Posts Tagged ‘ATM’
Vibrant and vivacious are the words that will pop in your mind if you visit the third largest city of the world.
Undisputedly, the most effervescent of the Brazilian cities, So Paulo has gained international acclaim as a popular holiday hotspot. Holiday makers are eager to visit and enjoy the incredible tourist attractions the place has. It is best to make the most of the last minute flights and the flight deals as they offer huge airline discount on airline prices-just book them in advance to avoid disappointment. Various travel websites such as Fare Buzz offer all details of flights to So Paulo from the major cities of the world- so search carefully and grab the cheap tickets to So Paulo.
Culture of the City
A completely cosmopolitan city, it is home to the so called Erudite Brazilian culture. However, you will find influence of Iberian and European culture in So Paulo. Another trace of culture that you will find in So Paulo is the Caipira culture- though it is mostly felt in the countryside. Caipira food too has gained popularity and you will love their barbecued beef steaks and the friend lamb chops. Besides food, you will love to enjoy its Museums especially the Museu de Arte Sacra, Museu Paulista and the Museu de Arte de So Paulo – which is an amazing collection of European sculpture and painting. The city is also home to the popular Brazilian Modern Art Week- organized by famous artists and poets. The extremely talented classical opera composer Carlos Gomes was born here.
Change Your Currency to the Local One
The Brazilian currency is called Real- abbreviated as $R and approximately $1 is equivalent to $R.1.6 and this is what is used in So Paulo. You have ATM counters located conveniently across the city; however, plastic money is widely used. All major credit cards are accepted, so you can use your Visa, Master card and Maestro card. You can also withdraw money from any of the ATM.
Travel Tips to help You in the Brazilian City
Portuguese remains the official language of the place, though there is difference in accent. English is widely understood as well. You will require a valid Visa to enter the country. The case is different with those from the Mercosul countries. It would be a good help if you can learn some short Portuguese phrases like hola (thank you) and por favor ( please) that will help you communicate better. You will also need some vaccinations for Hepatitis A and B, Malaria, Measles, Typhoid and Tetanus.
Getting In and Getting Around in the City
There are regular cheap flights to So Paulo GRU International Airport. From the airport you can avail rental cars and buses that will take you to the city center- the distance is about 40 kilometers.
You will get more detailed information on Fare Buzz. The site will update you about all that you need to know- right from the last minute flights to the flight deals and of course the places to see and eat at.
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Whether you travel abroad or at home, alone or with family it can be a fun filled time, but just because you are away from home, it does not mean you can drop your guard. Unfortunately there are people out there who prey on tourists and travelers. Here are some of the most common travel scams and how you can avoid them.
The Hotel Front Desk Credit Card Scam
The hotel front desk calls your room late at night and they say your credit card information did not go through after you checked in, and that they need your information again. The problem is that it is not the front desk calling, it is a scam artist who has called the hotel and has asked for your room number. Before you know it, a stranger has your credit card information.
The easy way to avoid this common scam is to not give your credit card information out over the phone. Take the time to walk down to the hotel front desk in your pajamas if necessary so that you can confirm that it was an employee who called your room.
At Your Service
Fraudulent room service charges are becoming more common. You order your food and 20 minutes later your meal arrives at your door. Before handing over the food, your waiter or waitress demands that you pay them the full amount for your food in cash. Unfortunately, many travelers are falling for this scam.
If you order room service, your meal will be billed to the card that the hotel has on file for you. Never pay cash for room service. If this happens to you, call the front desk and tell the hotel manager immediately.
The Distract and lift
While you are at an ATM someone approaches you and asks you a question, you turn to them and pay attention to what they are saying, in the mean time, their accomplice just ran off with the cash that the ATM dispensed.
If you are at an ATM (even in your home town) never take your eyes off of the ATM, even if someone asks you a question. Just tell them to wait until you are done, but never take you eyes off of the machine. The same applies if you are walking down a street. If someone asks you a question, keep on walking. Pickpockets like to the use the distract and lift method too.
Public Transportation
Taxi drivers know when they are dealing with tourists and they will often take the longest route possible, or they will start the meter off at a higher rate because they think they can get away with it. The best way to avoid this is to agree a fee upfront before you even set foot inside the taxi.
Also make sure that the there are handles on the inside of the doors. Yes it sounds crazy but, there have been reports of travelers not being able leave the taxi with out paying a ridiculous fee first. When you get to your destination, if the driver starts to create a scene over the fee, shouting police a few times will make the driver leave the scene in a hurry.
The dropped wallet
If you see a wallet or other valuable item on the floor, do not pick it up, this is the classic dropped wallet scam. If you touch it, someone will be running at you screaming thief. They will make you pay a large sum of money or they will threaten to call the police on you. Go to the nearest store and tell an employee what you have found. Let them be the ones to pick up the wallet or call the police, it is best to just leave it well alone.
