Sosua Reports

[QUOTE=NewbieMonger23;1756293]I guess chasing different girls every few hours begins to wear you down eventually haha. BTW I had a questions that's really bothering me I don't know what I should do with the money situation. Should I board the flight leaving Canada with 2500 us in my wallet then exchange it outside of Blackbeards? That's why my plan but seems really risky if something happens in the airport or taxi ride all my money is gone. Is there a place outside of black beards where I can just insert my card and pull out a bunch of pesos? I'm not sure best way to go about this because I know airports are major rip offs![/QUOTE]I will meet you at the airport and you can give me your money, then each day you can call me and I will give you what you need.

Seriously, bring a few hundred dollars in cash for emergencies and get the rest from ATMs. There is a Banreservas ATM at POP airport outside near where you get the taxi. In town I will use the Banco Popular or ScotiaBank ATMs as they have guards and you can get 10000 pesos. Bring 2 different debit cards if you have them. Copy them to your phone and your passport too.

Avoid the money change place inside the airport.

[QUOTE=NewbieMonger23;1756293]I guess chasing different girls every few hours begins to wear you down eventually haha. BTW I had a questions that's really bothering me I don't know what I should do with the money situation. Should I board the flight leaving Canada with 2500 us in my wallet then exchange it outside of Blackbeards? That's why my plan but seems really risky if something happens in the airport or taxi ride all my money is gone. Is there a place outside of black beards where I can just insert my card and pull out a bunch of pesos? I'm not sure best way to go about this because I know airports are major rip offs![/QUOTE]I usually bring all cash with me, all in different pockets. I cash out at least $1000 us at a time at Yennys, just inside the gate of Costambar on the way to BB. Then put all the money, passport, DL, etc in the safe when I get to BB. Only carry around enough for 1 couple ST's. As others have noted, I carry around a copy of my DL and passport on me. To save a few pesos, pay BB in pesos instead of $. Also there is an ATM outside of Yennys. , however I don't trust using ATM's in the DR, as I've heard of guys cards getting skimmed, etc. Cash is King in the DR.

[QUOTE=NewbieMonger23;1756293]I guess chasing different girls every few hours begins to wear you down eventually haha. BTW I had a questions that's really bothering me I don't know what I should do with the money situation. Should I board the flight leaving Canada with 2500 us in my wallet then exchange it outside of Blackbeards? That's why my plan but seems really risky if something happens in the airport or taxi ride all my money is gone. Is there a place outside of black beards where I can just insert my card and pull out a bunch of pesos? I'm not sure best way to go about this because I know airports are major rip offs![/QUOTE]Can't' speak for the DR as haven't been there yet, but I've found sometimes it depends on the country as to whether or not you'll get a much better exchange rate at a bank / money changer vs. the airport; though generally speaking the rates at banks / money changers is usually better. In any event I usually exchange 100-200 USD upon arrival so I have enough to pay for the taxi, buy a SIM card or load if I already a SIM for the country I'm in as well as a little extra for a cold beer or three.

I've traveled and mongered extensively through out Eastern and Western Europe, North Africa, the Philippines and a few weekend trips into Mexico. I've often carried 3-4 times the amount you plan to bring. What I do is take a few hundred for traveling money. I keep that in my left front pocket. The rest I'll simply fold up, wrap with a fresh rubber band and keep it in a pouch that fastens to my belt and can be tucked into my pants. When I go thru the scanner at the airport I remove it and hold it in my hand (some TSA may want to see inside and once they see cash they've never pursued it any further); metal detectors only I just leave it tucked in). I NEVER exchange large amounts of cash all at once, unless it's inside of a bank (even then the most I've ever exchanged at one time in a single location was 1 k USD.

Once at the hotel I'll keep most of it in the hotel safe and some reserve / emergency cash in my suitcase (locked of course). Most hotel safes are notoriously easy to break into, so you may want to invest in something like a "Milockie" which basically locks the safe's door via your own combo or key lock. If the hotel does not have an in room safe / lock box then usually reception will be able to secure your cash for you. Be sure to place it into sealed envelope with the amount written on it and get a receipt (I've only had to this on a few rare occasions at smaller be&be's in Europe).

You can find info about Milockie and purchase it here: [URL]https://www.corporatetravelsafety.com/catalog/milockie-hotel-safe-lock.html[/URL]#/ product /544.

The same company also offers RFID protected pouches, money belts, etc.

Something else to consider. Sanitize your wallet. By sanitize I mean remove everything you don't need for the trip; such as biz cards, Social Security card (or your countries equivalent), club membership cards, etc. I have a separate travel wallet (metal and RFID shielded) where I simply keep a copy of my passport, ICE contact info, my driver's license, one or two credit / ATM cards (depends where I'm going and for how long) and maybe a 50 or a 100 bill tucked in.

