General Info

[QUOTE=JjBee62;2772096][URL]https://fb.watch/hw764bp78t/[/URL]

It helps if you can understand the language.[/QUOTE]What makes it so funny is the thred of truth to it. Early in my trip career, decades ago, I was all about being the white knight wanting to save her from this plebeian life, she really loves me bla bla bla As the Elton John song goes, 'someone saved my life tonight' I woke up and realized once a hooker, always a hooker. They cross that line and they can never become an unhooker. When you hear mi amor eres mi vida baby cariño bla bla bla enjoy it, but don't believe. Information is power. Great post J bee.

On Monday I did a test. I went to a Davivienda ATM. I have 2 checking accounts, different banks and each has different fees. I made consecutive withdrawals of 1,020,000 COP, one with each debit card.

Both banks charged my account $212.63, a rate of 4,797 COP per dollar. One of my banks charged a $1 fee which will be refunded at the end of the month. The other bank charged nearly $12 in fees, bringing the rate down to 4,553.

The difference isn't huge, but if you're budget conscious, over a few weeks you could easily lose a day's worth of your stay just through bank fees. It gets worse if the ATM has it's own fees.

If you're considering regular travel, finding a bank with no fees and reimbursement for outside fees is a good idea.

Since I started traveling internationally I wanted to be able to use my ATM without any fees. There are a few cards / banks that that will cover fees on both sides. I heard Charles Schwab is one, First Republic is another I know of. You may have to have a certain amount in your account to start some of there accounts. I'm also tired of the big banks Wells Fargo and Bank of America!

If you want to hear bad stories about banks watch documentary on Netflix called dirty money series. Wells Fargo and HSBC bank. Scandalous.

[QUOTE=Muccells;2774633]Since I started traveling internationally I wanted to be able to use my ATM without any fees. There are a few cards / banks that that will cover fees on both sides. I heard Charles Schwab is one, First Republic is another I know of. You may have to have a certain amount in your account to start some of there accounts. I'm also tired of the big banks Wells Fargo and Bank of America!

If you want to hear bad stories about banks watch documentary on Netflix called dirty money series. Wells Fargo and HSBC bank. Scandalous.[/QUOTE]Navy Federal Credit Union and some other credit unions offer the same thing, except it's limited to a certain amount they'll refund per month. For infrequent travelers it works out well.

[QUOTE=Muccells;2774633]If you want to hear bad stories about banks watch documentary on Netflix called dirty money series. Wells Fargo and HSBC bank. Scandalous.[/QUOTE]I had HSBC before I had Schwab. When I traveled around to other countries I would use their ATMs but they would still charge a fee. I would always have to call them after each trip to get the fees refunded.

[QUOTE=MrEnternational;2770519]Leaving Colombia today, I did not fill out the Check Mig on purpose. There were signs all over immigration with the qr code to fill it out but nobody said anything. Maybe it is something that only Colombians must do when leaving the country.[/QUOTE]My friend didn't fill his out during his exit from CTG and the security guard asked for a bribe because he didn't have it. Of course he refused, and the guard let him thru. I've not been asked for it departing MDE or BOG.

So while it may be a requirement, it is enforced only sporadically.

It's (sort of) easy enough to complete on demand if they ask for it, so its not a big worry.

HSBC, eww. Did you watch the documentary on them? When they were taking money from terrorist group from the Middle East?? Again corporate greed and shadiness! Be of A and Wells Fargo are bad but that brings a whole new bad.

[QUOTE=MrEnternational;2774782]I had HSBC before I had Schwab. When I traveled around to other countries I would use their ATMs but they would still charge a fee. I would always have to call them after each trip to get the fees refunded.[/QUOTE]

First time to the motherland, not my first with Colombianas or South America. Been catching up on the last 100 pages of the threads and been learning Spanish, but I have no fantasies of any literacy. Met a really nice woman from BOG while working years back, which spurred the idea of this trip. Have been to FKKland, Caribbean and local for the P2 P game. Have my emergency devices / cards / phones / sim cards / etc.

Have booked about 18 days mid-Jan, flights booked, plan is so far: weekdays beach / weekends big city. Was thinking of something like this:

Schedule:

Weekday CTG. Long weekend in MDE. Weekday Santa Marta. Long weekend in BOG. Back to CTG and then out.

Areas to stay:

CTG: Bocagrande / Getsemani.

MDE: Laureles / Provenza / M?

SMR: Grand Marina area.

