Cash money woes

The amusing anecdote is at the end, feel free to skip ahead!

We've traveled to a lot of countries, and normally the routine for money is pretty easy. Tell our bank we're traveling to X country for Y dates, arrive, use an ATM, use credit cards for big purchases, and have some dollars for backup. No big deal.

Argentina is complicated.

First off, there are two exchange rates. The official rate is a little less than 9 pesos to the dollar. However, US dollars are in extremely high demand. Argentina is having financial difficulties, and there's a controversial law limiting the amount of currency that Argentines can get to spend per day while abroad. So controversial that a candidate's platform in the upcoming election is "I will immediately repeal this law." The limit is far below what most Argentines want/need to spend while traveling, so there's a thriving unofficial, or 'blue' market.

The blue market rate is 11.5 or 12 pesos to the dollar if you have 50s or 100s, which is awesome! 20s aren't always accepted, or sometimes are at lower rates. Most businesses accept dollars for purchases at the blue market rate and give you your change in pesos. It's very easy and not like you need to find a guy in some alley somewhere.

So, if you bring dollars, everything is nice and easy. But you didn't bring enough dollars, did you? Argentina is not cheap, and you'll blow right through those dollars. What happens then?

1. Credit cards. Argentina is a prosperous, advanced country. Many places take credit cards, but a surprising number don't. If you plan on paying with credit card, you'd better check before you order anything. Some places have the stickers on their doors but won't take cards that day. Others only take Visa.

2. ATMs. Nice try! Yes they are here but not that common and don't always work/take foreign cards. I haven't been able to withdraw more than 1300 pesos at a time, and usually less, with a hefty 54 peso withdrawal fee. So, can't withdrawal much, and you'll need to all the time. Also, the largest bill is only 100 pesos, so if you somehow manage to get a lot of cash, your wallet will be very thick.

Storytime!

We've been in Villa La Angostura, a small but upscale town. This morning we checked out of our hostel but were short by 100 pesos. They don't accept US 20s and we're out of large bills, so I got to go on a money safari!

There are two ATMs here, both at banks. One didn't accept our cards, but we've been using the other. Today it's out of money though! Retry other bank, no luck. It's Sunday, so the money exchange is closed. Go to the tourist info booth and confirm that those are, indeed, all my options.

Solution? Find a stranger in the street to exchange? Go back to hostel defeated? No!

The artesianal chocolate store is always open! Bought a small bag of chocolate with a $20 and got enough pesos back in change to cover us. Now I have 7 pesos to my name!

Other unrelated notes:
-more bedbug troubles. Ugh.
-on a bus to Mendoza! Only 17 hours this time.

-Peter