Do I use cash or credit card overseas? Do I pay foreign transaction fee? How is the currency exchange rate? What credit and debit cards do I use? How do I track my expenses?
I carry exactly one credit card and one debit card: A Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card for credit charges, and a Charles Schwab debit card for cash withdrawal. I do also have a backup credit / debit card in case the other one doesn’t work.
Why did I choose Chase Sapphire Preferred and Charles Schwab? No foreign transaction fee, competitive exchange rate, reward points, signup bonus, and a bunch of other perks. Notice that Chase Sapphire Preferred is different from Chase Sapphire Reserve: The latter got a lot of attention earlier this year because of its huge signup bonus and complimentary Priority Pass membership, which gives you (and your family and friends) free access to 1000+ airport lounges worldwide – Who doesn’t like free food and drinks while waiting for flights?
Before you think you can tag along with me to airport lounges, let’s be very clear that I am not a member either so sorry I can’t help you there J; but if you are a Priority Pass member, you have just become my instant best friend and next time you enter those lounges you might see me sneak behind you or hide inside your luggage.
As far as tracking expenses, I use the AndroMoney app on Android (or TripCoin on iOS). Although the two apps look quite different, they do essentially the same thing: After each transaction, you simply spend a few seconds to enter the amount paid, payment method, and a few words of what the expense was for. After a certain period of time, you export the data to a spreadsheet and email it to yourself – I have been doing this for years, so I always know exactly how much I spend. Nothing fancy, just basic personal finance.
Postojba Cave. I didn’t do my research and didn’t decide to come here until the night before. I thought this would be just a small lamestone cave with a dozen of visitors – Man was I wrong! Turned out Postojba Cave is the biggest attraction in the area, and I ended up with over 200 Chinese / Taiwanese / Israeli tourists coming with huge tour groups.
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The lady sitting next to me on the cave train was a retired Taiwanese lady who came with a big tour group. She was separated with the rest of her group on the train, so I started a conversation with her (in Chinese). Very soon she started asking me questions about how I managed traveling by myself. Despite traveling a lot during retirement, she was amazed how young people nowadays are able to venture out and travel on their own.
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Although it was only a good short 10-minute conversation, it did reaffirm the purpose of my backpacking journey: As a (older) millennial, I have all the technology and resources at my disposal to create an experience of a lifetime – All I have to do is to take the leap and take advantage of it.
@Postojba
Postojba Cave. I didn’t do my research and didn’t decide to come here until the night before. I thought this would be just a small lamestone cave with a dozen of visitors – Man was I wrong! Turned out Postojba Cave is the biggest attraction in the area, and I ended up with over 200 Chinese / Taiwanese / Israeli tourists coming with huge tour groups.
//
The lady sitting next to me on the cave train was a retired Taiwanese lady who came with a big tour group. She was separated with the rest of her group on the train, so I started a conversation with her (in Chinese). Very soon she started asking me questions about how I managed traveling by myself. Despite traveling a lot during retirement, she was amazed how young people nowadays are able to venture out and travel on their own.
//
Although it was only a good short 10-minute conversation, it did reaffirm the purpose of my backpacking journey: As a (older) millennial, I have all the technology and resources at my disposal to create an experience of a lifetime – All I have to do is to take the leap and take advantage of it.
@Postojba
Postojba Cave. I didn’t do my research and didn’t decide to come here until the night before. I thought this would be just a small lamestone cave with a dozen of visitors – Man was I wrong! Turned out Postojba Cave is the biggest attraction in the area, and I ended up with over 200 Chinese / Taiwanese / Israeli tourists coming with huge tour groups.
//
The lady sitting next to me on the cave train was a retired Taiwanese lady who came with a big tour group. She was separated with the rest of her group on the train, so I started a conversation with her (in Chinese). Very soon she started asking me questions about how I managed traveling by myself. Despite traveling a lot during retirement, she was amazed how young people nowadays are able to venture out and travel on their own.
//
Although it was only a good short 10-minute conversation, it did reaffirm the purpose of my backpacking journey: As a (older) millennial, I have all the technology and resources at my disposal to create an experience of a lifetime – All I have to do is to take the leap and take advantage of it.
@Postojba
Bled Castle.
@LakeBled
Lake Bled, surrounding Bled Island and its pilgrimage church.
@LakeBled
Lake Bled, surrounding Bled Island and its pilgrimage church.
@LakeBled
