Finally my brain worked this morning. My pen ran out in the cafe last night and I'm desperate to write. I was going to despair for the third time this morning but then I remembered my date book came with a small little pencil.
I had a really wonderful stay in Peru. I am leaving utterly ungracefully. A series of little issues:
1. When the clerk in the hostel called the bank for me regarding my eaten ATM card, she relayed the recorded message she was listening to, that my only option is to cancel my card. Another new card makes my third this year. I've had this last one for less than a month! I think maybe there is a $10 card replacement fee.
2. Upon check-out my hostel bill came to $104 solars, more than I expected, more than what the internet site I booked through said it would cost and more than the type of room I actually booked. I had only taken $100 solars out at the ATM and still needed around $30 for a cab to the airport. Of course the hostel doesn't take credit cards so that's another $3.85 in Cashpassport withdrawal fee down the drain.
3. Worst of all: when I get to immigration at the airport I realise I had forgotten about the exit card I filled in upon arrival. I've been carrying this slip of paper with me in the pocket of my red bag. Of course now that I need it it isn't there anymore and I can't think where I've put it. I had a hopeless dig through my bag, knowing all the while it wouldn't be there, and then went back to the immigration officer and said 'No puedo helgadia', which I think means 'I can't find' - but he only understood my English. In the end losing my exit card wasn't a big deal; I simply had to pay another $15 solars, which I had on me. But here's the stupid part: as I was walking away to the gate, I remembered that I had put the card in my belly pouch. Sure enough, when I checked there it was, safe and sound. $15 solars wasted.
I am having another 'triple' sandwich at the airport. I have just eaten the little blue cheese and cucumber sandwich I brought - consoling myself - but I figure I should spend the last of my Peruvian change, so I eat again.
I get so upset about what are really small amounts of money. I hate it. I had a nice stay at Pirwa hostel and instead of leaving with thanks and a smile, I left aggrieved and scowling, which is wrong. It wasn't as expensive as I thought in the moment (around $15 AUS per night) when I actually did the math: $27 solars per night is $12 AUS, which is a perfectly reasonable price. My emotional relaxation due to this recalculation indicates that $3 makes a bloody difference to me!
What bothers me is that I waste money due to my own stupidity - so, not only the loss of money but my lack of sense. And now it turns out that the fucking prices here at the cafe are in dollars and not solars! Arrgggh. So I pay in dollars and give my $9 solars to the waitress. I hate this. Next time I travel to only one country so I only go through all this once!
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Oh Rachel you made me laugh because I know exactly how you feel when I misjudge how much something costs in foreign currency- end up feeling like I've been ripped off, though as you say in the scheme of things it doesn't really matter.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you had a great time in Lima though! Wish we'd stayed around long enough to appreciate it as much as you did! :)