The Timeshare
The famous timeshare is still doing the rounds. Running into a timeshare salesman while traveling is as guaranteed as you having to complete your yearly taxes. If you are approached by a timeshare sales man do not fall for his sales pitch, and definitely do not fall for the offer of an amazing free gift.
Sure, you will get a free gift after 3 hours of high pressure sales pitches, but you will end up paying more in shipping than the free gift is actually worth. The best thing to do is ignore the salesman. Just keep on walking, do not talk to them, they will soon lose interest and you will not lose the money you have in your wallet.
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If you are planning your vacation or holidays to a different country it is a very good idea that you follow some simple tips that should help you avoid falling victim to the many criminals that lay in wait for the trusting tourist.
The very first thing you should do when you are planning your trip abroad is to check for any and all kinds of travel advisories that might be available for the area that you are going to be traveling to. You can check with the government travel advisory website before you leave and get all of the latest updates for the country you are going to visit. You might even want to consider registering your trip with the U.S. Embassy that is located in that country. You may never need their services but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Don’t take cash with you on your trip. Make sure that the only things you have in your wallet or purse are your ID, health card, ATM cards and no more than two credit cards. You should leave everything else home. You should also write down all the numbers for your cards and the numbers to call for the companies that issued your cards. Do not put your name or address on this piece of paper and keep this paper anywhere but in your wallet. You should also make a few photocopies of your passport. This way you can keep your passport and the paper with all of your card numbers on them locked away safe in a hotel safe or locked in your suitcase. Then you can carry your cards with you a long with copies of your passport which is OK once you have been checked into the country.
It’s important to have a plan of what you will be doing and what you want to see when you get to your destination. Do this before you get there. You don’t want to be caught off guard messing around with all of your baggage, your guide book and other papers when you are trying to say find a taxi to get you somewhere. Speaking of taxis, don’t get into any cab that is not official. You need to be aware of what cabs are officially registered with cab stands.
When you decide to go and do some sightseeing it is not a good idea for you to have your guide book or even your map out where everyone can see it. It’s a good idea to disguise your guide book before you leave your hotel room. Nothing says tourist like a map and a guide book. If you are traveling a lone or with someone it’s always fun to explore new places but can be quite costly if you decide to venture out at dark a lone, so always have someone with you or skip going out after dark.
As said earlier, if at all possible do not rely upon money as your way of paying for things. Either try to stick with credit cards or even use your ATM cards where there is that possibility. Make sure that if you do use an ATM machine in a different country that you only do it during the day time because you want to make sure there is someone there to help you if the machine should happen to eat your card up and this does happen. Believe it or not, the rates you will be charged to use your credit cards or ATM cards will be far less than the fees you will be charged for travelers checks or if you have money, you will be charged a large for to exchange the money to their currency. So using a card is cheaper, easier and in the long run a lot safer.
Finally, men should never put their wallets in the pock in the back of their pants and women should never carry any kind of purse, especially a shoulder bag with a long strap. Anything that is valuable should be carried over the front of your body or better yet under what you are wearing if at all possible.
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Cuzco is located in the Andes Mountains at an elevation of about 11,150 ft (3,400 m), amongst towering holy mountains, ancient temples, high mountain altars, colonial architecture, and a complex history. This is one of the oldest, cities in the Western Hemisphere.It was the capital of the Inca Empire, until the early 16th century, when Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro captured the city in 1533.Cuzco really has it all for sightseeing.It is also the gateway for a trip to Machu Picchu, the “Lost City of the Incas”.The altitude may take a little getting used too, so do not rush seeing it all.
Facts about Peru:
There are 4000 native varieties of potatoes
Guinea pigs are a culinary delicacy
The city of Cuzco was originally built in the shape of a puma. The body of the puma contained the most important palaces, temples and governmental buildings. The square between the legs of the puma is the Plaza de Armas.
Tour conditions: Cuzco – 11,400 elevation, high 60′s day, low 50′s night. Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu – 8,400 elevation, high 60′s to 70 day, high 40′s to 50′s night
“Since it is impossible to know what’s really happening, we Peruvians lie, invent, dream and take refuge in illusion. Because of these strange circumstances, Peruvian life, a life in which so few actually do read, has become literary.” – Mario Vargas Llosa, Peruvian Novelist.
1.Responsible Tourism:
Take advice from your guides on how to respect the social, cultural and religious beliefs of local communities. We believe in putting money directly into the communities we visit by using locally owned accommodations, and giving fair payment for services.
2.Passports:
A valid passport is required for entry into Peru, and a 90 day visa is given to US citizens automatically upon entry.For US Citizens, you can go to the Travel.State.Gov web site.Make sureto renew your passport months in advance.And always carry a second form of photo ID, such as a driver’s license, and have a photocopy of the personal data page of your passport.Your photocopy of your passport is the easiest way to prove your identity, in case you were to lose your passport.
