You've probably already heard of some enthusiasts traveling around the world and using Bitcoin as their only means of payment. But none of them have ever revealed their secrets. Can it be, that they're lying about their successes?
My name is Dima Vollo, and I am travelling using only Bitcoin right now. In this article you will learn how to plan a route and not die of hunger if you only have a phone and some bitcoins with you.
Planning A Bitcoin-Only travel
Let's look at the main problems of any traveler: food, accommodation, and entertainment. I'm not covering the purchasing of plane tickets, because you can very easily buy those as usual, or use sites that accept Bitcoin.
When you get to your destination, there are many maps online that show places that accept Bitcoin. But, as it turns out, some of them are not relevant, or up to date. Today, almost nobody uses Bitcoin every day for buying ordinary products, so some of the shops listed there stopped accepting it. I've seen sellers who do not know what cryptocurrency even is, but at the same time a "Bitcoin is Accepted Here" sign hangs outside their doors.
But remember: there are a lot of Bitcoin enthusiasts living all around the world. Do you need to spend a night somewhere? - You don’t have to stay in a hotel, even if it accepts Bitcoin. Many enthusiasts are ready to take you in for free or for bitcoins. Just search for like-minded people on social media, like Facebook.
For example, in Israel there is a local Bitcoin Embassy - a place for all local Bitcoin enthusiasts to gather. I contacted them beforehand and they have provided the necessary support during my visit there. With the accommodation issue dealt with, a number of problems have risen: where can I eat, where can I go, what can I do? Equally important is the fact that most people in Israel have the "Sabbath" every Friday, where almost nobody works for the whole day, so that has caused additional problems.
Here is a list of all Bitcoin embassies. These guys will tell you where you can really buy anything, or will sell you what you need themselves. Contacting them should be one of the first things you do when considering a Bitcoin-only trip.
Get ready for the travel
Traveling with bitcoins is a challenging task but a very exciting one at the same time. There are some risks associated with your account being hacked and bitcoins stolen, BTC price volatility, technical problems associated with the exchanges and other. However, if you observe minimum safety precautions and keep some of the money in the purse, everything will be good. You need to understand that sooner or later experience will come to you, and you’ll learn how to solve all the inconveniences easily and your reward will be the ability to travel without problems, using only Bitcoin.