Preparing for Asia: sorting the money
Pablo//2 min
One of the main worries when you're about to head to the other side of the world is how to manage your money — how to access it, how to exchange currencies, and how much you might need.
The first thing I did was sort out my bank accounts, moving most of my funds to my Caixanova account, which lets me withdraw cash with a Mastercard NX from ATMs pretty much anywhere in the world.
I also opened a high-yield savings account with iBanesto, which lets me keep most of my savings there earning interest and transfer to the Caixanova account via the internet whenever I need cash.
On top of that I still hold several VISA and Mastercard cards for emergencies, in case I ever need to get a quick loan.
At this point, after my trip around Europe and Morocco, my accounts are looking a bit thin. To top them up — and given that I have no idea when I'll be back in Spain — I've decided to sell off most of my appliances, motorbike accessories from the bike I already sold, and furniture. Without really trying I've already brought in more than €800 from that.
Over the next few days I'm planning to change euros into dollars, since they're the most useful currency for paying for visas and getting by abroad. I checked the rates at banks in Zaragoza but the exchange rate is terrible, so I'll try in Barcelona — I imagine there are currency exchange offices there.
My plan is to carry at least $500 in cash, though I might double that figure. I bought some very lightweight trekking trousers — all the pockets have zips, which gives me some peace of mind when carrying my wallet in certain parts of the world.
Can't wait to get to Malaysia!