Chicas: since first trip, might as well try everything.

CTG, will try some Seeking, otherwise, probably point and shoot Playa Hollywood (need to experience the endless touts) daytime, nightime in the triangle of clocktower / clubs (though not my favorite scene).

MDE: May try the M for a few days and then stay in apartments, will check out El Centro / clubs and have been adding FB like crazy.

BOG: find a guide and some check casa action / tinder / online.

Lots of stories to absorb, but realized planning works until you step onto the field.

Funny, will try this caveat: mongering is not the priority, but if it's good as I think it will be, should be interesting.

Any suggestions / changes / ideas would be great.

F.

[QUOTE=Foolish;2775515]First time to the motherland, not my first with Colombianas or South America. Been catching up on the last 100 pages of the threads and been learning Spanish, but I have no fantasies of any literacy. Met a really nice woman from BOG while working years back, which spurred the idea of this trip. Have been to FKKland, Caribbean and local for the P2 P game. Have my emergency devices / cards / phones / sim cards / etc.

Have booked about 18 days mid-Jan, flights booked, plan is so far: weekdays beach / weekends big city. Was thinking of something like this:

Schedule:

Weekday CTG. Long weekend in MDE. Weekday Santa Marta. Long weekend in BOG. Back to CTG and then out.

Areas to stay:

CTG: Bocagrande / Getsemani.

MDE: Laureles / Provenza / M?

SMR: Grand Marina area.

Chicas: since first trip, might as well try everything.

CTG, will try some Seeking, otherwise, probably point and shoot Playa Hollywood (need to experience the endless touts) daytime, nightime in the triangle of clocktower / clubs (though not my favorite scene).

MDE: May try the M for a few days and then stay in apartments, will check out El Centro / clubs and have been adding FB like crazy.

BOG: find a guide and some check casa action / tinder / online.

Lots of stories to absorb, but realized planning works until you step onto the field.

Funny, will try this caveat: mongering is not the priority, but if it's good as I think it will be, should be interesting.

Any suggestions / changes / ideas would be great.

F.[/QUOTE]Sounds like you've got a plan. It's not a plan which suits me, but that doesn't mean anything is wrong with it. Just different styles.

Here's a possible alternative schedule.

Start with 4 days in CTG, then 3 in Santa Marta. Next, 4 or 5 days in MDE, 4 or 5 days in BOG and whatever is left in CTG (where I assume you're flying in and out of). Adjust as necessary depending on your priorities. For example, if you want to visit Ciudad Perdido you'll need more time in Santa Marta, or if you're interested in museums and culture Bogota might get more days.

All 4 places will have non-mongering things of interest.

If tickets weren't already purchased I would suggest flying into either Bogota or Cartagena, then flying home from the other.

[QUOTE=MrEnternational;2770519]Leaving Colombia today, I did not fill out the Check Mig on purpose. There were signs all over immigration with the qr code to fill it out but nobody said anything. Maybe it is something that only Colombians must do when leaving the country.[/QUOTE]I'm in the Cali airport waiting for my flight back to the US. I didn't do anything with Col Mig (I didn't think you had to when leaving the country). Unless they ask me at the boarding gate, it hasn't factored in.

My flight is in 2 days and it seems that the check mig website crashes before I finish;.

Anybody has this issue?

[QUOTE=BigButtDetecto;2777565]My flight is in 2 days and it seems that the check mig website crashes before I finish;.

Anybody has this issue?[/QUOTE]When I went a few months ago I spent hours trying to complete my Check Mig. It's a terrible process, but eventually it went through. I tried on my phone, tablet, laptop, and desktop and it failed on all of them. Good luck!

[QUOTE=DontSayMuch;2777588]When I went a few months ago I spent hours trying to complete my Check Mig. It's a terrible process, but eventually it went through. I tried on my phone, tablet, laptop, and desktop and it failed on all of them. Good luck![/QUOTE]I did not want to take any chance. I went to a website "natvisa" that does it within 24 h for $30; there is another company "Ivisa" that wanted $ 50 for the same thing.

I did Check Mig several times on Chrome using different computers and never had an issue, always using Spanish version though. It's like 5 minutes process if you have all your info ready like flight number, passport number and the address where you're staying.

[QUOTE=BigButtDetecto;2777565]My flight is in 2 days and it seems that the check mig website crashes before I finish;.

Anybody has this issue?[/QUOTE]Use the app. Takes about 3 minutes.