Page 37 - Mongolia & the Gobi Desert

Hong Kong & Macau SARs

Although Hong Kong and Macau are now part of China, the cities have their own currencies—
the Hong Kong dollar (HKD) and Macanese pataca (MOP)—as a holdover from when they
weren’t Chinese territories. In Hong Kong, U.S. dollars are usually not accepted for payment,
so you’ll need Hong Kong dollars. Some larger shops will accept Chinese yuan, but usually
at a poor exchange rate. Hong Kong dollars are also widely accepted in Macau, but Macanese
pataca aren’t accepted in Hong Kong.

Russia
The monetary unit of Russia is the ruble, which is divided into 100 copeks. On price tags, it is
abbreviated to p. Banknote and coin denominations are as follows:

• Banknotes: 10, 50, 100, 500, 1,000 and 5,000 rubles

• Coins: 10 and 50 copeks and 1, 2, 5 and 10 rubles

=`^^TLY ]`MWP^ NLY MP aP]d OTʯN`W_ _Z RP_ Z`_^TOP ZQ =`^^TL ^Z bP ]PNZXXPYO PcNSLYRTYR
money after you arrive.

How to Exchange Money
You can change money when you arrive at the airport, or at banks, most hotels, and money
PcNSLYRP ZʯNP^ 4Y ^ZXP NZ`Y_]TP^ dZ` OZ YZ_ PaPY YPPO _Z PcNSLYRP XZYPd L_ LWWɨdZ` NLY
use U.S. dollars. For more information on what type of currency can be used on this trip, see
the “Currency” section. Torn, dirty, or taped U.S. bills may not be accepted for exchange or
payment. It is best to use new bills—both in terms of use and issue date. Please try to use bills
issued in 2009 and later.

Using a local ATM on an international network will allow you to withdraw money from your
U.S. account in local currency; your bank at home will calculate the conversion rate and charge
dZ` TY @ > OZWWL]^ 3ZbPaP] OZ YZ_ ]PWd ZY ,?8^ TY 8ZYRZWTL bSP]P _SPd NLY MP SL]O _Z ʭYO
or out of service. Plan to bring a cash reserve to cover your expenses.

ATMs

When using the ATM, keep in mind that it may only accept cards from local banks, and may
not allow cash advances on credit cards; you might need to try more than one ATM or more
than one card.

Many banks charge a fee of $1-$5 each time you use a foreign ATM. Others may charge you a
percentage of the amount you withdraw. We recommend that you check with your bank before
you depart.

Lastly, don’t forget to memorize the actual digits of your card’s PIN number (many keypads at
foreign ATMs do not include letters on their keys—they only display numbers.)

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