I also call my credit card companies / bank card issuer a few days before my trip and inform them where I'm going and my travel dates. Most can set a daily spending limit (if desired) and it keeps them from locking your card unless they see unusual spending activity.

In addition, in case you haven't done so already, I also recommend you password protect your phone. All it takes is one slip up, like getting drunk and passing out or not locking it up before you go in to take a shower, and some nosy chica will have all your private contact info as well as any personal data / other info you may have stored on it.

[QUOTE=Manny51;1756213]Don't be one of those guys that gives Americans a bad name.[/QUOTE]Actually, he is allowed to do that. He is Canadian. And he won't give Canadians a bad name because, to Dominicans, they are all Americans.

[QUOTE=PipJaeger;1756395]Can't speak for the DR as haven't been there yet ... etc[/QUOTE]Some excellent advice here (even if some of it is a bit too technical for this old luddite to understand).

[QUOTE=HuskerDude;1756393]I usually bring all cash with me, all in different pockets. I cash out at least $1000 us at a time at Yennys, just inside the gate of Costambar on the way to BB. Then put all the money, passport, DL, etc in the safe when I get to BB. Only carry around enough for 1 couple ST's. As others have noted, I carry around a copy of my DL and passport on me. To save a few pesos, pay BB in pesos instead of $. Also there is an ATM outside of Yennys. , however I don't trust using ATM's in the DR, as I've heard of guys cards getting skimmed, etc. Cash is King in the DR.[/QUOTE]Agreed. Except for eurozone countries and Japan, I am all cash, all the time. I almost never use my ATM card overseas, and I only use credit cards (one low limit one) for larger purchases from clearly reliable vendors. Identity and electronic theft is rampant all over the world.

I know people have all these tricks, like hiding cash in their sock or whatever, but I just use the hotel room safe. I have never had a problem with these (knock on wood). Probably because I never have overnight guests. I can't imagine a scenario where a hotel employee would have the guts to rob your room safe (which the hotel should be liable for) unless there was a HUGE incentive to do so, like a situation similar to Venezuela. And with cash, you get a better exchange rate than a bank or ATM would ever give you. The way I see it, the inconvenience of having to periodically exchange currency is easily outweighed by the better exchange rate and better security.

[QUOTE=Manny51;1756399]Agreed. Except for eurozone countries and Japan, I am all cash, all the time. I almost never use my ATM card overseas, and I only use credit cards (one low limit one) for larger purchases from clearly reliable vendors. Identity and electronic theft is rampant all over the world.

I know people have all these tricks, like hiding cash in their sock or whatever, but I just use the hotel room safe. I have never had a problem with these (knock on wood). Probably because I never have overnight guests. I can't imagine a scenario where a hotel employee would have the guts to rob your room safe (which the hotel should be liable for) unless there was a HUGE incentive to do so, like a situation similar to Venezuela. And with cash, you get a better exchange rate than a bank or ATM would ever give you. The way I see it, the inconvenience of having to periodically exchange currency is easily outweighed by the better exchange rate and better security.[/QUOTE]I have used ATMs in the DR thousands of times over more than 10 years and not had a problem. However I do use the ones that have 24 HR security guards or are indoors in supermarkets or hospitals. Usually Banco Popular. On the other hand, I have lost cash or had it stolen a few times, or dropped it. Fortunately not very much.

[QUOTE=CharlesPooter;1756398]Some excellent advice here (even if some of it is a bit too technical for this old luddite to understand).[/QUOTE]Thanks CP. BTW, saying "old luddite" is an oxymoron, isn't it?

In exchange for some local info I'll be glad to explain the technical parts to you over a cold beer when I arrive (my treat of course. Same offer to other senior members). And Mr. Pooter, I'll try to speak slowly, just be sure to put a fresh set of batteries in your hearing aides. LOL.

I'll PM you with my travel dates once I firm them up. Just waiting on a reply from a hotel in Sousa about available rooms / reservations.

[QUOTE=Frannie;1756391]... get the rest from ATMs. [/QUOTE]Whenever possible, instead of using ATMs, draw or change money inside the bank at the teller counter during opening hours (which vary from bank to bank).

1) ATM malpractices are comparatively high in the DR. Not bad enough to put you off using an ATM if you really need to, but bad enough to choose the alternative if available.

2) Bad guys and gals sometimes watch ATMs for gringos drawing cash and follow them. Harder for them to do so inside the bank.

3) If the machine eats or spoils your card it is hard work to get the matter rectified, especially if you have no Spanish.

