Preparing for an international trip while living in Seychelles involves some rather important details that need working out in advance. Since we've been organizing for our trip to Singapore for a while now, I'm of a mind to let you in on some things that are just a bit different in this part of the world.

In addition to tickets and passports, exit visas, departure tax, seat assignments, boarding cards, and so on, one thing people need to have with them as they prepare to board their flight to where ever is money ... and Seychelles Rupees don't count.

Our local cash is not a hard currency: a Buick-full of the stuff outside the country will buy you nothing; zero, zip, zilch, nada, napa narnya. Take it to one of the zillion money changers in the world and not one of them will give you as much as a stick of gum for a wad the size of the world's largest ball of string.

It's very pretty money, with sea turtles and lovely birds and such adorning the notes, and a tasteful watermark with a shiny silver thread woven through, but aside from framing the Fifty and selling it as art, there's nothing you can do with it outside of Seychelles.

Even in the country, showing up at the bank with your local cash won't get you anything but change ... not to be confused with EXchange ... without quite a complex rigmarole.

First, you have to have enough rupees in your account at that bank, as they won't take cash, nor a check for any other financial establishment. (Easily sorted, that one. Just make a deposit, then wait three days for it to show up.)

Second, you must bring in documentation of what you need the foreign exchange for ... and be specific, and certain that your paperwork is correct and in triplicate.

Third, you wait. And wait.

The world's major credit cards aren't interested in rupees, either, so unless there's an account in some real money outside the country, people don't have them.

To be continued ...