Through the Siq to Petra

[icat2000]

Personally, I would advise against tipping with coins unless its in their own currency. Anything else is useless to them. They can't exchange it.

[WYB!]

I in general am against tipping to use the bathroom but I rather tip in coins then bills.

 

I find Egypt and the middle east kinda screwed up in having to tip to use the bathroom, so I still think it's a good idea to go with quarters. Use penny's if you think quarters are useless.

 

- CWipes

[icat2000]

I in general am against tipping to use the bathroom but I rather tip in coins then bills.

 

I find Egypt and the middle east kinda screwed up in having to tip to use the bathroom, so I still think it's a good idea to go with quarters. Use penny's if you think quarters are useless.

 

- CWipes

And what is the poor person meant to do with a useless US coin? Any coin not matter what country it comes from (except for Jordanian coins) would be of little value to the lady looking after the bathrooms. A tip of 1US dollar bill is pretty reasonable. Especially, when you got to go. And the ones looked after by a lady are generally in better condition than some of the squats and foul bathrooms I have used through the Middle East.

 

Its the lady job. The tip is her wage. And when I go to the US I follow the tipping customs. Just like when I go to the Middle East I follow the tipping customs.

[paul929207]

I in general am against tipping to use the bathroom but I rather tip in coins then bills.

 

I find Egypt and the middle east kinda screwed up in having to tip to use the bathroom, so I still think it's a good idea to go with quarters. Use penny's if you think quarters are useless.

 

- CWipes

The problem is that coins cannot be converted into another currency outside the issuing country. As the people you are giving US coins are unlikely to be visiting the US, the coins are worthless to them and they will through them away

[WYB!]

Oh I understand what the problem is.

 

To each their own solution.

 

- CWipes

[John Bull]

And what is the poor person meant to do with a useless US coin? Any coin not matter what country it comes from (except for Jordanian coins) would be of little value to the lady looking after the bathrooms.

 

Sorry, that's simply not true.

The street vendors in Petra, and elsewhere in Jordan and in Egypt and probably elsewhere in the world are very happy to ask for UK £1 coins and 1 & 2 Euro coins.

A US quarter is worth a lot less and giving a measley dollar is no great hardship, but no doubt the lady can change up coins of the major currencies - the vendors certainly can.;)

 

JB :)

[icat2000]

Sorry, that's simply not true.

The street vendors in Petra, and elsewhere in Jordan and in Egypt and probably elsewhere in the world are very happy to ask for UK £1 coins and 1 & 2 Euro coins.

A US quarter is worth a lot less and giving a measley dollar is no great hardship, but no doubt the lady can change up coins of the major currencies - the vendors certainly can.;)

 

JB :)

I can only talk about my recent experience in visiting Petra in January this year. I was approach by countless people asking if I could change their coins into notes or local currency. I'm not talking about the people in shops. I'm talking about the lady who cleans the toilets, the boys that have the donkey rides.

[John Bull]

I can only talk about my recent experience in visiting Petra in January this year. I was approach by countless people asking if I could change their coins into notes or local currency. I'm not talking about the people in shops. I'm talking about the lady who cleans the toilets, the boys that have the donkey rides.

 

Hi Sarah,

Yep, I'm talking about the little guys too - the street vendors, the kids pushing the postcards & the cans of coke. They actually talk "one pound", "one euro", etc)

Bear in mind that their sales are around that sort of value & a £1 coin is worth about 50% more than a US one-dollar bill.

They clearly have ways of changing-up to notes and its a fair guess that one way is to ask tourists to change up.

Never been asked, but I'd gladly oblige. Though somewhere in those parts I happily swapped a scottish ten pound note for an english one - apols to all scots but I'm sure you know that your currency is viewed with suspicion in many countries, even by some banks.

 

Regards

 

JB :)

[cruising cockroach]

In case anyone has the Lonely Planet guidebook, just a not of advice [inot[/i] to take the back way into Petra. It could be a potential and lethal deathtrap (I am speaking from personal experience). That one requires turning right into the riverbed just before the Siq.

[beavergal]

Just back from Petra. The walk in was easy, it was early morning and cool.

 

Most of the surface was smooth and hard, easy. But you need to remember there is a certain amount that is "roman road". Large uneven, though smooth, rocks. Keep this in mind if you are considering the horse carriage. They want to go fast to get their next customer. And you will be bouncing like mad!

 

But being there is amazing.