Recent Events
For the past 2 months or so I have been updating my blog rather sporadically. There are two main reasons for this. First, I continue to encounter technical difficulties with my internet, wireless router, and most recently my camera and printer. These issues are more or less resolved now, but the router does require a good kick every few days. Second, there simply hasn't been much to show and tell. My life since the start of this semester revolves around school, work and going to the gym. It's quite routine actually. I don't go out and explore nearly as often. However, I decided not to finish my year abroad like this. Let me say a few things about my plans and then I will talk about the latest news which, as I mentioned above, is quite sparse (its been a slow month).
I have booked a flight to Melbourne which I will visit with my friends in November. It should have been simple task but I was met with unreasonable obstruction. First, my newly issued credit card, which I activated weeks ago and has served me fine since, was declined at the final purchase screen on the Jetstar Airways website. I decided then to book by phone, but after going through the booking process with the agent on the line, she also told me my card had been declined. Very well then. I'll pay using another method. For this I must go back onto the website. Once again I'm at the final purchase screen, but this time I use the direct payment method. The system books my flight and tells me my payment status is "Awaiting Payment". I am instructed to go into my internet banking system and pay using a direct transfer method. When I pay bills, I usually use BPAY (literally bill pay), but this apparently doesn't work for Jetstar. There is another option with Wespac's online banking which reads "pay anyone". I click on this option only to be told that I must apply for a pay limit (mine currently being at zero) before using this method, and that I must be approved through a process that takes 5 business days. Jetstar wants payment by 5pm today. There goes that option.
Next, I call the Visa Desjardins hotline to find out why my card isn't working. They are closed, of course. I then think of AccesD, Desjardin's online banking system. I can access my account, find out why my credit card isn't working, maybe even fix it, and if not I can make a direct payment from there. Wouldn't you know it, though, AccesD is "temporarily unavailable due to technical issues", a phrase I have heard and seen so often here that it has almost become my life slogan.
So as it stands, I have an unpaid booking which is probably canceled now. I guess I'll just rebook tomorrow. And that's my flight booking story.
In other other news, my good friend Gina had her birthday on Monday! Judith, Gina and I celebrated by going to this Mexican restaurant I found in Kensington. It was really good, probably the best Mexican you could get in Sydney. We have some pictures which I will post once I get them from Gina.
Montri will be leaving us. He has been accepted to speak at a linguistics conference in Sweden and will depart on Thursday. First he will go to Bangkok and spend time with his family. Then he will fly to Sweden for the conference, and afterward explore Europe for a few weeks. Congrats to him for this opportunity and I hope he has alot of fun! We had a sort of potluck yesterday with Thai foods and some Filipino cuisine as well. I made a big Greek salad that complemented the rich and spicy Thai dishes will. That was sort of Montri's going away dinner. I won't see him again after he leaves because I will be back home by the time he returns. He's been a good flatmate and I'm glad I got to know him. All the best to him in the future!
Other than that there hasn't been much activity. I find time going by fast lately, I can feel the days and weeks slipping away. Judith, Gina and I were struck by that realization when we had dinner together at Judith's on Friday. We've all decided to make the most of the precious little time we have left together here in Sydney. That's why we planned the trip and why we're now making all sorts of little plans to go to the beach, explore some new suburbs, check out new pubs, clubs and restaurants. With Judith leaving first, me second and Gina last in February, our already shrunken circle of friends is going to get smaller quickly. Gina has made friends with her coworkers so she won't feel alone after we're gone. I'm proud of her for staying the full year, in a way she's doing what we all wish we could do. But it takes guts to be that last one to leave. Good on her for making that decision.
I'm sure I have a few more stories to tell and some pictures to post. They're kind of a mess right now so I need a bit of time to sort through them. I'll be posting some of my wine and beer reviews in the next update. By my count I've tried about a dozen beers and at least that many wines, so I think that's a nice collection to publish. Look for those soon uncle. Until then, goodbye everyone!
I have booked a flight to Melbourne which I will visit with my friends in November. It should have been simple task but I was met with unreasonable obstruction. First, my newly issued credit card, which I activated weeks ago and has served me fine since, was declined at the final purchase screen on the Jetstar Airways website. I decided then to book by phone, but after going through the booking process with the agent on the line, she also told me my card had been declined. Very well then. I'll pay using another method. For this I must go back onto the website. Once again I'm at the final purchase screen, but this time I use the direct payment method. The system books my flight and tells me my payment status is "Awaiting Payment". I am instructed to go into my internet banking system and pay using a direct transfer method. When I pay bills, I usually use BPAY (literally bill pay), but this apparently doesn't work for Jetstar. There is another option with Wespac's online banking which reads "pay anyone". I click on this option only to be told that I must apply for a pay limit (mine currently being at zero) before using this method, and that I must be approved through a process that takes 5 business days. Jetstar wants payment by 5pm today. There goes that option.
Next, I call the Visa Desjardins hotline to find out why my card isn't working. They are closed, of course. I then think of AccesD, Desjardin's online banking system. I can access my account, find out why my credit card isn't working, maybe even fix it, and if not I can make a direct payment from there. Wouldn't you know it, though, AccesD is "temporarily unavailable due to technical issues", a phrase I have heard and seen so often here that it has almost become my life slogan.
So as it stands, I have an unpaid booking which is probably canceled now. I guess I'll just rebook tomorrow. And that's my flight booking story.
In other other news, my good friend Gina had her birthday on Monday! Judith, Gina and I celebrated by going to this Mexican restaurant I found in Kensington. It was really good, probably the best Mexican you could get in Sydney. We have some pictures which I will post once I get them from Gina.
Montri will be leaving us. He has been accepted to speak at a linguistics conference in Sweden and will depart on Thursday. First he will go to Bangkok and spend time with his family. Then he will fly to Sweden for the conference, and afterward explore Europe for a few weeks. Congrats to him for this opportunity and I hope he has alot of fun! We had a sort of potluck yesterday with Thai foods and some Filipino cuisine as well. I made a big Greek salad that complemented the rich and spicy Thai dishes will. That was sort of Montri's going away dinner. I won't see him again after he leaves because I will be back home by the time he returns. He's been a good flatmate and I'm glad I got to know him. All the best to him in the future!
Other than that there hasn't been much activity. I find time going by fast lately, I can feel the days and weeks slipping away. Judith, Gina and I were struck by that realization when we had dinner together at Judith's on Friday. We've all decided to make the most of the precious little time we have left together here in Sydney. That's why we planned the trip and why we're now making all sorts of little plans to go to the beach, explore some new suburbs, check out new pubs, clubs and restaurants. With Judith leaving first, me second and Gina last in February, our already shrunken circle of friends is going to get smaller quickly. Gina has made friends with her coworkers so she won't feel alone after we're gone. I'm proud of her for staying the full year, in a way she's doing what we all wish we could do. But it takes guts to be that last one to leave. Good on her for making that decision.
I'm sure I have a few more stories to tell and some pictures to post. They're kind of a mess right now so I need a bit of time to sort through them. I'll be posting some of my wine and beer reviews in the next update. By my count I've tried about a dozen beers and at least that many wines, so I think that's a nice collection to publish. Look for those soon uncle. Until then, goodbye everyone!
posted by Ian at 2:57 AM
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