Friday
Oct012010
Countdown to Bangalore
Friday, October 1, 2010 Popped into Thomas Cook yesterday to order some currency. "Do you have rupees?" I asked. "Russian or Indian?" replied the assistant.
Friday, October 1, 2010 
Friday, October 1, 2010 Popped into Thomas Cook yesterday to order some currency. "Do you have rupees?" I asked. "Russian or Indian?" replied the assistant.
Reader Comments (3)
Does he know something we don't?
Simon, I was told by my colleagues in India that it is illegal to arrive in India with rupees and you have to buy the currency when you get there - on pain of confiscation. This might be rubbish, but I changed UK cash at Mumbai airport at the Bank of India outside arrivals. I changed 200 GBP in cash with no problem and got a very good rate. They even supplied small bills for the many, many times you'll need to tip people or pay beggars to get rid of them. (By the way, I'm reliably informed that beggars are organised gangs and you shouldn't give them anything because they don't get to keep it.)
When I needed more cash later, I simply went to a hole in the wall and used my debit card.
Thanks for the information, Chris. I didn't know that so you may have saved me a few hundred pounds!
I have just checked online at India Travel Plan and it confirms that "Indian currency may not be imported or exported, so you cannot bring Rupees (INR) into India when you arrive. You can take GB pounds, Euros and Travellers’ Cheques in sterling, and you'll have no problem having any of these changed in India."
Phew!