Yeah I have been burned so now I have learned my lesson. I have also been burned regarding credit cards and SIM not working overseas so I have lived and learned.
When traveling overseas for the very first time, I made sure to go to my local bank and ask them to 'enable' my account and detailed the countries I'd be going to and the duration. My bank offers no fees when using ATMs overseas but the bank charges fees for giving me foreign currency while at the the branch so I thought let me just enable my card and then get money from the ATM. I can save 5 bucks.
The same thing was done for my cell phone. My carrier (tmobile) had a different plan where you can use the phone overseas and so I thought ok let me switch over to that plan so that when I arrive I have cell service. (This was many years ago)
When I arrived (ironically in Ireland lol) my cell phone didn't work and my ATM card wouldn't work either. :/
I had to take the bus to my location and I had no money...
Thankfully Dublin airport had free WIFI and so using that + some skype credits I had, I was able to call my bank and make them enable my account and then I was able to call tmobile and have them put me on the right plan. Without that free WIFI and my quick thinking....i'd probably still be at Dublin Airport.
>Everyone makes fun of me for this, but this is why I carry a 1/2" binder with paperwork for every part of an overseas trip in individual plastic sleeves. When you land in a foreign country, you never know when/if your phone will start roaming, or you're waiting to buy a SIM, etc...
This is an excellent way to prepare and I've been doing this more since the incident but keep in mind you are paying for the cost cutting of others in paper, time and possibly frustration because you now have one more thing to taking up space that could have been allocated to something else. A more competitive market would remove these inefficiencies.
I am glad to see this has improved your travel preparation- I have learned the hard way too!
I see your point but my perspective is that this approach protects me in a potentially adversarial situation in a location where I am at a distinct disadvantage: I most likely don’t speak the language, aren’t familiar with cultural norms, and unfamiliar with the surroundings.
With paper, I can point to my reservation number or booking details unambiguously and prove my point. If they need to take the paper to someone else to verify, I’m not giving up my personal cell phone and only method of communication at the same time.
It’s like when you learn to drive: you are taught, you could be right in a traffic situation but at the end of the day, you adapt to the situation. Better to have bent to someone else who did something wrong but stay alive rather than dying “proving” your correctness.
When traveling overseas for the very first time, I made sure to go to my local bank and ask them to 'enable' my account and detailed the countries I'd be going to and the duration. My bank offers no fees when using ATMs overseas but the bank charges fees for giving me foreign currency while at the the branch so I thought let me just enable my card and then get money from the ATM. I can save 5 bucks.
The same thing was done for my cell phone. My carrier (tmobile) had a different plan where you can use the phone overseas and so I thought ok let me switch over to that plan so that when I arrive I have cell service. (This was many years ago)
When I arrived (ironically in Ireland lol) my cell phone didn't work and my ATM card wouldn't work either. :/
I had to take the bus to my location and I had no money...
Thankfully Dublin airport had free WIFI and so using that + some skype credits I had, I was able to call my bank and make them enable my account and then I was able to call tmobile and have them put me on the right plan. Without that free WIFI and my quick thinking....i'd probably still be at Dublin Airport.
>Everyone makes fun of me for this, but this is why I carry a 1/2" binder with paperwork for every part of an overseas trip in individual plastic sleeves. When you land in a foreign country, you never know when/if your phone will start roaming, or you're waiting to buy a SIM, etc...
This is an excellent way to prepare and I've been doing this more since the incident but keep in mind you are paying for the cost cutting of others in paper, time and possibly frustration because you now have one more thing to taking up space that could have been allocated to something else. A more competitive market would remove these inefficiencies.