Road essentials–

Cash, flight booking, passport, beer. . .this is all you need when you are on the road. . .mmmm, aaaaahh!  What do you need?  Less than you think. . .discuss.

I have to leave Hanoi now, but I will return again and again. . .I hope.  I send you mobile vibes from somewhere between Hanoi and New York. . .feel them. . .they are full of energy and joy.

To see more fascinating images from around planet Earth simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .dive on in. . .time is short and there is a lot to see.

It’s lovely out there.

New Taiwan Dollars–

OK.  It’s quiz time.  The money in Taiwan is known as the New Taiwan Dollar–TWD.  Above you see a crisp 100 TWD bill with Sun Yat-sen on the face and the Chung-Shan Building on the back.  How much is this in U.S. Dollars?  Feel free to post your answer in the comment section of this post.

To see more images of money and more from around the world simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .dive in. . .you might learn a thing or three.

It’s lovely out there.

Armenian bucks–

This is the Armenian Dram.  Dram means “money” in Armenian.  1 USD equals about 400 Dram which means that the note above is worth about 2.50 US.  The guy on the front of this bill is Yeghishe Charents, a Russian-born Armenian poet whose poetry touched on social issues, wars, and Armenia itself.  On the back of the bill we see an image of old Yerevan, the capital of Armenia.

What am I doing with this bill?  I have never traveled to Armenia.  An Armenian activist who traveled with me in India gave it to me as a gift.  He invited me to Yerevan to visit him some day.  Maybe it is time for me to get myself over there. . .I bet I would have a great time in Armenia and make a friend or three.  Mmmmmmhhmmmmm. . .

I send you what I imagine to be wonderful vibes from Armenia. . .feel them. . .I am willing to bet that they are good for you.

It’s lovely out there.

Mexican dough–

The money in Mexico is the ‘Peso.’  We all know this.  1 USD equals almost 13 Pesos. . .so the bill above is worth about 4 bucks.  This is great because many, many tasty tidbits in Mexico cost less than 4 bucks.  Muy bien!

Mexico is one of the world’s great countries geographically and humanly.  Great environment and great people. . .I wish better times for our neighbor to the south.  Feel the delicious vibes that I am sending to you from Mexico. . .they are warm and inviting.

It’s lovely out there.

Thai baht–

This is the money of Thailand called the ‘Baht.’  A baht once referred to an amount of silver that is equal to about 15 grams. . .similarly the English ‘Pound’ once referred to a pound of sterling silver.  1 USD equals about 31 Baht. . .so the bill above is worth about 3.30 US.

On the front we see one of the kings of Thailand and on the back we see some of the king’s ancestors along with some Buddhist monks and some school children.  Money here shows us some of what is important in Thailand: the royal family, Buddhism, and children. . .all must be respected and cared for to the best of everyone’s ability.  I like. . .I can roll with this.

I send you strong, easygoing vibes from Thailand. . .feel them. . .they are good for you.

It’s lovely out there.

Bhutan bucks–

This is the money of Bhutan called the “Ngultrum.”  1 USD equals about 60 Ngultrum so this bill is worth about 1.4 US dollars.  Change a hundred bucks at the Paro airport, and I walk out with a pretty good stash of cash. . .change a couple hundred more, and my pockets are bulging with cash, AND I am happy to be here.

On the front you see the current king of Bhutan–a strapping, 35-year-old dude. . .and on the back you see a governmental/monastery-type building in Thimpu.  The money looks calm and easygoing–perfect, because Bhutan itself is calm and easygoing.  Voila!

I send you chilled-out vibes from Bhutan. . .feel them. . .they are soothing.

It’s lovely out there.

Mali money–

This is the money used in Mali, west Africa.  It is known as the “see-fa” which comes from the acronym CFA–Communaute Financiere Africaine–the west African financial authority that manages and prints Malian cash.  1 USD equals about 500 see-fa so the note you see above is worth about 10 bucks US.

On the front of this bill you see an African tribal mask and some vegetation, and on the back you see some gazelles.  I love African money because it is often decorated with flora and fauna found in particular countries.  We have the eagle here in the U.S.. . .if Ben Franklin had gotten his way then the turkey would be more prominent.  Would be fun to see turkeys on the ten dollar bill. . .the ‘turkey ten’. . .now there’s an idea.  Any takers?

I send you natural vibes from west Africa. . .feel them. . .they are real.

It’s lovely out there.

Iranian green–

This is the Iranian Rial.  Not a popular currency at the moment.  1 USD equals about 12,000 Rial.  So the bill above is worth about 83 cents US.  When you convert 200 or 300 dollars US you get millions of Rials. . .stacks of Rials.  It is interesting to see people at the Tehran airport walking out with mounds of bills. . .bricks of cash. . .fun, fun, fun. . .and no one bats an eye. . .except me being the gringo that I am.

That’s the Ayatollah Khomenei on the front of the bill–the guy who took over Iran after the Islamic Revolution in 1979.  On the back is Mount Damavand, the highest peak in Iran.  This bill is part of the aptly named “Imam Khomenei Series.”

I truly wish that there could be normal relations between the ‘west’ and Iran.  The societal systems are so different in both places though. . .I am not bullish on this happening.  Would be great if everyone could just agree to disagree and avoid bombing which is being talked about at the moment.  No bombing, please.

I send you human vibes from Iran. . .feel them. . .they are quite similar to yours.

It’s lovely out there.

Nepali fiver–

Here we see the Rupee from Nepal. . .a fiver.  1 USD equals about 95 Nepali Rupees. . .so this is just a bit more than a nickle US.  I love the Yaks on the back of this bill.  On the front you see one of the past kings of Nepal.  I believe most members of the Nepali royal family are dead now cuz the crown prince went on a rampage in the palace a number of years ago and shot everyone.  Guess it’s not so good to be the king in Nepal.

Money is funny. . .arbitrary.  We trust that pieces of paper hold particular value that allow us to procure other items of value in exchange.  Anything can be money, really.  If my hair, all of our hair, suddenly held particular value, then we could use it to procure other items of value: food, clothing, transportation, etc.  Boy, some of us would be wealthy and others would be quite impoverished. . .let’s use hair as money, jaaa!  Who’s with me?  Not many of you, I am sure.

Anyway, I send you royal vibes from Nepal. . .feel them. . .they have more than arbitrary value.

It’s lovely out there.

Madagascar loot–

This is the Madagascar Ariary.  1 USD equals about 2,200 Ariary.  If you convert 500 USD you get over 1 million Ariary. . .niiiice.  They give you stacks of money here in Madagascar. . .lots of fun to feel absolutely loaded.  Sad when we learn that most people in Madagascar live on only 1 of the bills you see above per day. . .about a buck a day.

Having traveled to many places where I am told people live on about a buck a day, I now complain about nothing. . .NOTHING.  We have indoor plumbing, reliable electricity, wonderful sewage systems, regular garbage pick-up, paved streets, the widest variety of foods available everywhere, and solid rule of law. . .the majority of people on the planet have none of these things.  I feel sooo lucky.  We are all soooo lucky here in the US.

I send you vibes of increased awareness from Madagascar. . .feel them. . .they are a good reality check.

It’s lovely out there.