Roland Perry wrote:

In message , Al
writes
ATMs all rely on telephone lines. When one goes down, it is frequent that
all nearby ATMs also go down.

I almost mentioned that I didn't think it was that then phone lines were
down, as they were happy to do statements, but not issue cash.

Possibly a machine that's down could still cache account activity for
ministatements, but maybe that's stretching too far.

Perhaps more likely, the machines had simply run out of cash: again, if
demand is so high that one machine is cleaned out, it's likely nearby
machines would also be cleaned out.

That's why sensible folk carry spare cash.

And if you've just flown in from foreign parts?

Like me, they've exchanged for cash before they leave. What's so hard about
that? Even the Post Office will do it these days!
--
Al

In message , Al
writes
Perhaps more likely, the machines had simply run out of cash

Incompetence, therefore.

That's why sensible folk carry spare cash.

And if you've just flown in from foreign parts?

Like me, they've exchanged for cash before they leave. What's so hard about
that? Even the Post Office will do it these days!

I wasn't aware that the UK Post Office had any outlets in the USA for me
to get pounds in advance of travelling to the UK.

Advice for travellers from the USA is invariably not to try to get UK
money from USA banks, but use a cash machine on arrival.
--
Roland Perry

On Wed, 9 Jun 2004 at 21:43:58, Al wrote:

Roland Perry wrote:

And if you've just flown in from foreign parts?

Like me, they've exchanged for cash before they leave. What's so hard about
that? Even the Post Office will do it these days!

It depends on what country you have just flown from/to. Anyway, mostly
machines are cheaper, even than the PO.
--
Annabel Smyth
http://www.amsmyth.demon.co.uk/index.html
Website updated 6 June 2004

Annabel Smyth wrote:

On Wed, 9 Jun 2004 at 21:43:58, Al wrote:

Roland Perry wrote:

And if you've just flown in from foreign parts?

Like me, they've exchanged for cash before they leave. What's so hard
about that? Even the Post Office will do it these days!

It depends on what country you have just flown from/to. Anyway, mostly
machines are cheaper, even than the PO.

I'm finding it difficult to think of a single country where you can fly to a
second country, but can't obtain that second country's money until you get
there, and where US dollars cannot be used in lieu.

Anyway, if people wish to save themselves 60 pence of markup by not buying
currency until they arrive, then they shouldn't moan if they can't actually
get it when they arrive. After all, they've saved themselves 60p!
--
Al

Al ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying
:

I'm finding it difficult to think of a single country where you can
fly to a second country, but can't obtain that second country's money
until you get there, and where US dollars cannot be used in lieu.

Most of Africa apparently prefers Euros these days...

Adrian wrote:
Al ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were
saying


I'm finding it difficult to think of a single country where you can
fly to a second country, but can't obtain that second country's money
until you get there, and where US dollars cannot be used in lieu.

Most of Africa apparently prefers Euros these days...

Yes, because they are new, it is easy to pass forgeries!

--
Rickety

On Thu, 10 Jun 2004 at 13:10:37, Al wrote:

I'm finding it difficult to think of a single country where you can fly to a
second country, but can't obtain that second country's money until you get
there, and where US dollars cannot be used in lieu.

What makes you think I'd have any US dollars? If I were going abroad
and wished to get money before I travelled, I would buy the currency of
that country.

And if there aren't still plenty of countries where you can't take your
money in and out, there certainly were some years ago. China and
Tunisia spring instantly to mind; the old Iron Curtain countries also
didn't let you take their money out, although now they are all in the EU
and going into the Euro in a few years, that has changed.

Anyway, if people wish to save themselves 60 pence of markup by not buying
currency until they arrive, then they shouldn't moan if they can't actually
get it when they arrive. After all, they've saved themselves 60p!

It depends on how much currency you wish to travel with, of course.

Thank goodness for local ATMs, though - it's transformed travelling
abroad. In my young day, you worried whether you had enough money for
the duration - my grandmother's advice was always to take half the
clothes and twice the money you thought you'd need; these days, only the
former applies.
--
Annabel Smyth
http://www.amsmyth.demon.co.uk/index.html
Website updated 6 June 2004

rickety wrote:
Adrian wrote:

Al ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were
saying

I'm finding it difficult to think of a single country where you can
fly to a second country, but can't obtain that second country's money
until you get there, and where US dollars cannot be used in lieu.

Most of Africa apparently prefers Euros these days...

Yes, because they are new, it is easy to pass forgeries!

Many of the French speaking African countries used to have their
currencies fixed to the French Franc. Now it is to the Euro. Maybe
this is the reason?

In message , Al
writes
I'm finding it difficult to think of a single country where you can fly to a
second country, but can't obtain that second country's money until you get
there, and where US dollars cannot be used in lieu.

The problem here is that I have sterling accounts in the UK from which I
can draw pounds without exchange commission. I also live most of the
time in the USA. Arriving back in the UK from the USA requires me to
find a cash dispenser. I'm amazed at the apologists here who claim this
is an unrealistic expectation.
--
Roland Perry

In article , Adrian
writes
Al ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying
:

I'm finding it difficult to think of a single country where you can
fly to a second country, but can't obtain that second country's money
until you get there, and where US dollars cannot be used in lieu.

Most of Africa apparently prefers Euros these days...

US$ is still king in Tanzania.
--
Andrew
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