So my traveler’s checks have officially been redeemed. At the airport terminal, we discovered that we had to pay a departure tax in cash, which Corinne and I did no have. There were no ATM’s, just a bank where one could exchange money and traveler’s checks! Thanks to my previously useless pieces of paper, Corinne and I were able to leave the country. To top it all off, in Vietnam, I was able to cash my traveler’s checks at a great rate and without a high fee. Win.
Also- if you plan on visiting Vietnam- don’t get a visa in advance. We all had gotten visas via the embassy for $80 before leaving on the trip only to realize that we could have gotten a visa for $25 at the airport.