Cash is the best!!
I have previously talked about traveler's cheques(T/Cs) in the same section, "Yokobruce―I'm a traveler in England". At that time, my conclusion was that Thomas Cook T/C was the best.
However, during my most recent trip to London in October 2004, I've finally changed my mind.
Last year, I thought that Thomas Cook T/C was the best, so this year, I went to a money exchange at Hakozaki City Air Terminal and exchange a great deal of yen(Yes! It was a considerable amount, because it included my parents' spending money!) I thought I was all set. Moreover, just in case, I exchanged another ten thousand yen to American Express T/C at Narita Airport.
Last year, when I arrived at the Terminal 2 in Heathrow Airport, I couldn't find a Thomas Cook Foreign Exchange, but could find an American Express bureau. The situation was the same this year. In Heathrow, I exchanged American Express T/C which I had just exchanged at Narita, and thought, I was fully prepared because I could use Thomas Cook T/Cs after that.
However, the next day, when I went to a Thomas Cook Foreign Exchange bureau in Victoria station, I was informed about an unbelievable new system concerning T/C.
When I said, "Exchange please", the attendant asked me to show my passport. Actually, this is usual. However, next, he said, "Please show me the receipt." Receipt? I thought that the only time that I needed the receipt was if I was unfortunate enough to lose or have my T/Cs stolen, so I was a bit taken aback and showed him the American Express receipt. Then I took out of the Thomas Cook receipt and presented it to him.
"You have to pay a 2% fee because they were not sold at a Thomas Cook Exchange bureau."
"What did you say?" I was upset and said, "But they are Thomas Cook T/Cs, aren't they?"
He said, "Since XX(I forgot the accurate day!), the system has been changed. You need to pay the fee when you exchange T/Cs to cash unless you bought them at Thomas Cook Exchange bureau."
I couldn't believe it!
As far as I know, there isn't a Thomas Cook Exchange bureau in Japan, so we, Japanese, always have to pay the exchange fee although we've already paid the fee when we bought the T/Cs.
I lost my temper. I didn't exchange any T/C there.
Soon after, I went to a cafe at London Eye and asked, "Will you accept T/C?"
The shop keeper said, "Show me", but as soon as she saw the T/C, she said, "Sorry. I haven't seen that T/C before."
Wow!!
After that, I could use them at St. Paul's. Probably, they will accept Thomas Cook T/Cs at a famous sightseeing spot because they are familiar with them. However, I think that the maximum which you can use is fifty pounds.
Also, I could use them Peter Jones at Sloane Square. However, they were not used to dealing with T/Cs, so soon a long queue began to form after me and some customers began to complain! When I felt a little guilty, the shop keeper said, "I'm sorry, but please wait. She came from Japan." I was deeply moved by her words. Thank you!!
The next day, I went to another Thomas Cook Exchange bureau and a post office, but both of them said that I had to pay the exchange fee. If I had known the system had changed, I would have exchaged Japanese yen to cash. It was easier because I didn't have to exchange T/Cs to cash!! Of course, T/Cs are safer, but I never fortunately have experienced any dangerous problems in England.
However, it was too late.
I thought it over. I remembered that last year, people would accept only Thomas Cook T/Cs in Southport, a small town. Thus, I thought I could use T/Cs in the countryside not in London. Therefore, I decided to keep my Thomas Cook T/C by mainly using my credit card until we would visit Stratford-upon-Avon. I planed to try to use T/Cs there.
On our fifth day in England, we visited to Stratford-upon-Avon. At an exchange bureau in the tourist information centre, I first exchanged fifty pounds T/C. I thought that I had to pay some fee, but the attendant gave me fifty pound cash without mentioning any fee. Wow!!
After that, when I visited some buildings related to Shakespeare, they accepted my T/C without saying anything. Wow!! Lucky!!
Therefore, before going back to London, I went to the same exchage bureau and asked to exchange all of my T/Cs. The same attendant asked me cheerfully, "Did you enjoy your stay?" and gave me cash without a fee. Thus, my terrible memory was soothed somewhat in Strafford-upon-Avon. Thank you very much!!
Even so, how greedy Thomas Cook is!!
I leaned the following. Generally, people don't like T/Cs. Especially, people hate Thomas Cook T/Cs. They are already relics in London. In the near future, this trend will dominate throughout England. Therefore, I will use a credit card mainly and will exchange cash to a minimum. Sure enough, cash is the best!!

(2004.11.6)

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