Bitcoin for Backpackers (remote places w/o ATM)

[phelix]

Most of August I have been traveling through Malaysia (very nice). Visiting three small Islands it occurred to me that it would be very useful to be able to pay for chalets/guesthouses/food with bitcoin.

The problem is there is no ATM on these islands and at a lot of places you also can not pay by credit card. So you have to take cash with you. Not only can the fiat be easily stolen but also you have to plan your expenses and length of stay in advance.

Wifi and/or gsm coverage is available at most of these places nowadays.

I talked to two owners about bitcoin (one did not give a damn about computers/internet, the other place was not that remote but he is considering it).

If you hit the road give it a try, too, and we might soon have a nice place on some island or at the end of the world accepting bitcoin. Should still get some publicity.

[Stephen Gornick]

Wifi and/or gsm coverage is available at most of these places nowadays.

Sounds like a perfect place for a human ATM!

A few months ago was a StartupBus competition, and one of the contestants was Open Wallet app:



Here's their proof of concept video:

 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoRlyPZ3zJ0

I have no idea what they were going to use to settle payment to the party acting as "ATM".  I wouldn't doubt they were able to come up with a good solution for that ... and left it as "and magic happens here", after figuring out that PayPal wouldn't work for this.

If that was the hurdle these entrepreneurs couldn't solve, then had they considered using bitcoin as the settlement currency they might have been able to get funding, develop it and launch.

I was hoping something like this could be built by LocalBitcoins (or built by anyone and offered to those in LocalBitcoin's directory)
 - http://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=86012.msg1026722#msg1026722

But just as some hotels will let a guest write a check to receive cash, those offering travel accommodations could offer Bitcoin cash-out as a service.  Or their staff/concierge happens to know which individual(s) nearby offer this service.

[phelix]

Wifi and/or gsm coverage is available at most of these places nowadays.

Sounds like a perfect place for a human ATM!

A few months ago was a StartupBus competition, and one of the contestants was Open Wallet app:



Here's their proof of concept video:

 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoRlyPZ3zJ0

I have no idea what they were going to use to settle payment to the party acting as "ATM".  I wouldn't doubt they were able to come up with a good solution for that ... and left it as "and magic happens here", after figuring out that PayPal wouldn't work for this.

If that was the hurdle these entrepreneurs couldn't solve, then had they considered using bitcoin as the settlement currency they might have been able to get funding, develop it and launch.

I was hoping something like this could be built by LocalBitcoins (or built by anyone and offered to those in LocalBitcoin's directory)
 - http://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=86012.msg1026722#msg1026722

But just as some hotels will let a guest write a check to receive cash, those offering travel accommodations could offer Bitcoin cash-out as a service.  Or their staff/concierge happens to know which individual(s) nearby offer this service.

openWallet + localBitcoins sounds like an interesting idea. But without a fee I don't think it will work (compensation for trouble).

Direct Bitcoin business is easier

[kangasbros]

Bitcoin could certainly be very useful for travelers. There is already Bitcoin group on couchsurfing, I advertised localbitcoins there.

first step: local bitcoin cash exchangers - sell some bitcoins when you arrive, change the remaining cash to bitcoins when you leave.
second step: hostels and other travel businesses accepting bitcoin
third step: airbnb-style websites based on bitcoin

...

nth step: total world domination & reptilians (just joking)

[giszmo]

Bitcoin could certainly be very useful for travelers. There is already Bitcoin group on couchsurfing, I advertised localbitcoins there.

You mean group 38717? With 10 members? Wow!
You certainly mean something bigger, don't you? Can you provide a link?

[kangasbros]

You mean group 38717? With 10 members? Wow!
You certainly mean something bigger, don't you? Can you provide a link?

Nope, the same 10 people group It is a start! Don't be negative

[giszmo]

You mean group 38717? With 10 members? Wow!
You certainly mean something bigger, don't you? Can you provide a link?

Nope, the same 10 people group It is a start! Don't be negative

Ok, maybe I am negative. I don't see bitcoin and cs go together very well. CS is not about money. Yes, I annoy every single visitor with my bitcoin enthusiasm and got some of them their first bitcoins but you could just as well start a bitcoin thread on a climbing or neighborhood watch forum.

[Evolvex]

You mean group 38717? With 10 members? Wow!
You certainly mean something bigger, don't you? Can you provide a link?

Nope, the same 10 people group It is a start! Don't be negative

Ok, maybe I am negative. I don't see bitcoin and cs go together very well. CS is not about money.

Ahhh, the way I see it Couchsurfing and bitcoin go very well together - at least in the sense of the general open ethos of both things, I would of thought people that were open to the idea of opening there home to strangers would also be into the idea of bitcoin, nothing about exchanging one for the other!.

I was just as awed by the ideas Couchsurfing as I was by bitcoin (ok, maybe more so with bitcoin.... but still).

I've been considering traveling lately, and have just put the idea of bitcoin and travel together in my head (whilst trying to come up with a blog concept), I may well end up backpacking the world with bitcoins one day

[BitLucky]

Ahhh, the way I see it Couchsurfing and bitcoin go very well together - at least in the sense of the general open ethos of both things, I would of thought people that were open to the idea of opening there home to strangers would also be into the idea of bitcoin, nothing about exchanging one for the other!.

I was just as awed by the ideas Couchsurfing as I was by bitcoin (ok, maybe more so with bitcoin.... but still).

I've been considering traveling lately, and have just put the idea of bitcoin and travel together in my head (whilst trying to come up with a blog concept), I may well end up backpacking the world with bitcoins one day

I plan to do the same - travel around Europe couchsurfing to the places that accept bitcoin (Berlin springs to mind). Let me know if you want company! I couchsurfed in the Summer and gave 1BTC as a thank-you to the people I visited. They must have thought WTF.

[Phinnaeus Gage]

Ahhh, the way I see it Couchsurfing and bitcoin go very well together - at least in the sense of the general open ethos of both things, I would of thought people that were open to the idea of opening there home to strangers would also be into the idea of bitcoin, nothing about exchanging one for the other!.

I was just as awed by the ideas Couchsurfing as I was by bitcoin (ok, maybe more so with bitcoin.... but still).

I've been considering traveling lately, and have just put the idea of bitcoin and travel together in my head (whilst trying to come up with a blog concept), I may well end up backpacking the world with bitcoins one day

I plan to do the same - travel around Europe couchsurfing to the places that accept bitcoin (Berlin springs to mind). Let me know if you want company! I couchsurfed in the Summer and gave 1BTC as a thank-you to the people I visited. They must have thought WTF.

Ente has been in contact with these people if this is what you're looking for: http://www.bewelcome.org/main

Hopefully, BeWelcome comes on board and accepts Bitcoin 100's proposal. Here is their donation page: http://www.bewelcome.org/donate

~Bruno K~

[Serith]

I see B = $ c^2 as signature more and more, but
mathematical interpretation is:
1 dollar * c^2 = 89875517873681760 bitcoins  
, so essentially it means that 1 dollar worth many times more then 1 bitcoin </grammar_nazi>