Using your credit card in UK Part II

Written By: SP, 16 Jun 2006

Got a call from HSBC card service team yesterday. After a lengthy investigation by the team, they claimed the problem is due my repayment to my credit card (CC) account on Monday. It got nothing to do with my spending patterns or anything they claimed earlier on the day. Their system cannot differentiate or do not have the information to determine if my repayment is cash or cheque deposit (hence valid - ie "won't bounce") and in order to safe guard HSBC and its shareholders, they will need 7 days or 5 working days to clear my CASH deposit. Even after 2 days of repayment and their HSBC Online shows I have the available fund to use on my CC but in reality, I don't have access to it and in the mean time, "Thank you very much Mr Poh, I'm earning interest on your money"

Case closed. I'm definitely changing my bank, I have enough with these idiots. But again, my colleagues has warned me, DO NOT expect any service from UK banks - coz it will just ruin your day!

Using your credit cards in UK

Written By: SP, 15 Jun 2006

Ms K always complained that I did not write much entry on our blog or make any comments on her entries. Well, I'm going to take this opportunity to tell you our experience yesterday in Lindsay House.

We went to a restaurant yesterday with 2 of my best buddies from HK, together with their wives to be. I thought this is a rare opportunity to have them together in this sad city (according to Mr SZ) hence I've really look forward to this dinner and booked into a well respectable chef restaurant that is fit to cook for the Queen's birthday. I shall leave the food and waiter service to Ms K to comment.

So we need to fast forward 5 hours to around 12am on 15th June 2006, we asked for our bill and it came to a total of £765.90 for six of us. Yes, it’s very expensive given the quality of service on that night but I have to admit we had a good time and have a room for ourselves. Again that for Ms K to comment. I made a gesture to the waiter that I'm taking the bill. Don't get any ideas; I pay it with my HSBC MasterCard (CC) first and settle the bill later with the 2 big bosses later. I'm very confident that my CC has the sufficient amount because I've checked it 5 mins before I leave for the restaurant.

As you might have guessed, the transaction was declined. Initially, Ms K thought I was drunk and entered the wrong PIN number. Well, she might be right that we have drank a little too much that night but I'm sure I know what I entered on those wireless EFTPOS machine and I'm not drunk!  So I asked for 2nd try and it was declined again. I think then Ms K was a bit worried about the state I'm in and she volunteered to use her card even though her card is link to the same account! And it failed again....then I think its Mr SZ made a comment that it must be the machine as we have million £ limit in our account so the waiter was reluctantly change a different EFTPOS machine. I've tried again on the 2nd machine, doesn't work. The waiter offer to reduce the transaction into smaller amounts, doesn't work. Ms VL offer to use her CC, doesn't work. Mr SZ offer to use his GOLD CC, doesn't work. I think at this stage, I can guess the waiter was thinking "we don't need anymore illegal immigrants in this restaurant to wash dishes or cleaning the toilets, 999 only will delay him to close down the restaurant for the night.....so what can I do with these bunch of Asian looking (Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese????) People who does not have money to pay for their bills"

I was about to use my trusted Australian Visa card but then I just thought that the card rental still have a lock of £1100 on my card and need couple of days before they going to release my credits on my CC so I did not offer to use my card. Ms VL came to the rescue with her multi-millions limit Visa card. Bang - it want through straight away and the waiter made a comment "well, it looks like someone has money in their account" That is so humiliating, I'm sure he doesn't mean it but it doesn't sound like a joke either. But what can we do, so we just quietly leave the restaurant. But just to get repay for the waiter comment, SZ and I decided to go to fire hose their toilet! But I determined to find out the truth of the declination of my CC with HSBC tomorrow.

So this morning I dropped down to a HSBC branch near my work so I can avoid the long queue during lunch time. The lady over the desk is very helpful and she looks pretty good and sexy too! hehehehe. I told her of my ordeal with my CC with the restaurant yesterday and handed my card over to her. She brought up information and said there is no restriction on my card and it seems that I have enough fund to cover the bill. So she picked up the phone and ring HELP-LINE. For security reason she only allow to tell the lady over the phone my CC number, tell her my problem and then she need to pass over the phone to me. As usual, couple of security checks to verify they are talking to THE Mr SP. After that she scroll through my CC transactions and saw a lot of declines from the previous day and tell me the reason for the declines are due to my abnormal spending pattern and they have a security check in place which will automatically decline all payments if you have a sudden spike in your value of your CC transaction. I guess this is pretty good as you don't want your girlfriend to spend your money on the CC you given them when they get pissed at you because you are late to a dinner or forget their birthday. But then I never offended Ms K and she will never do that as she always had said "my money is her money, and her money is her money" so she will not spend her money like it’s not money!

