I arrived in Quito on Thursday night so this thread is launched in the middle of my second full day. I am bumping into the things I should have brought.
I did bring plenty. but the list of things I shoulda brought will be long.
1. power strip, so many gadgets.
2. two prong to three prong adapter. The wiring in this house is old and the grounded plug will not fit in these sockets.
3. An external (USB connected) Wi Fi adapter with a directional antenna. There are lots of wireless hubs in the area but these walls are masonery and are great at stopping signals. I've improved things by moving the hub a little but a directional antenna would make this weak signal a strong one.
4. A wad of singles, like a hundred bucks in singles. Somebody on this forum pointed this out....but I forgot. My duh moment was trying to tip with a fiver and asking for change...he managed to find two bucks. I'm guessing he had more.
5. spares for each of your ATM cards. First, have more than one card. Make another account just to spread things out. My other one is for ebay and such. The spare cards are so that the loss on one can be tolerated. With this, use email to your bank to set a low daily limit except on the days you know you will need the rent etc. That way no matter how much they beat you they will only be able to get a hundred a day. Is that peace of mind or what!
Help me out here, what did you wish you had brought? Lets give a heads up to the next aircraft stuffed with expat wanabeez.
oh, before I forget...do yourself a favor and have a purse sized carryon and a netbook. I was the last passenger onboard from NYC to Miami and every cubic inch of volume was stuffed. I couldn't move a toe because the area where my size 17s normally go had the carry on and the laptop was behind my legs. The trend is not toward better...
sin cosas olvidar
I did bring plenty. but the list of things I shoulda brought will be long.
1. power strip, so many gadgets.
2. two prong to three prong adapter. The wiring in this house is old and the grounded plug will not fit in these sockets.
3. An external (USB connected) Wi Fi adapter with a directional antenna. There are lots of wireless hubs in the area but these walls are masonery and are great at stopping signals. I've improved things by moving the hub a little but a directional antenna would make this weak signal a strong one.
4. A wad of singles, like a hundred bucks in singles. Somebody on this forum pointed this out....but I forgot. My duh moment was trying to tip with a fiver and asking for change...he managed to find two bucks. I'm guessing he had more.
5. spares for each of your ATM cards. First, have more than one card. Make another account just to spread things out. My other one is for ebay and such. The spare cards are so that the loss on one can be tolerated. With this, use email to your bank to set a low daily limit except on the days you know you will need the rent etc. That way no matter how much they beat you they will only be able to get a hundred a day. Is that peace of mind or what!
Help me out here, what did you wish you had brought? Lets give a heads up to the next aircraft stuffed with expat wanabeez.
oh, before I forget...do yourself a favor and have a purse sized carryon and a netbook. I was the last passenger onboard from NYC to Miami and every cubic inch of volume was stuffed. I couldn't move a toe because the area where my size 17s normally go had the carry on and the laptop was behind my legs. The trend is not toward better...
sin cosas olvidar