4) At the teller counter, you can ask for small bills and coins. These can be hard to come by in the DR, and a common trick is to say they have no change, hoping you will let them keep the difference. This can mount up to an extra ST over the course of your trip.

For example, if I draw RD $20,000, I will ask for:

10 x RD $1000 bills.

10 x RD $500 bills.

10 x RD $200 bills.

10 x RD $100 bills.

20 x RD $50 bills.

RD $1000 in "moneda" (coins).

If you have no Spanish, best to write this down first. I have printed out a pageful of little slips into which I can insert by hand the total quantity and the number of RD$1000 bills. The other amounts I leave unchanged. Dominicans often have low literacy and low numeracy, even in banks*. Make things easy for them.

*This was surprising to me at first, but I soon learned that half of jobs in the DR go, not to the best qualified person or even to any remotely qualified person, but to a family member or a mistress of someone higher up.

Some are lazy fuckers who will try to send you to the ATM so that they can get back to the important business of showing around the latest photos of their children, but say "Necesito cambio!" (I need change!)

If you are using the ATM, instead of a round amount (say) RD $10000, ask for (say) RD $9900. This will give you at least a few smaller bills.

When paying, do not be an obvious asshole and offer RD $1000 and RD $500 bills every time you buy a beer, but do be a bit sneaky and jump one step. So instead of paying a 47 peso charge with a 100 bill, offer a 200 instead. Instead of paying a 340 charge with a 500 bill, offer a 1000 instead. If you do this throughout your trip you will be able to build up a stock of change.

One downside of using the teller counter is that they will want to see your original passport (or maybe driving licence for Americans?), so it is best to make drawing cash a dedicated outing, straight to the bank and straight back to your hotel to lock up cash, passport and card.

[QUOTE=PipJaeger;1756408]... saying "old luddite" is an oxymoron, isn't it?

[/QUOTE]No.

Were you confusing it with "tautology"?

(Waiting for Tempoecorto to home in on this one. He is our standard-bearer for India's reputation for excellence in English).

[QUOTE=Frannie;1756391]I will meet you at the airport and you can give me your money, then each day you can call me and I will give you what you need.

Seriously, bring a few hundred dollars in cash for emergencies and get the rest from ATMs. There is a Banreservas ATM at POP airport outside near where you get the taxi. In town I will use the Banco Popular or ScotiaBank ATMs as they have guards and you can get 10000 pesos. Bring 2 different debit cards if you have them. Copy them to your phone and your passport too.

Avoid the money change place inside the airport.[/QUOTE]Frannie, is banco popular the bank behind casa cayana? You get there by making a right at the first intersection.

If it is. That's where I got my card information stolen. It was the only bank I used during my trip.

[QUOTE=Frannie;1756369]I had sex a few times with a chica whom I met when she was handing out religious pamphlets and dressed like a church lady. I still think about her sometimes and wonder what she is doing now. She was not really a hooker, but she wanted money for a computer.[/QUOTE]I had one who stopped during foreplay and, out of the blue, asked me whether I had asked Jesus to save me. I assured her I had and we got straight back to it. She was not a hooker either but accepted 800 pesos "for the church funds".

Women, Dominicans and Jesus Freaks are three known categories of crazy, but when combined they make mediocre lays.

[QUOTE=CharlesPooter;1756420]I had one who stopped during foreplay and, out of the blue, asked me whether I had asked Jesus to save me. I assured her I had and we got straight back to it. She was not a hooker either but accepted 800 pesos "for the church funds".

Women, Dominicans and Jesus Freaks are three known categories of crazy, but when combined they make mediocre lays.[/QUOTE]Mine asked if I knew who created me. I said my mum and dad. She then asked who created them, so I knew we were in for a very long night. The subject was changed to whether she knew how to suck dick. Apparently she had studied a DVD on the topic.

[QUOTE=Durandpaul;1756417]Frannie, is banco popular the bank behind casa cayana? You get there by making a right at the first intersection.

If it is. That's where I got my card information stolen. It was the only bank I used during my trip.[/QUOTE]I think so. I have used it many, many times. There is an armed guard there, but of course a guard could collaborate with a scammer. I mostly use the one inside Supermercado Playero.

[QUOTE=Frannie;1756423]I think so. I have used it many, many times. There is an armed guard there, but of course a guard could collaborate with a scammer. I mostly use the one inside Supermercado Playero.[/QUOTE]I thought it was safe though. But I know one time I went there and there was something stuck in one of the ATMs, preventing people to use that machine. I think someone must have installed something on the other machine in order to collect information stored on cards. Then there was a little boy following me at the ATM. I suspect he saw my PIN and he is working with other people.