama, but if its going to be another $150 and cancel's everythiing in Costa Rica just to visit for a few days why bother. As it is my plans are seriously crimped by border crossing fees..... and to think everytime I drive out of one country into another one, even though I will be returning thru back to the u.s. in a month or so I just had to cancel everything I just paid for to get thru, it makes no sense, need some helpful advice here.....thanks

[mollydog]

Really, the best thing for you is to park the bike and get on the Tica Bus.

[thecanoeguy]

sounds like you should have been on here asking questions well and truly before you left ,travellers checks have been well replaced by travellex cards ages ago and you use them at any atm ,as far as the rest goes well you need to wisen up a bit and thats from being on the road which you are doing not talking about ,so all good ,you will know the next time ,good luck even though it seems tough ,your next trip will be a better one
dave

[nanagosa4]

Originally Posted by thecanoeguy

sounds like you should have been on here asking questions well and truly before you left ,travellers checks have been well replaced by travellex cards ages ago and you use them at any atm ,as far as the rest goes well you need to wisen up a bit and thats from being on the road which you are doing not talking about ,so all good ,you will know the next time ,good luck even though it seems tough ,your next trip will be a better one
dave

One of my big reference books on this trip, and I didn't have time for alot of them was Gregory Fraziers riding south. I assumed from his experiance I would not need $900 in cash , basically my whole travel budget for borders, granted I probably didn't, but thats another issue. My point is those travellers checks were meant for my spanish school, if I decided to take extra private tuturing. The rest of school also had been paid in advance. So those checks probably would only be needed in and emergency, and I thought at least a bank might take them. between them, and two credit cards and a debit card you would think something would work. Anyway in some defense I thought I was pretty well prepared.
And also you said travellex cards, can you explain what that is?
And yes your right I'm learning the hard way, but I am learning....... thanks again

[thecanoeguy]

these are a replacement for travellers cheques ,a good idea use at any ATM or just like a credit card,you can top them up online as well from your bank
Travel Money Card –Carry your Foreign Currency Safely with Travelex Cash Passport Card

[Peter Bodtke]

I have been able to cash American Express Travels checks in Mexico and Guatemala. Not every bank will cash them and one bank took about an hour to complete the process. Some upscale hotels will cash them, but you won't get the best rate and I imagine you have to be a guest.