This is a blog to make you all feel better that we do get the odd stressful day. At one point today both of us said that we wanted to come home. Its the stupid bank again. We are in a small town called Labuan Bajo ready to go on a liveaboard tomorrow for 3 days in the Komodo Islands. When we booked it they said that they only accept cash (which isn't that strange out here) and as our banks limit us for taking money out per day, we took a whack out a couple of days ago in preparation. The other night I was being terribly organised and booking train tickets and boat etc for when we are back home. The next time we tried to take money out it wouldn't let us, even though it was the next day it was still actually within 24 hours since we last took money out so we just left it, we then tried again later and still no money. We were below our daily limit but it just wouldn't let us and we knew that the ATM could give out that much because it said 'this machine can give a maximum of ...' which we were under. But even stranger it would let us take out small amounts like 30 pounds (we got stung by bank charges for testing that option). aaarrrgghhhh

So this morning we went to the airport to fly from Bali to Labuan Bajo and I managed to pay for the flight on my card (odd), but it still wouldn't let us withdraw from the ATM (double aarrrggghhhh)!! Anyway we said ok there must be something wrong with the cards we will have to phone the bank when we get there. (ch..ching) Little did we know that we were heading to the crappest smallest town in the world. There are no telephones, yes NO TELEPHONES there is a bank but not that they'd be able to help but thats closed as its sunday. We couldn't even use skype because we don't have any skype credit and obviously we couldnt transfer money because the cards have been stopped, its a vicious circle.

Luckily the lady at the dive shop (grumpiest lady ever) let us use her mobile phone, so we had to use that to phone the bank (cringe). However, it only cost us 1 pound. one single british pound. She had a special code on her phone that she dials before each telephone number and its really cheap. We spoke to the most useless bloke and he tried to fob us off saying that sometimes the machines dont read the cards properly and thats why it wont let you take out money but then saying 'yes we did put a stop on your card'. I can see why they did it, one minute we are taking out wads on cash (literally wads as its millions here) and the next I am buying condor, aurigny and train tickets. but what a nightmare. If it hadn't been for the grumpy lady I would have most definitly cried. Even when it was all sorted, we said 'thank you so much, we dont know what we would have done without you', she didnt even say anything to us, not even a smile. oh well. We went straight out for lunch and had the best tasting beer ever.

I felt this needed to go on the blog so that we had a memory of the stress. We just can't wait to get on the liveaboard tomorrow. Plus I have been looking at some amazing resorts on agoda for our last 3 nights in Bali. Yesterday we went for a walk along the beach and came across an Intercontinental Hotel, so we just strolled up and thought we would have a look around. It was amazing, its like a different world. I think it was about 200 pounds a night, we asked at reception on our way out - definitly out of our price range even as a treat. Maybe we will just take our swimming stuff next time we accidently find ourselves wandering through there.

As for info for when we are back home: We are due to get to Weymouth at 15.13 on Wednesday 6th June. and Tara I get to Waterloo at 5pm on the Sunday so should be home just in time for tea. :)

Over and out, I need another beer after reliving that stress. So we are out of contact hunting manta rays, whale sharks and komodo dragons for next few days and will next time report from some lush resort.