3.Flights:
You will need to book an international flight to Lima, we recommend an overnight flight so you will avoid an unnecessary overnight stay in a hotel in LIMA.We typically fly from Lima to Cuzco on LAN airlines.
4.Airport Taxes:
All Peruvian airports charge “Exit Taxes”, to be paid in cash before entering the departure section of the airport. Please budget $34 each way internationally, and $6 for each internal flight.
5.Travel Insurance:
We recommend purchasing travel insurance, which will refund lost costs if you need to cancel your trip due to extenuating circumstances.Check your travel insurance carrier, for many you must purchase your insurance within Three Weeks after you pay your deposit for your trip, in order to get the best coverage.Also check with your existing health plan to make sure they cover your medical costs in a foreign country, and check with your credit card company, which may include baggage insurance or other features.
6.Food and Water:
Drink only bottled water, and only use bottled water for brushing your teeth.Bottled water is readily available.It does not take much contamination to make you sick, and some diseases can be severe enough to ruin your trip. Do not use ice cubes unless you know them to be safe.
7.Food Safety:
Local tap water in Peru is not considered potable.Only bottled water should be used for drinking.For the same reason, eat only cooked foods, since lettuce and other foods can be washed in non-bottled water.Eat only fruits with peels for the same reason.In Cuzco and by Machu Pichu, you can find many fabulous restaurants that have excellent hygiene and food preparations, cater to travelers and clean their vegetable with filtered or bottled water.But always ask first, and only eat at reputable vendors.You can also read our guide to The Best Restaurants in Cuzco.Never eat food from sidewalk vendors.Many hotels have breakfasts that is healthy for travelers, include granola, cereals, yogurt, bananas, oranges, scrambled eggs or omelets, and breads.If you are a vegetarian, you will have plenty of food selections to choose from.
9.Health:
For information on the vaccines, medications, and other measures necessary to prevent illness and injury during international travel, 1) See a Travel Health Specialist and Clinic, and 2) you can visit the CDC web site for US government information about traveling internationally at, www.cdc.gov/travel/tropsam.htm, and read the section specific to Peru http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/peru.aspx#vaccines.
Some people have received the following shots from their doctors: Typhoid, Hepatitis A and B, Tetanus.These vaccinations can take months to complete! Yellow Fever and Malaria are for Amazon areas mainly. It is best to consult with your own physician, who knows your medical history and can better advise you.Bring proof of your immunizations on the trip.
If you take any prescription medicines, containers should be clearly labeled with prescription labels to avoid problems at Customs.A standard first aid kit is advisable, as well as bringing your own favorite personal “remedies” for the common possibilities. These might include a remedy for headaches, bacterial infections, stomach, colds, and dehydration. Remember, you are responsible for your own health. The local pharmacies have common pharmaceutical products also, but they are very expensive.
10.Altitude Sickness Prevention:
Diamox is a medication your physician can prescribe to prevent altitude sickness. It can make some people drowsy and/or dehydrated. I like to take half a dose the first 2 nights in Cuzco to help me adjust to the altitude and to get a good night of sleep. Most people manage without the medication. If you are experiencing sleeplessness, you might be dehydrated and you want to drink more water immediately! Hydration is the key to avoiding altitude sickness. We recommend you drink two full liters of water per day. Drinking wine or beer will dehydrate you quickly, so avoid alcohol.
11.Money:
Consider exchanging $300 dollars at the airport. At that time, also get 20-30 coins (soles). Also bring one and five dollar bills to tip the hotel staff and taxis. There are several types of ATM Machines in Peru. You will want to call your bank ahead of the trip to make sure that you will have access to ATM’s in a foreign country and which ATM’s will work for your cards. Make sure that your PIN number will work in a foreign ATM. Traveler’s checks are accepted in very few places. When you bring dollars into the country of Peru, they must be new dollars with no tears or rips. Damaged dollars are not accepted in Peru.
12.Internet Access:
Internet cabinas are everywhere Cuzco, and inexpensive.
13.Gifts:
Bring gifts for the Peruvian children you might meet along the way. Peruvian children love pads of paper, pens, pencils, Magic Markers, or crayons.
Many travelers bring gifts to the shamans also. Your presence with them in Peru is the best gift you could give them, as their greatest wish is to share their medicine teachings with others.
14.Luggage and Packing:
Please use your daypack as your airplane carry-on. Everything else should fit inside your main, checked suitcase.Leave some space in your main bag (or bring an extra duffle bag) for souvenir purchases.
Your trip will be more enjoyable if you’re not bogged down by unnecessary packing and luggage. There are laundry facilities available at hotels. They are quite good at getting your clothes back to you quickly, and are inexpensive. Pack what you feel you absolutely NEED- but LESS IS MORE!