So I politely asked the lady over the phone to remove that security check as it really inconvenience for me and of course there will be plenty of time that I will spend a similar amount to take Ms K to dinner and cannot afford to have another humiliating scene again. However, she said she cannot do anything as it’s in a security process and all she can tell me is that every time if I going to spend a large amount of money on the CC, I shall ring them to let them know so the system will approve the transaction. WTF!!! First I thought, she was joking and I asked her, so if I want to go a restaurant, I shall give you a call. She replied "Yes, sir. Just give us a call and we will noted down on the system and everything should be fine. And if you want, you can ring us after you get a decline on the CC" WTF again, I guess she never been to a restaurant or she always carrying cash load of cash with her to a restaurant and hoping that the bill does not exceed her cash on hand. OR asking for permission to what she allows to order the menu from the HELP-LINE before the waiter can take her orders. I'm so furious that I'm asking her if this is HSBC process or MasterCard process because either way, I'm changing bank or CC.

Do you believe this, I'm spending my own money on my CC (well technically not my money) and I'm not allowed to spend it just because the stupid security check system they have in place. In essence I understanding the need for the security in place but to this stupid extend, the person behind this idea should be shot! Even back home in my Skippy land, the bank actually gives me a call and asked me if I have in the last couple of minutes trying to use my CC on a particular purchase.  And for this city, one of the top financial hubs in the world, telling me I should give them a call before I use my CC which is going to be out of my normal spending pattern! Well, I guess to work around this problem is to take Ms K to a very expensive restaurant for the next 2 months, just to get my spending pattern that looks like a millionaire. Hahahaha....remind of me of a book I should have read (recommended to me by Mr SZ)...."you should think and spend like a millionaire before you become one"  

One Michelin Star!

I had my first Michelin star today.

To be honest, it wasn't a very impressive star.

More about it later.

Bodium Castle

After we visited the cliffs near Eastbourne, it was already late afternoon.

We took our chance to see whether the Bodium Castle would still be opened. It was slightly out of the way but it came highly recommened by SP's collegue. The medieval castle was built "more for show than for defence". The castle is surrounded by a moat, which is now filled with HUGE carp. If only we have our fishing rods with us! 

The castle was locked up when we got there. Luckily, the grounds were still opened to public and we had fun looking at the hot air balloons which were going up nearby.

SP and I in front of the castle. It is so fairytale-like!

The fields around the castle. Notice the hot air balloon!

 

The ballonist invited us inside the hot air balloon. It was amazing!

 

For more information:

National Trust Information on Bodiam Castle
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-bodiamcastle.htm

White cliffs at Beachy Head, Eastbourne

After our visit to Brighton, we took a 30 minutes drive to see the amazing white chalk cliffs at Beachy Head near Eastbourne.



The cliffs rise 162 metres (530 feet) above the sea below and it is the highest chalk sea cliff in Britain. According to 'trusty' Wiki, the chalk "was formed in the Cretaceous period when the area was under the sea, 65 million years ago. Since then, earth movements have raised the chalk up to form the dramatic cliffs of the Sussex coast."






It is definitely much more dramatic in person than in pictures!

Half a Day in Brighton

With the 'surprise' arrival of SZ, the L family + partner, SP and I venture out of London in a large peoplemover (it can accomodate 9 people and still have lots of room for lugguage).

Brighton, is a town in Southeast England. It is one of the most popular seaside resort in England, and it is also one of the most accessible tourist beaches from London.

Group photo at the beach.

The seaside is really beautiful. Howeve, the beach is all pebbles and it can be rough to the feet. The weather was great so we sat around for a bit.

After we have left the beach, my dad rang up to tell me that they have safely arrived in HK. My dad then said there was a nudist beach in Brighton more than 20 years ago, so it must be still there! hahaha. I just double checked: there are at least two designated nudist areas there. We totally missed it!

This once sleepy fishing village was 'awaken' in 1700s when a famous doctor began prescribing the medicinal use of the sea-water at Brighton to his loyal patients. As the people benefits from these relaxing holidays (hence 'medicinal'), posh Regency terraces began to be developed around the town and Brighton quickly become a fashionable resort for the rich.

The growth of the town was further encourage following the patronage of the Prince Regent, who eventually became the late King George IV. He ordered the construction of an expensive Royal Pavillion during early days of his Regency. The building has Indian-influenced architectire and Oriental interior design.

SP and I at the Royal Pavillion

Another attraction at Brighton is the Brighton Pier (or the Palace Pier), which was opened in 1899. It features a large funfair, cafes and arcade halls. We didn't have a go on any of the rides. However, SP won a soft-toy from the funfair.

SP and I on the Pier.

The girls on the deck chairs. The deck chairs are free for use on the Pier!

We had an uneventful lunch at Brighton. The food was so ordinary. The view was great though. If you ever wish to visit Brighton and have a meal there, I would recommend you to move slighly 'inland' and go to a proper cafe with fresh seafood. The food there looks yummy!

AUS 3-1 JPN

Everyone in the office is laughing at me for getting excited over it!

:)

The Golden Lane in Prague Castle

We are back from Copenhagen (and Malmo!). There are still some backlog of photos from Prague.

Above is a photo from the Golden Lane in Prague Castle. It served as a small 'shopping' district within the castle and many shops now sell sovenirs.