We're planning a road trip in the USA this November - driving from Chicago to New Orleans and then across to Los Angeles where we will pick-up an eight-day cruise to Acapulco. I've been reading all the recent messages regarding US roadtrips and can't begin to say how helpful they have been.

With regards travellers cheques. This will be our sixth visit to the USA and each time we have brought travellers cheques (in USD) with us. We've never had any problems cashing them and haven't had to pay any commissions. I find it much easier to budget with them in a foreign country as you know exactly how much you are spending whereas with credit cards you're never sure of the exchange rate and there always seem to be the added "hidden" costs. Our only "strange" experience with travellers cheques was in a bank in Maui where I not only had to produce my passport for ID but was also fingerprinted. As I have never been fingerprinted before or since I still can't work out what purpose that served.

I look forward to reading my "Travelzine" messages each day and am always picking-up useful bits of information.

Regards Josie Figtree, Australia