WET WEDNESDAY

[jemek]

It is also very wet up here in the NW corner of Washington. Well I have already been out, dropped the 18 year old and his friend at their early morning college class. Now I am home for a bit then off to tutoring. I have to call the RV place, I dropped the trailer off last Thursday and have not heard a peep. So I need to see how they are coming along with the annual inspection and maintenance stuff, install of a a second battery, etc.

We have the big trip reservations all completed. That is a huge relief. Now we just have to do some research on hikes and such and things to do in the area.

Note on the Canadian Cash...you can generally spend it in the US near the Canadian Border. We live about 20-25 miles from the border and most all the stores here are set up to take it. I find the exchange rate is better if you spend it vs turning it into the bank.

[Redetotry]

Liz, can't you just use your ATM card to get cash once you get to Canada. That is what my husband and I do when traveling.
Back before I had an ATM card I was in Ireland, and one of the the B & B's I stayed at didn't take credit cards and I didn't have enough cash. The lady said, oh no problem this is the day the bank comes! I was in a small village in Ireland and the bankmobile, I guess you could call it, comes every few days. So I race down but they didn't take credit cards either but said if I had a personal check that would be fine. Well, I hadn't brought any checks so back to the B & B wondering if I'd have to wash a lot of dishes! The lady just laughed and said no problem, when you get to a bank get a check and mail it to me!!

It is still raining here too, our back yard is starting to look like a jungle. I'm going to have to find someone with a really big mower if the yard ever dries out. We have one on those wonderful Neuton mowers that you plug in and it runs off a battery. It is so quiet you can talk over it and there is no awful smell, but I think this crop of grass might be a bit much for it.

[mitch5252]

Hope everyone's bad weather clears up so you can enjoy the day. Michelle, I think I could even enjoy a rainy day sitting on your porch with that view!

One of the biggest reasons we moved to this house in this location was the quiet and solitude. The warm evenings out there are the best - nothing to hear but frogs and the occasional coyote. If two cars drive by within a half hour, we comment where the hell did all that traffic come from? If anyone is ever in the NW TN area, you know you are all welcome to stop by and sit a spell - however long you like. Well, don't plan on moving in or anything like that...and we have 30A service, water and sewer, too (over by the Lonely Little Trailer).

And about using credit cards in Canada, don't forget, your issuing bank will charge a service fee for foreign transactions. Each bank is different, but it's usually around 3%. And changing money, they'll git ya both buying and selling at the banks. So, as the end of your trip gets closer, try to keep what you have to exchange back to a minimum. When we travel internationally, I always carry a fistful (a rather large fistful) of small U.S. bills - $1, $5, $10 - for tips and last minute small purchases where I don't want to have to spend an entire $50 traveler's cheque.

OMG - your trip is looming! What time is blast-off on Friday? How big is your group? How long will you be gone? How exciting!!!

Michelle

[AlmostThere]

You CAN us US money in Canada. It works, you just don't get whatever the exchange is.
My CC didn't charge for doing that, Mitch. Guess you need to ask.

[mitch5252]

You CAN us US money in Canada. It works, you just don't get whatever the exchange is.
My CC didn't charge for doing that, Mitch. Guess you need to ask.

Wow - no foreign exchange charge? Who's your issuing bank? Mine is Citibank.

ON EDIT: Here's an interesting link about foreign transaction fees, which I recalled after reading, we were subjected to when we used the credit card out of the country...

http://www.moneybluebook.com/list-of-credit-card-foreign-currency-transaction-fees/

[Bethers]

Citibank did not charge me in Canada last time - however, as I told Liz, it's important to call her bank and find out if they'll have a fee. Some have small ones (25- 50 cents - but that adds up when it's per transaction, others a percentage, and others none at all). But you have to find out from your own credit card company.

I bought these walkies specifically because of both this NM trip and the AK trip coming up. I only have the 2 - so as there are 4 of us sometimes traveling in AK, will only be able to share with one other person.

Liz, we did stop on the road many times - and I have pictures of the snow that way - which I think are still on my camera - so behind I am! Today we stopped on the road several times. Of course, today, some of the road wasn't even paved - and we wouldn't have been too happy had anyone come from the other direction. But on the road with the snow - we just stopped and took pics. I really wanted to take Peaches over to the snow, however, wasn't real comfortable leaving the rv in the middle of the road to do that - plus that melting snow had caused a big runoff to cross to get to the snow. OMG, it was gorgeous on that road. But I am a person who thinks winter is the most beautiful season - even if I don't want to live in it.

Carol - get used to that - as it's my understanding on the Canada/AK trip - we'll see lots of animals while driving and the only way to get their pics is to stop and take them. I intend to do it - and so will you and Liz