Last night we planned out the day carefully:
Go to the bank to reinstate our account
Go pick up permanent SIM cards for our phones (currently we only have temporary tourist ones)
Attempt to recover a deposit reimbursement from our previous stay here
Come back to look at a few more apartments
Woke this morning to a dreadful downpour
Which complicated things a little
Took longer than expected to gather everything we might need for the bank
Finally ready to go at least 2 hours behind schedule
Out the door, only to discover Grab (Uber for Asia) has no available drivers for us
So, back up to borrow umbrellas and sus out the bus schedule and route
A wet walk and wait then on a crowded bus
To hear the driver say, "Where? Don't know" in response to our declaration of which stop we wanted
(You have to tell when getting on for them to set the fare)
So we watch carefully for road signs
Using precious phone data minutes to follow the route on GPS
And get off - at least two stops too early
Still, we find the bank, chosen for its proximity to our other downtown destination
After a 1km walk dodging puddles, drains, cars - parked ones and driving ones
Only to be told we have to go to the branch where we originally got our account
So after a break for lunch, we set out for the TMPoint to get our SIMs
Between a flaky GPS signal and Michael navigating, we walk an extra 2 km maybe
At least it is not raining anymore and is still cool from the rain...
We eventually do find the place
Scramble for Google's reminders of how to count here
So we can answer the summons by ticket number to the correct counter
This task we complete - Score! We have permanent phone numbers!
Second task of deposit reimbursement...
Seems pretty far out, we are talking about a 3 year old refund statement...
It seems to go through; yes! we'll have a bit more cash to tide us over until we can fix our banking
Wait - we're told it will happen in about a month!?!
Next stop, the correct bank
Thankfully Grab finds us a car this time
At the bank, right off, we are told we still are not at the right place!
This time we ask for the right address
And back with Grab we go to the right place
Finally in the right place; we can get this done and go home
Well, no. We're faced with a request for our old passports
To match the numbers given for the account originally
That was not a request we anticipated at all!
Some fast thinking - and praying!
We actually did bring our old passports - not to the bank, of course, but
Jasmin can take a photo and send it through WhatsApp
Will that do? Ok, can do.
But Jasmin can't find Michael's, only mom's
Because Michael's was renewed here in Asia, and did not receive his old passport back
Can we please access our account only through Liz's credentials then?
Bending the rules, but, yes, can do.
New picture please, with no background
And email it instead
A faff for Jasmin, working with her phone's water damaged camera
Using the front camera, to get a photo with no fingers and no blurriness!
Can we get online access again?
No, not until Michael's access is also reinstated
Can we move our money and use it just through Liz's card?
Not at the machines, only in a branch
Ok, can we do it now? Ok.
We sign the papers. When will the money be useable?
Not for a few days - tomorrow's a holiday. Ok...
So. We follow directions to a money changer not too far away
More walking, dodging and minding where the feet go
Sore feet and a lagging leg for me
We're averaging between 5-7km walking a day!
Thankful for friends who've given us money
We change enough to see us through the week
Then a GrabTaxi (more expensive than Grab) because Grab has no drivers for us
To home? No, to see the apartment after having moved the viewing over an hour later
Because of all the banking snafus
Now inching through the end of day traffic, will we make it on time?
We do. We see two apartments, not the one we requested
And discover that this agent believes we've taken her on and should pay her commission
Umm, no?
Then, finally, about 5:30, we reunite with our kids
Take them out for supper roti (more walking!)
And an evening swim
Such patience for them to wait for us all day!
So, we set out to do 3 jobs today
Spent 6 ½ hours out
Walked 7.6 km
And completed one and incrementally moved the other two along
Let's rest tomorrow?
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