That money thing; what’s with all the zero’s?
Think about how casually you drop a $5 or $20 in the US. A cup of coffee, a scone or croissant, maybe a $15 iTunes card as a gift. What does a $5 or $20 mean in the big scheme of things in the US? Those fly away effortlessly and without realizing it, their flying adds up.
Once I landed in Malaysia, I was pounced upon by the money changers. Ignoring them and passing through I found my open space to sit down my backpack, daypack and draw a slow, easy breath. Outside, I found an ATM machine and pulled out my card. But what should I do with it?
My first time in Cambodia, I knew they had bills and coins that weren’t worth much in relation to the US dollar. Inside the ATM, I cautiously pressed the button for $60 wondering what would pop out. A motor whirled, noises followed as card and cash popped out. I picked up three crisp and stiff new $20 US bills with surprise. It is an official currency in Cambodia, but in other countries US money is coveted and hoarded.
Inside my Malaysia ATM room, I found a scrap receipt and did a quick calculation. The exchange rate is about $3.12 MYR to $1.00 US. I took $250 MYR still doing math in my head and headed off looking for the bus to Sentral Station.
My room was $36 MYR, a splurge on a private room for resting and recovering from the trip. ($12 US) Out to stroll China Town, I found a spot to eat and met my friend from Algeria. Dinner, $9 MYR. Math and more math, it is an adjustment.
Here’s a context for you. When I met Tim and he invited me to go have breakfast with him at the Indian Restaurant, that wonderful breakfast cost me $5, lunch and dinner combined were $11 MYR. With my hotel room, I spent $53 that day or $17 US.
Arriving in the Cameron Highlands, I stayed at Daniel’s Lodge. My room cost $10 MYR, food the first day totaled $14 MYR for a daily total expense of $24 MYR or $8 US.
Exploring the streets in Kuala Lumpur, I came upon a Starbucks. They have free WiFi and AC so I popped in to cool and write. Without looking at the menu, I ordered a cup of tea. Total for the cup of tea was $10, about the same as dinner and lunch at my favorite Indian Restaurant or, a BUNCH!
A large Bintang Beer in China Town, which is supposed to be cheap food, is $25 MYR or $5 US. Drinking takes a lot of tourist money in SE Asia and the local businesses know it!
Here on Lake Toba, still not quite getting a handle on the new currency with all the zero’s, I’m doing a quick calculation in my head when I order. Today, I’ve splurged after having the breakfast buffet for $54,000, light lunch for only $22,000 and am now having a chicken pizza with Ginger Tea at the restaurant of my hotel for about $55,000. My hotel room costs $55,000! I’m leaving tomorrow, the family here doesn’t have many guests so I decided to have my last meal here. The conversion here changes daily ranging from $9,100 to $9,000 Indonesian Rupiah to $1 US dollar.
Today’s budget, a splurge compared to yesterday: $186,000 Rupiah or $20.44. See how little it really takes to travel!
Tomorrow morning, I’ll take the ferry across the lake for $9,000, then may hire a private car to Medan for $65,000 before joining a minivan to Bukit Lawang for $40,000 and then find lodging for the night.
Travel days are the most expensive. Even so, it cost me $80,000 for 10 hours of travel to get to Ketambe, $8.80 US. Tomorrow’s fare, taking the car because it saves expense for a taxi from the ferry terminal and another in Medan, will be about $12.50. The most expensive days are with international flights. Taxi to Penang airport $45 MYR, flight $70 US, arrival tax in Indonesia $25 US, taxi or Tuk Tuk to hotel at $20,000 to $100,000 MYR and then settling into a hotel.
I’ve met people who parked here for weeks. One man is paying $165,000 for his room, another is paying $40,000, both happy with their choice. Finding a spot for $40,000 through the holidays, no travel, eating local food, a person can live happily and comfortably for under $10 a day if they want. That is, if they don’t drink a lot of beer and beer is precisely the reason why a lot of people keep ALL other expenses to a minimum.
When I fly which I have and will, even last minute bookings were only $70 US to get here. Going from Medan to Penang will cost a little more as fewer tickets are available. Still, it will probably be around $120 or less. On to Borneo, I’ll have to so a little shopping. Some of the tickets were near $200.
This trip involves the most flying I’ve done. Flight here, then back to Penang, then off to Borneo then to Sulawesi and onward to Luabanbajo (near Komodo) before flying to Singapore for my return to the US.
I hope that gives you a bit of a picture on my traveling expenses. If you have any questions, let me know!
Cheers…..