Check with your credit & debit card companies about their fees on international currency purchases. some use the daily exchange rate, some tack on a percentage. and if you think you already know, check again; that's one of the new ways they're recouping money is by upping those fees. if none of your cards offer anything reasonable, then shop around for a better alternative. travelers checks are a little antiquated, but they still work. i'm wondering if the pre-paid amex card has a transaction fee--i'd look at what they offer anyway--they try to keep up on convenient options for travelers, and if you have problems there is usually a store in a foreign city that you can go in. (like you lose the card). there is another alternative to traveler's checks--something new--but i'm drawing a blank right now. maybe someone else will suggest it, or i'll remember later.

I have no idea how this works, but I used to go into a bank, hand the teller my debit card and ask for X amount of money from it. I never got charged transaction fees that way. YMMV by bank.