Better money for better trips: how bitcoin has improved the way I travel

This is an opinion editorial from Hoddling Carla, an avid traveler and bitcoin supporter.

Few things get me more excited than visiting a new corner of the world, and my passport can attest to that. I have visited 45 countries, lived in nine countries and covered all continents except Antarctica.

After years of globetrotting, I thought that part of my life would be over by now. But just when I felt the urge to settle down and put down roots, something happened: I discovered bitcoin. Then my life changed radically. Not only has it changed my worldview, but it has also ignited a fire in me to move forward and seek out others who have gone through the same awakening.

Combining my passion for adventure and hard money, I have recently begun to focus on visiting emerging bitcoin circular economies around the world. From saving time and money to making me feel more secure and connected with the people I meet along the way, using bitcoin has been a game changer for my travel experiences.

In this article, I discuss how bitcoin has helped me fix common money issues known to travelers everywhere and has made my trips more special in many ways.

Bitcoin helps commuters save time

If I had to deal with payment-related issues every time I was in a foreign country, I’d have a pile big enough to make Michael Saylor jealous. Whether it was finding currency exchange with reasonable rates, finding a store that accepts my cards or calling my bank to resolve credit card issues, I wasted so much precious time on these problems that just thinking about them makes me sad.

In some scenarios, it also resulted in disruption to my travel schedule and a significant dose of anxiety, as it did during a 2015 trip to a remote island in the Philippines. Although I had a great time, it wasn’t long before I ran out of cash, with no ATMs and no currency exchange offices in the area. Eventually, I was saved by the only Western Union office in town – when it finally opened two days after my woes began.

Had the locals and I known about bitcoin, my trip would have gone as planned, and my stress levels would have remained stable the entire time.

Fast forward eight years, I returned to the Philippines, but this time, my experience with money matters was much better. Why? Because I chose Boracay Island, It is also known as “Bitcoin Island”.as my destination.

Thanks to the many merchants that accept Philippine pesos through Bitcoin Lightning Network Rail, I was able to settle all payments digitally. This kept me from wasting time dealing with cash, ATMs and currency exchange offices and allowed me to do what I wanted to do: enjoying the island.

Bitcoin has helped me save time.

bitcoin helps travelers save money

As a backpacker, I’ve always been very budget conscious. Street food, hostels and overnight bus trips were my bread and butter, but one thing I could never avoid was the unwanted and often unexpected expenses that came with the territory.

Think about credit card fees, which in Guatemala, Expenses can be up to 10%and ATM fees which, in Thailand, Amount up to $6 per withdrawal For overseas bank cards and your bank fees. Even the currency exchange rates are expensive, as I have found that they usually charge a 10% fee for their services. These small numbers may not seem like much, but they add up fast, which can mean a lot to someone traveling on a budget.

But this has never been an issue when visiting bitcoin communities. This is because the only fee involved in bitcoin payments is the transaction cost, which is often negligible or non-existent. And I’ve also enjoyed the benefits beyond these hotspots, as many businesses nowadays offer discounts for paying in bitcoin. If you’ve ever bought tickets to a bitcoin conference, you’ll know what I’m talking about.

Bitcoin has helped me save money.

Bitcoin increases the security of travelers

Whenever I share stories of my solo adventures, the topic of safety always comes up. While road prudence and wise decisions have helped me avoid real danger, I have at times had to deal with a different kind of unpleasantness: fraud.

In Vietnam, a taxi driver cheated me with a fake Vietnamese dong note. In Bali, my travel card was cloned, and I only found out when the culprits tried to withdraw money in the middle of the night. To this day, I have no idea how he did it. And I’ve forgotten how many times I’ve felt my heart pounding while using an ATM in a suspicious location or at odd hours of the day or night and walking around with three days’ worth of cash in my bag.

Navigating specifically to bitcoin took all of those worries away for me. And it makes perfect sense. When you are not transacting with cash, ATM or credit card, your risks are minimized and your peace of mind maximized.

My only goal is to keep my phone safe, however even if I lose it, I can still access my funds by recovering my wallet on a new device. That’s why, it’s important to back up your seed phrase, folks!

Bitcoin has increased my security.

Bitcoin Makes Travel More Worthwhile

Poverty, weakening currencies and countless unconnected individuals are some of the biggest pains that developing countries are facing today. Call it selfish or exaggerated, but paying locals for their goods and services in bitcoin seems more rewarding than giving them pieces of paper that are guaranteed to lose value.

For example, during a trip to Lake Bitcoin in Guatemala, it was amazing to see how many merchants in the local market accepted bitcoin. This allowed them to attract more customers, make more sales, and spurred more conversation about the significant changes that have occurred since using bitcoin as money.

Being able to pay hard working people in bitcoin feels more authentic and makes for a more memorable exchange and bonding experience. This makes tourism more worthwhile and worth the time and effort it takes to plan a trip to these unique places around the world.

Bitcoin has made my travels more meaningful.

Needless to say, my travel experience has never been the same since discovering bitcoin. Understanding money and its deep impact on every aspect of our lives has changed the way I look at the world and wherever I go in life.

As an avid wanderer, I would like to see more places adopting bitcoin in the future. It will help empower communities, boost economies and attract the attention of bitcoiners like me who will want to encourage and support them in any way they can.

This is a guest post by Hodling Carla. The opinions expressed are solely his own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of BTC Inc. or Bitcoin Magazine.