17.What to bring:
Sunglasses, Sunhat, Sunscreen-the sun is very strong at high altitudes.
Lightweight hiking boots
Tevas or strapped hiking sandals (optional).
Thongs are great for the shower and to walk to and from breakfast.
Electrolyte packets & granola bars, nuts, trail mix, etc.
Water Bottles
Layered clothing for day hiking. Zip-off pants are great.
Blue jeans or comfortable hiking pants. You only need three pants total.
Fleece Jacket
Three pairs of Good hiking socks
Two-three Long-sleeved lightweight shirts (the ones that wick away moisture are worth the extra expense).
Daypack and Money belt for cash and passport.
Warm jacket for nighttime.
Camera, film, digital cards and extra batteries.
Items of a personal nature & toiletries. Bring Kleenex, wet wipes and zip-lock bags for day hikes. Ladies, be prepared with feminine hygiene products.
Bug Spray/Mosquito Repellent
For some hotels you may need a 110 volt electric socket converter for South America
If you must have a blow-dryer, then bring it.However, the hotels usually have one in each room. If you need gear and do not have a local store, try REI.com 18.On Arrival:
Eat light food, the first days. One have to be careful, to avoid breathing problems or discomfort because of the altitude. Rest assured that the sacred land will receive you graciously.
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If you’re planning a trip to another country, you will find thousands of recommendations online advising you how to pack, how to make flight and hotel reservations, how to skate through security checkpoints with a minimum of inconvenience, and what to wear when you get there. Harder to find are collections of miscellaneous hints for making life easier for overseas travelers. Here are 10 sure-fire ways to reduce your anxiety level while traveling.Fill your pocket with change and find a copier. Make at least five copies of your itinerary and hotel information. Give one to a neighbor or friend and another to a son, daughter or other close relative. Pack one in your carry-on bag, another in your purse or briefcase, and another in your checked luggage. Make a copy of your passport identification pages to facilitate its replacement if it is lost or stolen, and put it in your carry-on bag. Finally, make a copy of your credit and debit cards (front and back) and pack in your suitcase.
Fill your pocket withchange and find a copier. Make at least five copies of your itinerary and hotel information. Give one to a neighbor or friend and another to a son, daughter or other close relative. Pack one in your carry-on bag, another in your purse or briefcase, and another in your checked luggage. Make a copy of your passport identification pages to facilitate its replacement if it is lost or stolen, and put it in your carry-on bag.Finally, make a copy of your credit and debit cards (front and back) and pack in your suitcase.
Drop by your bank and buy a few traveler’s checks, even if you plan to use your debit or credit card to obtain cash and make purchases. You could end up in a small town whose one ATM is out of order and whose charming antique shop does not accept plastic.
Check with your health insurer as to what medical events are and aren’t covered outside of your country. If your coverage is sketchy, buy medical travel insurance (available online) that will cover transportation from a clinic or less-than-modern town hospital to a nearby primary care hospital, or the cost of an unexpected ticket home, or worse, the cost of a first-class ticket home due to a broken leg that just won’t fit comfortably into an economy seat.
Males and females alike: Shop for a pouch designed to wear around your neck or for a money belt and use it to hold your passport, a form of identification and your boarding passes, since you will be asked to produce one or more of them about 300 times before you reach your ultimate destination. Either can also be used to stash cash and a credit or debit card for airport purchases.
If you have a choice of seating on your long flight, consider the benefits of the less-popular aisle seat: You will be more easily able to get up to stretch and move around, not to mention make trips to the restroom, thereby spending less time in the laps of your seatmates.
Know your options for ground transportation once you arrive at your destination, especially if you’re not fluent in the language of your host country. Know where to get off if you take a train or bus into the city, i.e., not only the name of your hotel but its street name and if it’s located on a particular square or marketplace.
In the air
Count the number of seats between your seat and the nearest exit. In the unlikely event that smoke obscures your vision, you’ll be able to feel your way to the exit.
Breathing recycled dry germy air for several hours is far from beneficial to your respiratory system, so kick any vanity concerns to the curb and wear a face filter mask during your flight, unless you want a bad cold, flu or worse to be among your travel souvenirs. Drink lots of liquids to keep your nasal passages and throat moist (remember the tip about the aisle seat?).
Understand that not all exchange rates are created equal. Because they have the best exchange rate, use an airport ATM or go to a large bank to obtain local currency. Money-changing is a competitive for-profit business, and vendors charge extra fees for conversion, which they include in their advertised exchange rate.Be able to recognize enough words to make sure you can understand signs and navigate through an unfamiliar airport, e.g. queue up in the correct line when going through customs or find the appropriate baggage carousel for your flight.
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