Caracas

Venezuela's currency must be in complete free fall now, because according to DolarToday $1 is equal to BsF 2. 474,23. Girls are giving quotes on the websites for BsF15.000/ hour which is six US Dollars! That can't be right.

[QUOTE=KentJones;1966099]Venezuela's currency must be in complete free fall now, because according to DolarToday $1 is equal to BsF 2. 474,23. Girls are giving quotes on the websites for BsF15.000/ hour which is six US Dollars! That can't be right.[/QUOTE]Right now it's up to $1 = BS. 2971,62. And yes, the currency is in a complete free fall, I know it seems unreal but unfortunately for us it is very real.

1 $= 4538 BsF.

How is this country not in a state of civil war?

I was in Isla Margarita and PTO La Cruz for 10 days in November. In my short experience who ever I talked to told me that this is how life is in Venezuela so we have learned to live with the situation.

I saw the fastest deterioration of any currency in the world in last 15 days the bolivar went from 1900 to 4600 almost today. I know it is insane and I am deeply concerned for the country stability, but I met many people and chat with them even now and they all tell me this is life. How so Sad.

[QUOTE=Mlatimudan;1968987]1 $= 4538 BsF.

How is this country not in a state of civil war?[/QUOTE]

With the latest slide in Bolivar value how is the mongering scene holding up? I'm heading to Caracas shortly on business for the first time and want to make sure I get to experience plenty of what the ladies have to offer! Online arrangements still the way to go or should I find a cab driver and visit casas?

I have RTFF, just want to know if anything has changed in the last 30-60 days.

Wow, Venezuela is complicated!

Just got to Caracas, would anyone be able to put me in touch with some good Exchangers? And other good info would also be appreciated.

Thanks dudes.

[QUOTE=ChronoShift;1987246]Wow, Venezuela is complicated!

Just got to Caracas, would anyone be able to put me in touch with some good Exchangers? And other good info would also be appreciated.

Thanks dudes.[/QUOTE]Please report back on how things are looking out there. I'd love to know if it's worth it.

How was your trip, any insight? I'll be there next month.

[QUOTE=ChronoShift;1987246]Wow, Venezuela is complicated!

Just got to Caracas, would anyone be able to put me in touch with some good Exchangers? And other good info would also be appreciated.

Thanks dudes.[/QUOTE]

So, after many months (dare I say years) of careful planning, accumulating vacation time, losing said time to idiot management decisions. It's finally done!

Tickets are bought, I'm landing in Caracas in mid April. The plan is to stay in the hotel Catimar for my first night and then go down to Caracas the next day.

Once at the hotel, I imagine I'll have no trouble in exchanging money at black market rates, but getting to the hotel is my biggest concern. It's a 46 min walk which I'm normally fine with, but in this country I fear I would stand out and be an easy target.

My question is this. Where and how do I exchange money to pay for a cab to get me safely from the airport to the Catimar hotel?

Do you guys have any idea how much that cab ride would even cost? Would it be okay if I simply gave the driver $5 and took care of exchanging money once at the hotel?

[QUOTE=Mlatimudan;1996472]

My question is this. Where and how do I exchange money to pay for a cab to get me safely from the airport to the Catimar hotel?[/QUOTE]I always give this advice: go to one of the duty free shops in the airport, approach a clerk, and discretely ask him / her about exchanging your dollars. 8 out of 10 will be more than happy to oblige. The exchage rate they will offer will be crap (so, don't exchange more than necessary to get to the hotel), but at least it's relatively safe to do it that way. You may be approached by some suspicious individuals while you are moving through airport, offering better exchange rates. Avoid those guys like the plague. Also, please don't ever lose sight of your luggage.

And I don't recommend offering the taxi driver to pay using american currency, since the guy will ask for way more than what you would pay for the fare in Bolivares.

HM. Sounds like sound advice but will I have access to duty free shops once I land? I thought they were all at the "departure side" of the airport, I. E. Only people leaving can use them?

Thanks for the cab tip.

[QUOTE=MaraCucho;1996637]I always give this advice: go to one of the duty free shops in the airport, approach a clerk, and discretely ask him / her about exchanging your dollars. 8 out of 10 will be more than happy to oblige. The exchage rate they will offer will be crap (so, don't exchange more than necessary to get to the hotel), but at least it's relatively safe to do it that way. You may be approached by some suspicious individuals while you are moving through airport, offering better exchange rates. Avoid those guys like the plague. Also, please don't ever lose sight of your luggage.

And I don't recommend offering the taxi driver to pay using american currency, since the guy will ask for way more than what you would pay for the fare in Bolivares.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Mlatimudan;1996652]HM. Sounds like sound advice but will I have access to duty free shops once I land? I thought they were all at the "departure side" of the airport, I. E. Only people leaving can use them?

Thanks for the cab tip.[/QUOTE]Absolutely, my mistake. I meant to say one of the shops inside the airport. But again, please do remeber to be discrete while doing so. Exchanging dollars like that technically is an illegal act after all.

[QUOTE=Mlatimudan;1996472]So, after many months (dare I say years) of careful planning, accumulating vacation time, losing said time to idiot management decisions. It's finally done!

Tickets are bought, I'm landing in Caracas in mid April. The plan is to stay in the hotel Catimar for my first night and then go down to Caracas the next day.

Once at the hotel, I imagine I'll have no trouble in exchanging money at black market rates, but getting to the hotel is my biggest concern. It's a 46 min walk which I'm normally fine with, but in this country I fear I would stand out and be an easy target.

My question is this. Where and how do I exchange money to pay for a cab to get me safely from the airport to the Catimar hotel?

Do you guys have any idea how much that cab ride would even cost? Would it be okay if I simply gave the driver $5 and took care of exchanging money once at the hotel?[/QUOTE]A female Thai friend just went to Venezuela and with no Spanish and she did fine, I text her how was it and she told me I will be okay and that I will be okay if I decide to go. I think any one of us who travel to Latin America will do okay with Venezuela.

[QUOTE=EnriqueNieto;2008142]A female Thai friend just went to Venezuela and with no Spanish and she did fine, I text her how was it and she told me I will be okay and that I will be okay if I decide to go. I think any one of us who travel to Latin America will do okay with Venezuela.[/QUOTE]You should just go to Colombia cause you will like it much better. Caracas is very unsafe and no one is out at night except thieves. You have been warned. I went and I was very happy to get home without being robbed. It was a wasted vacation. Talk about bad management going to Venezuela is terrible management. I stayed at Paseo Las Mercedes hotel and there is a mall next to it. Will never go back.

[QUOTE=TombStoneMan;2008328]You should just go to Colombia cause you will like it much better. Caracas is very unsafe and no one is out at night except thieves. You have been warned. I went and I was very happy to get home without being robbed. It was a wasted vacation. Talk about bad management going to Venezuela is terrible management. I stayed at Paseo Las Mercedes hotel and there is a mall next to it. Will never go back.[/QUOTE]Got to disagree a bit there. Yes, Caracas in many ways is not a great city for a vacation, but Caracas is not the entirety of Venezuela. There are plenty of better places for a tourist to visit. And even Caracas does have a decent night life, if all you did was to spend your time within the hotel and the shopping mall next to it, then you brought that mismanagement to yourself.