It's not always possible to get foreign currency before going somewhere ... the currency of the country I go to the most often is not available anywhere outside that country, which is why I carry TCs. Anyway, the exchange rate on TCs is better than cash.

But I agree, lock your stuff away ... except in places where there's no place to store your valuables (which was the case in Kenya). Reminds me of my first trip to Fiji, I was greeted at the front desk by some agitation as their safe had just been stolen and all the guests who had stored their valuables in it were successfully stranded without passports, TCs, cash, tickets, etc. Granted that's unusual, but it can happen.

Nadine Vancouver