How much do you think is the minimum good amount to have for unforeseen expenses?

Major unforeseen expenses are:

• ER visits and medical bills.
• Getting stuck for longer than you planned (what if you have to stay 3 more days and find another way home?).
• Theft, fraud, and other crimes.
• Police civil forfeiture (if you do not know what this is, search the Internet).
• Finding something really appealing to buy (hey, you are traveling, and if you see something you really want, wouldn't it be a shame if you couldn't buy it).

With all this in mind, I wouldn't travel with only cash. I would use a good credit card (not to carry a balance, but to pay for things, so you can protect yourself, get rewards, and avoid many of the issues I listed) primarily.

I would plan to have a minimum available for spending on emergencies to the amount that was required to alleviate any concerns I might have.

If I planned to spend $1000, I would probably want to be able to absorb $5000 for the trip.