April 24, 2007 -- Hooray! We finally received our necessary medications. Our insurance company had to override that little computer voice that says "it is too early to refill this medication." It took several calls and persistence but today the box of meds appeared on our doorstep.
I went to the bank to get some money for Indonesia. Do you know what I had to ask for? One hundred dollar bills that are new or as new as we can get, not folded or creased, no writing on them, no rips or tears in the bills and, if possible, with certain issue numbers on them. No, I'm not kidding. Our bank clerk was familiar with this because in February another couple left for Indonesia and they asked for the same type of bills. John and I were at the bank with them at that time and I remember the bank clerk looking at them as if they had lost their minds. So when I arrived today, she simply gave a big sigh and began going through her hundred dollar bills! I will go back later this week and try to exchange some of the bills with better ones.
Why am I doing this? If one has the good, nearly new bills, a better exchange rate is given. I'm told some merchants refuse to accept anything else. In Jakarta it should not be much of a problem as we can exchange our money at banks; however, as we hope to be traveling outside Jakarta, we will need some good cash. Can you believe this?
We are almost ready to go. We still have to pack our clothing, weigh our suitcases, and clean up the branches from our back yard. It seems our neighbor who lives behind us chose this week to have someone come in and cut down his bushes that had grown very tall, with his vines and branches towering over our fence. In doing so, lots of branches and overgrown vines fell down on my bushes and plants along the back fence. Since my vines grew over on to his side, I can't yell and complain as my lack of maintenance created this, too.
I went to the bank to get some money for Indonesia. Do you know what I had to ask for? One hundred dollar bills that are new or as new as we can get, not folded or creased, no writing on them, no rips or tears in the bills and, if possible, with certain issue numbers on them. No, I'm not kidding. Our bank clerk was familiar with this because in February another couple left for Indonesia and they asked for the same type of bills. John and I were at the bank with them at that time and I remember the bank clerk looking at them as if they had lost their minds. So when I arrived today, she simply gave a big sigh and began going through her hundred dollar bills! I will go back later this week and try to exchange some of the bills with better ones.
Why am I doing this? If one has the good, nearly new bills, a better exchange rate is given. I'm told some merchants refuse to accept anything else. In Jakarta it should not be much of a problem as we can exchange our money at banks; however, as we hope to be traveling outside Jakarta, we will need some good cash. Can you believe this?
We are almost ready to go. We still have to pack our clothing, weigh our suitcases, and clean up the branches from our back yard. It seems our neighbor who lives behind us chose this week to have someone come in and cut down his bushes that had grown very tall, with his vines and branches towering over our fence. In doing so, lots of branches and overgrown vines fell down on my bushes and plants along the back fence. Since my vines grew over on to his side, I can't yell and complain as my lack of maintenance created this, too.
After four bags and two boxes filled with debris, I still have three huge piles of vines, branches and weeds to cut up and bag before we leave. I really wasn't too thrilled to have this extra chore but I must say, it's beginning to look rather nice now. O.K. back to checking that our carry-on luggage complies with the latest rules as to what can be taken on the plane.
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