Monday, March 23, 2009 |
Author: Julia
Last month the company that I have a credit card with put a hold on my card due to "suspicious activity" in Mexico. While I really appreciated their concern it did cause me to sweat for a moment at the fuel dock while I figured out how to pay the guy for the 70 gallons of diesel he'd just put into our tank. I emailed customer service and tried to convince them that it was my suspicious activity on the card, no worries, and please re-activate it. They were not convinced and said I had to call in person to authenticate myself (although how they feel reassured by my voice rather than my email is a mystery to me since they don't have voice recognition).
We don't have a cell phone in Mexico, and I was hesitant to call the 1800 number via our satellite phone, so I just kind of figured I'd mooch off of Jacob's credit card for a couple of months until we got back into the States and I could call. I guess I've become more Americanized than I thought, because the idea of not being able to use my credit card made me a little uncomfortable, so I decided to try calling the 1800 number via our free internet phone connection, Skype. Much to my surprise the call went through and my credit card has now been happily reinstated, with a little note on the account record that must say something like "card holder is mooching around in Mexico. Don't approve any exorbitant charges that she won't be able to repay, but let her buy a couple of cervezas and tacos every now and then." To me this ability to sort out my financial situation from another country using the wonders of free internet telephone is amazingly wonderfuly mindblowing. At the very least, blogworthy.
In other news we are now at anchor in La Paz, having said our sad farewells to Jacob's parents and goodbye to the marina lifestyle. We've been having a lot of fun here, enjoying the town, the people, the great cheap food etc. We did manage to do a monster supply run to re-stock our almost empty lockers, and have spent some time happily wandering about the city and poking our noses into stores.
Monster food trip
Wandering through back streets in La Paz
24 09' N, 110 20' W
We don't have a cell phone in Mexico, and I was hesitant to call the 1800 number via our satellite phone, so I just kind of figured I'd mooch off of Jacob's credit card for a couple of months until we got back into the States and I could call. I guess I've become more Americanized than I thought, because the idea of not being able to use my credit card made me a little uncomfortable, so I decided to try calling the 1800 number via our free internet phone connection, Skype. Much to my surprise the call went through and my credit card has now been happily reinstated, with a little note on the account record that must say something like "card holder is mooching around in Mexico. Don't approve any exorbitant charges that she won't be able to repay, but let her buy a couple of cervezas and tacos every now and then." To me this ability to sort out my financial situation from another country using the wonders of free internet telephone is amazingly wonderfuly mindblowing. At the very least, blogworthy.
In other news we are now at anchor in La Paz, having said our sad farewells to Jacob's parents and goodbye to the marina lifestyle. We've been having a lot of fun here, enjoying the town, the people, the great cheap food etc. We did manage to do a monster supply run to re-stock our almost empty lockers, and have spent some time happily wandering about the city and poking our noses into stores.
Monster food trip
Wandering through back streets in La Paz24 09' N, 110 20' W
3 comments:
Julia and Jacob, I just stumbled onto your blog. It's so great to know that you're out there living the life. All is well at the Spaulding Wooden Boat Center in Sausalito - we're very busy. Thanks for the plug back when you were hauled out here. Take a look at our website: www.spauldingcenter.org. Mark Welther
Julia,
Glad to know that your "mooching around" is now financially assured! Have a couple of cervezas and tacos for me ;).
Miss you both already,
Anne
Glad that you found a way to con the credit card company into covering your gas and food bills. :-) Look forward to having you back in the LA Harbour one day soon, we hope!!! Joel, Jessica & Dora