In most countries, $100 USD can be a lifesaver in an emergency—whether it’s for a last-minute visa fee, a surprise “tip” that you need, or your way quickly out of a bad situation. I recommend keeping two separate stashes of $100 in $20 bills, hidden in different spots in your luggage or on your person. That way, if one goes missing, you’re not completely out of luck—and you won’t have to awkwardly beg a stranger for cash on any airplane (trust me on this one).
Kampala, Uganda
I stared out the airplane window as the wild green fields of Kenya faded beneath us. We had just crossed into Ugandan airspace when the flight attendant started handing out immigration paperwork—standard travel admin before landing in Kampala.
I was 27, leading the global expansion of Health eVillages, a philanthropic initiative bringing digital medical reference tools to doctors and nurses in remote areas. In short, I was supposed to be a competent, well-prepared professional. Supposed to be.
The Brit sitting next to me and I had struck up a friendly conversation, and as we tackled the forms together, he casually grumbled about Uganda’s recent decision to double its entry fee from $10 to $20.
I paused mid-sentence.
"Wait... there's an entry fee?"
He assured me there was. I nodded, casually feeling for my wallet, relieved to find my credit and debit cards safely inside. No worries.
"And they only take cash," he added offhandedly.
I froze.
See, I had meticulously planned every inch of this trip. Spreadsheets? Check. Backup cell phones for my normal cell phone? Check. Language guides? Naturally. But cash? Well, I’d spent my last U.S. dollars in Nairobi Airport, having intentionally let my Kenyan shillings run out earlier that day. I figured they’d soon be replaced by Ugandan shillings anyway, so why hold onto them?
Cue the adrenaline.
I told myself to stay calm—like a duck on a pond, serene above the water while my legs flailed wildly below. No problem, I’d just hit an ATM before immigration. I casually asked my neighbor about the airport setup, trying to sound like I was making small talk.
"So, when we land... is there, like, a stop before immigration?"
Nope. Straight off the plane. No restroom. No ATM. No mercy.
Cue the panic.
Here I was, entrusted by my 500-person company to spearhead its global philanthropic efforts. My last trip had been a success, but as the saying goes: What have you done for me lately? My itinerary was tight, and all I could picture was being immediately deported for the crime of not having 20 bucks.
Instead of a triumphant blog post about transforming healthcare in the developing world, tonight’s entry would read:
"Our fearless leader, an experienced world traveler, was sent straight back to Kenya for forgetting that countries sometimes require entry fees. Oops."
So, I did the only thing I could do.
I turned to my British seatmate, swallowed my pride, and asked for help.
And that’s how I narrowly avoided an international embarrassment, but could have also avoided a ton of stress if I had followed simply followed rule #1.
Lesson learned: Always, always carry a little emergency cash, because there’s not always an extra nice Brit in seat 12B.