Today we got up early, took a shower, said the rosary, and then went back to sleep until 10:30.  We then ate breakfast and then talker to her sister on the phone about the travel arrangements to Hong Kong.  We managed to get all the arrangements and then set off to Mikati to pay for everything.

When we got there they wanted us to put down a 1 thousand dollar deposit in cash and then pay the rest when they confirmed everything.  We both felt that this was pretty unacceptable, but I broke out my credit card and was about to just charge it when I was informed that there would be a 6% additional charge for using a credit card.  I just about said screw it and walked out.

I am getting so sick and tired of being nickel and dimed in this country.  As a visitor and tourist I feel abused and ripped off.  I could have reserved these same seats and this same hotel from San Diego, and would have had the tickets in hand before I left.  I just decided to do it here because it would give us more options and I did not have the kids passport information when on line in San Diego.  Also I did not carry much in the way of US dollars because I do not like to invite the possibility of being robbed.  We have always been advised to not carry cash so I paid down all my cards to zero balance, and now I am being screwed over for playing it safe. 

Here I find that none of the main travel sites work.  It is as if the IP's are blocked.  The same is true of a lot of regular services I use back home.  They are just not accessible here.  Sounds like censorship to me.  If I am ever over here again and have to make reservations for anything I will have my daughter make the reservations and then send the tickets tome via DHL.  This has been ridiculous.

Then another incident happened that kind of drove me nuts.  Laila decide to make sure her international roaming plan was up o date and paid in advance, meaning she would pay them for future service.  She went to the counter and was given a number.  We then went and got an iced tea and sat down and drank them, while watching the numbers not move.  This places was kind of set up like a California Department of Motor Vehicles number system.  You know one set of numbers for licenses, on set for sales, and another for registrations and so forth. 

Laila's number was 1075 and they were on 1060 when she started We drank out iced tea and checked and saw that they wee still on 1060, and also 2050, 3055, 4065, and 5045.  The others are just examples.  We then went into an appliance store and looked around it there for quite a while.  We actually bought a few items while waiting for our number to come up.  About an hour after we arrived 1074 came up twice.  The 1073 came up, and in the meantime the other number groups were cruising right along.  Laila asked the guy at the counter about it, and he didn't have a clue.  The lady who had been manning that position was missing in action and I finally asked Laila to forget about it and lets just get some prepaid phone cards.

I think that I have figured out the reason that certain businesses get away with poor customer service here, and that is the Filipino's have grown accustomed to bad service as far as some of these companies go, and just accept the bad service.  If the people would   quit using these companies with slow and poor service, they would be forced to go out of business and the competitors would get the message.

You are going to their business to spend your hard earned cash and you should demand fast competent service.  If you do not get the service you expect then take your business elsewhere to send them a message.  They do not have the right to take your money for services not provided or the right to treat you badly.  You are the customer and as such you are always right.

It is just this kind of service that had Laila drop PLDT for Bayantel, and for me to stop using Staples, Starbucks, McDonalds, and a few other local businesses.

Anyway we are leaving for Hong Kong on Friday.  That should have everyone up to date, and oh, by the way, the posts were delayed while Laila was updating her new PC with all her software programs.