Little did I know that I was in trouble sitting at the island of San Cristobal in Galapagos. I was enjoying my breakfast and preparing for a new astonishing dive at Kicker Rock. Suddenly my phone was calling. Hello; This is your Credit Card company I’m calling to inform that your credit card has been copied and we had to cancel it. Well that is fine, I have another one, I taught. I’m still safe. Oh, well this little girl, had done a mistake. I had used both of the credit cards before in the travel.
In the next 3 minutes, I received another phone call with the same message: Hello; This is your Credit Card company 2 calling to inform that your credit card has been copied and we had to cancel it. Well, that is not fine!! I don’t have any other cards! I need some emergency cash! Credit Card Company; I’m really sorry, we can not provide with a re-opening of the card. It is not safe. PANIC ATTACKS STRIKE! I went diving and returned with less than 100 US dollars to get to Belize from Ecuador and a month left of traveling.
I should have trusted my gut, when I was taking out cash in the ATM of Cusco, Peru. I should have continued to walk to another ATM. It did look shabby and not in a chic way. I was hungry, tired and returning from my hospital stay in Cusco. Not a great combination for preforming smart solutions.
Entering Belize and finally arriving to San Pedro. I could resolve my problems. NO, I could not get a new credit card by the bank. I did not have any permit address. They could not send it to my next destination. With other words no help at all. I went to Western Union to ask for help. Sending money from Norway to Belize would take 7 days!! I had 20 US dollars left. I need money tomorrow?! By any chance you have family or friends in America? Thank God, I do! Luckily our family friend, was able to help me out with a Money Transfer. 24 hours lather; I walked out with 1 500 US dollars cash on me in the streets of San Pedro. Not my first chocie, but my only choice.
I returned back to the Hostel and hide my many all around in my backpack. Looked it in. Then the next day I went from Belize to Mexico traveling around with 1 500 US dollars. Not fun. Everything went good and I continued my last month that ended in 2 weeks in Mexico before returning to Florida where my sister arrived for vacation with my new credit card.
Credit Card destroying the Peace of Paradise
With almost 4 days in complete panic mood, my body was destroyed. I was desperate for a chiropractor. My body was broken after solving my money problems. The chiropractor wondered what happen to me – Because my body was Fucked Up! Credit Card canceled that’s what happened. Credit Card problem did destroy some of the days I had in Belize. I feel really sad about it.
Because; Belize is an amazing country!
Tips on when Credit Card Stops Working in a Foreign Country
1. Have Options in Credit Card
Have one or two credit cards that you use during the travel. Then have third one for back up! When emergency arrives you can use the third and your last card. Should not be used anywhere on the travel, before the two other cards are cancelled.
2. Have 200 US dollars cash in Backpack
Even in today’s world, cash is king! Sometimes it really makes your situation from disaster to okay. Having some emergency Cash in US dollars is always a good advice. You can always exchange American dollars anywhere in the world to the local currency.
3. Have a Credit Card at home & PayPal
When having a credit card at home with friends or family you can easily arrange to pre-book a hotel, order room-service and put it on the card from home. That is kinda great when your credit card on the travel is canceled.
4. Have a Family or Friends in America
If there is something good about being America is that things goes fast with it. They can transfer money to you in less than 24 hours with Western Union. Which is awesome if you are in Belize with no cash or credit card.
5. Always Check over the ATM before putting Card inside
How is the ATM looking? Do it look shabby? Is there anything loose on it? Always try to pull the thing where the card go in, if it feels loose/ glued on, it probably is! When you are not sure on the ATM, change to another one, better safe than sorry! By any possible chance use an ATM located indoors in a bank.
Any Smart tips to share on; when Credit Card Stops Working?
2 Comments
Jeg trur faktisk det er bedre å være litt paranoid!! Jeg skal i hvertfall ha med meg litt flere kort denne gangen en sist gang jeg var på tur. Og det med utløpsdatoen er jo viktig, det hadde jeg faktisk helt glemt av! Må faktisk husk å sjekke før jeg drar i Januar på nye eventyr. Bedre å være forberedet enn å bli tatt på senga! Så stressa som jeg var i Belize med ingen penger var ikke gøy! Det løste seg heldigvis!
Auch… jammen godt det løste seg! Jeg har alltid 2 debet kort og 2 kreditt kort med meg! For tiden er jeg faktisk eier av 3 (!!!) kredittkort (men et av dem er egentlig bare en back up). Høres ut som jeg er litt paranoid… he he, men jeg har opplevd både å bli frastjålet kort og det samme som deg – at kortet blir sperret og det tredje: at kortet mitt utløp. Den siste kom litt brått på da jeg ikke sjekket datoen på kortet før jeg dro. Det er et tips om man skal være borte lenge… Så, nå er jeg derfor alltid godt forberedt!