[Leica] Eurotrip

[dnygr at cshore.com (Douglas Nygren)]

My experience has been that Germany was credit card friendly and 
Denmark more problematic. In Germany I've never had a problem using a 
credit card.

The problem I encountered in Denmark was that they use PINs with credit 
cards. In Germany, that was not the case. It's a good idea to have a 
PIN for your credit card just in case, so that you have it if you need 
it.

The other you need to do is to let your credit card company know you 
will be using it overseas. That's not enough, however. You need their 
international telephone number in case they stop your credit card while 
you are there. That happened to me. I told them they I would be in 
Europe, and suddenly one day at a gas station in Jutland the card 
didn't work. My credit card noted that there was foreign activity on my 
card where there usually isn't any and stopped it. They didn't note I 
had told them I would be abroad. I had mixed feelings about this, but 
the problem didn't stop me. I paid for the gas with cash.

I had cash because my rule of thumb is to travel with a diversified 
manner of paying. I actually prefer the debit card to the credit. I 
have found the exchange rate to be better with the debit card. Make 
sure your debit card has the sign on it that permits it to be used 
overseas.

Now let me tell you how even a well "diviersified" traveller can still 
have problem.

On my return from Europe, I landed in Newark and wanted to take AMTRAK 
home. I tried to pay with my credit card first, but it didn't work in 
Newark any better than it had in Denmark. No problem. I offered my 
debit card. "We aren't set up to take debit cards," the lady behind the 
desk said. No problem, I thought. "I'll pay in cash, then," I said. "We 
don't accept cash."  I laughed, called the credit card company and 
within five minutes had it up and working again. I could have called 
them from Europe, but hadn't felt the need. Remember, there is a daily 
limit on your debit card.

Cheers--Doug