You need clean money, not dirty!

Every time I travel abroad I now make certain I have 'clean notes' on me, the sort of 'last resort emergency fund' that I fold and keep stuffed into my zipped leather belt - you know the type, the one that looks 100% like a normal 'hold up your trousers type belt.

Let me explain. You know on Britsh banknotes there is a white roundel where idiots who can't count jot down what total they have reached? Well I found myself in a remote town in Malaysia, more like a village, where amazingly they had a bank but very little else.

Hungry and thirsty I tried to change two notes - a £10 and a £5. They didn't want to know. Why? Because one had 175 scrawled on it in red ink and the other 37 in black (okay I'm guessing what numbers but you get the idea).

They wouldn't budge, despite me trying to explain the white roundel was designed specifically so bank staff could write totals in. A pathetic explanation I know, but really could think of any other excuse. I thought I may be able to swing it as they spoke fluent English, but they obviously weren't stupid. So, without any Malaysian Ringgits to my name I just had to go hungry and thirsty for the day, all because I couldn't exchange the Queen's currency.

You have been warned!

Interesting - I have never even considered that!

Oh, a information important. Thank for you share.

Vietnam travel agency

It works the other way too - try and get the cleanest non ripped local notes when ever anyone gives you change, its common practice to dump mucky ripped notes that the locals would not accept on visitors. Had this issue in India when a tuk tuk driver wouldn't accept my money. Don't think he understood as I told him to take it or leave it but its all I had as I climbed out of his vehicle, so if someone gives you ripped notes hand them back and get them changed.

Ripped ... in one piece ... I just wish somebody would give me some notes!!!

I'd just like some money!

Hi,
Whenever we travel any country or any city we know so many new things. this post is one of them!