View from Mt Chudalup, WA © PJ Croft 2016

Damn, shaped again. For the second time this month I’ve used up all my broadband quota so I’m throttled to 256Kb/s. That’s treacle territory. I paid $10 for another 10GB a few days ago but it’s used up already. The reset date is Tuesday 22nd umm, Monday 22nd, idiot, so I don’t want to spend more if I can avoid it. I’ll try to live at this speed for now. (Monday – back to normal, thank goodness.)

I never used to have this trouble. I think it’s because my DropBox was syncing a folder that I didn’t want until I discovered it and stopped it, and because Win10 keeps trying to download behind my back. I must admit I’ve been downloading some big software files lately too.

I don’t think I’m getting a very good deal with iiNet. Much as I hate Telstra, their ads seem to show much better value. I’ve been told I might be able to get a faster connection too. I’ll check it out. Also, I do not like dealing with TPG, which now owns iiNet.

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Canal Rocks, WA 1990  © PJ Croft 2016

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From pictures I’ve seen of the S’Cate Condotel room in Bali, it’s clear that there are no handrails on the stairs between floors in the apartments. This is bad news for me. My legs are weak and I need railings to help pull myself up. As well, the stairs are glossy tiles and I need something to hang onto to ensure I don’t slip.

If it were only a few days I could live with it, but for a month at a time, no. I’ve been wondering what to do and I think I’ll put a proposition to the management: I’ll pay to have hand rails fitted in my unit. It might sound a bit crazy but it’s not expensive to have this kind of work done up there. I’ll get names of workmen and advice from my friend John who lives just up the road in Sanur. This is his area of expertise. He’ll know.

It seems to me that the management should be happy with it. I hope so.

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I mentioned last week that a hotel I booked in Bali has a ‘no refund’ policy, which I didn’t notice until I’d clicked the Book button.

I discovered just now that my credit card has already been charged for the full amount, even though the booking isn’t until 17 May!

This is unacceptable. I’m going to make a protest, and I have the weapon that I will make a scathing review on Booking.com and Expedia and everywhere else that I can if they don’t play ball.

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One week to go. I’ve booked a rental car again to get me to the airport and I’ve insisted on my booked choice, a Corolla. Let’s see how they deal with that. The best price I could get was $84 compared with $52 last trip. That’s not nice. But they offer 15% discount for RAC members, so that should soften the price. I went to book for the return trip too, but crikey, the prices are up around $100 then. Why? I’ll leave it and see what happens to the prices in coming weeks before I book. At that rate, a taxi might be cheaper. I have bargaining power now – gimme a price of $100 (max) or I’ll use a rental car.

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Poltergeist again. I’ve just been cleaning the second toilet when I noticed the small shelf unit in there has been moved out of its position against the wall. Huh? It’s very lightweight and maybe I bumped it, but I don’t remember doing it. De de de de de.

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Near Collie, WA 1990. © PJ Croft 2016