Jane's Indian sabbatical
Jane spent just under two months travelling throughout India. She started in the north making her way from New Delhi to Uttar Pradesh so she could visit the Taj Mahal and the city of Varanasi, the spiritual capital of India. She finished her trip relaxing on the beaches of Goa. Her trip took her off the beaten track, through well trod tourist spots and India's bustling cities.
What cards did you take with you?
Why did you take these cards?
- Commonwealth Bank. Jane says she wanted a dedicated travel account to use in India, and the Commonwealth Bank Travel Money Card was an obvious option. The card is issued by her existing banking institution and it comes with a backup, so she felt secure she wasn't going to run out money if her main card was lost or stolen.
- GE Money. The 28 Degrees Platinum Mastercard charges no fee for currency conversion and has no annual fee. She used this card to pay for larger expenses on her trip such as bookings or flights.
What about using ATMs?
Jane used ATMs inside banks whenever possible. She didn't have any problems finding and using an ATM with her Australian debit card. She says some machines took up to 1 minute to process the transaction. She says the standard charge was about 200 rupees ($4AUD).
Where could and couldn't you use these cards?
Visa and Mastercard cards will be accepted if the business is setup to handle electronic payments. American Express cards can be used in high end retailers and businesses only.
As far as using her card for day to day payments goes, she says there weren't any surprises here, if a place doesn't look like it's going to accept card payments, it probably isn't.
What's your travel money recommendation for India?
While Jane says Citibank ATMs can be found in large cities, Citibank don't have the same number of branches or ATMs as in Australia. Having said this, next time she visits India (and she says she's already planning to), she will use the Citibank Plus Transaction account as her dedicated travel account. While the Commbank was handy, the fuss of getting to an internet cafe to reload every so often and the hefty conversion fees were things she could have done without.
What travel money tips do you have for India?
Jane gives the following advice about using money in India.
- Tricks and scams. Be prepared to pay more because you're Australian. There are whole industries dedicated to tricking tourists in India, starting and finishing at the airport when you arrive and leave. Whether it's a detour to a 'cousin's' shop to have a look at his goods when you hop in a taxi, thieves trying to pick pockets or fake tourist bureaus at New Delhi train station and around Connaught Place, jump on blogs and official websites to read up on the latest tourist scams.
- Bargaining. Compared to locals, tourists are frequently charged higher prices for goods in India. Get used to it. That being said, don't be afraid to bargain. Sellers will never expect you to take the first offer they give. Bargaining is a part of the culture in India so don't be shy, but don't take it too seriously, either. If you can't get the price down to around something you are willing to pay, be courteous, say, "No, thank you" and walk away. Chances are the offer will go even lower. If you agree to a price make sure you are happy with it because once you agree on a price, you're obliged to pay it.
Finally, some good news! Domestic travel is picking up, so some insurers have started offering cover again 🦘 
