Getting cash on the Camino and sleeping rough.

[Mountain Girl]

Hello

We're going to be walking the Camino this summer starting in Interlaken in Switzerland and then possibly taking the del Norte route through Spain.

Do most of the towns and villages have banks with cash machines? I was thinking of getting the Post Office Travel money card but my boyfriend thinks Traveller's Cheques would be better.

Weather permitting we would also like to sleep outdoors as much as possible with just sleeping bags and roll-mats- no tent to minimise weight. Has anyone got experience with this on the Camino in either CH, France or Spain?

Any advice or thoughts on either of these topics would be much appreciated.

Happy walking everyone!

MG

[Covey]

Your idea of the Travel Money Card is best and travellers cheques are not that easy to get cashed along the route in Spain. Every small town and above will have a cash machine in which you can use your Money card and it is much easier to get money that way than having to work around bank opening hours.

[Mountain Girl]

Thank you!

[vjpulver]

Traveler's checks are a challenge. And just NOT worth the hassle...

Use an ATM card. Most places have access to them. I have a seperate account (and card) for travel. I never keep more than a few hundred dollars in it so if I lose it or it gets stolen I will not be out all my cash.

Be SURE to tell your bank yu will be travelling and withdrawing cash in a foreign country...sometime sthey are vigilent and suspicious...(Had that happen in Ukraine!).

Travelers checks are hard to cash anywhere...NOT a good thing.

"Ginn"
In Sunny Santa Fe