More Pain, never trust a credit card company ever ever ever

15Apr
Well I said goodbye to the vass team, what was there of them. I wen tback to the posada and tried to pay half in dollars and half in bolivar. Then had an arugment as they told me that it was now 35 or 40dollars per night not the 25 the 3 of them had told me. Try telling this to 2 people who dont speak english in pidgin spanish. I walked away when they couldnt get the owner who speaks englisn on the fone. Being the stubborn cow I am, I just went changed my dollars to bolivar so they dont make even more out of me by gettting a better exchange rate on the dollar. When I gave the bolivar one of the ladies apologised, the other was still screaming quarenta which is 40. I thougth f u. not a effing hope. I got a taxi and went to the ferry. He wasnt going to let me on but I gave a look of utmost dismay, he relented. He may have been joking but I was in no mood. I hate arguments. I was so glad to be leaving. It was nice on the ferry. This older gent took out this instrument like a guitar but with 4 strings and started singing and playing. It was really beautiful Then this lovely Venezulan chap started talking to me as he had studied in England and wanted to practice his english. He told me I could get the bus to Merida, thereby avoiding Caracas. So when I landed, I got a taxi to the bus station. Well that was interesting. My Spanish is improving as had a chat with this chap. Although a lot of it centered around my age and his disbelief at my age and why I wasnt married and by the way what was I doing for dinner. I chose to pretend not to understand that, although his tapping of my knee didnt stop. Anyway, I bought my ticket for Merida but it leaves tomorrow.

16April. I found the bank that buggered my cards, so went inside to see if I coudl use my emergency card. Not a hope the queus were a mile long so had to leave with no cash. The hotel took most of the rest of my cash. So after some small nibbles, I had 10 bolivar left.
At lunch on the bus, I bought some cake and water. Teh cake was the cheapest there and just about edible. but at least it was food. I thougth the bus was 7 hours but turns out it was 14. At about 10pm got kicked off the bus and put on another for the next 8hrs I froze. I had forgotten to take my sarong and jacket. The aircon was sooooo cold. I actually had to put my two pices of handluggage over me and try to sleep like that. I still have a sore neck. When I got to the bus station, I waited until about 7am before going to the center, as I figured nothing would be open. This nice man spoke to me in English and pointed me to the bus to town but it cost more than I had. Only 7 bolivar but I only had 5. Arrrrghhh So then I foudn a taxi that agreed to take me to somewhere to change. Of course it was closed but then this man agreed to change my 20 dollar bill of course at a crap rate butI had no choice. Couldnt find the hostel I wanted but booked into another. I missed the bank by 10 minuts so, bought some veggies and cooked at the posada. So tired after not sleeping most of the last night. I did walk around MErida for a short while to get my bearings. It is quite a nice place. Lots of nice colourful shops and houses. Nothing fantastic but nice enough.
17April.
I went to the bank about 10.30. Oh my god the queues. Well I got my ticket to join the queue but it was the wrong one but I got lucky and the guy spoke English However this was after I had spent about 6 minmuts trying my crap spanish on him that I had practiced all last night and on the bus journey. He understood most but missed the significant bit about the card working in a bank. He tought it didnt work at all as I said it didnt work in ATMS. Anyway I spent 3 hours in the bank. I was starving and I hadnt eaten much in the past 3 days so my sugar levels were crashing big time. I foudn a curly wurly left over from christmas in my rucksack. My saviour. It was so nice. When I got to the till finally after waiting until 1.45, I was told the date was wrong and the card didnt work. I was gobsmacked. I felt like screaming and crying all at the same time. I came out of the bank and the tears appeared for a few seconds but I managed to hold them back. I went on the internet to get he no for my other credit card but when I tried to call with my mobiel it wouldnt work. I called Mastercard and told them I was furious. Not only did the card expire this month when I had asked for it to expire in Dec but it didnt work. They put me through to John lewis.

Well the card situation got worse. Apparently they put the wrong details on the card, which is why it doesnt work. I actually cried on the fone for a few minutes and lost it. The lady jsut kept apologising. I just couldnt speak with sheer incredulty. I just couldnt beleive it. I just couldnt believe. I have been broken by a credit card. Most men who have hurt me havent even had that bad an effect on me. It has been such a pain for the last nearly 3 wks. I cant believe they fk up so much. unreal. why???? It is not rocket science. This happens all the time. Thank god I still have some dollars or I would be so much worse. I am going to have to compose a real stinker of a letter to them. So now I have to wait here at least 4 days for them to sort it. I just cant beleive it. WHY OH WHY????????? I dont want to go home yet. butif this keeps up I am going to have to. or fly to Mexico and run Dans hotel that he has asked me to manage. A pretty coold idea and one I am seriously contemplating for a while. It is something I have always wanted to do and to actually have the opportuinity handed to me might be just what I need. Anyway, have to find somewhere to change my dollars so I can try to ring this stupid credit card company again. oh woe. The sad things is I was jsut changing my opinion on Venezuela and beginning to like it here but the card situation is sooooo ruining everything. But my Spanish is improving... er very very slowly