Originally, I only planned on staying in Guatemala City for a week while my bike got repaired, but then came my TD Canada Trust debit card debacle.
Mail Arrangements
As you may recall, I sold or gave away everything I own before leaving on my trip. Everything I own is on my motorcycle. Except for a few keepsakes in the smallest storage unit I could find.
My mail is all going to my ex wife’s house. Everyone else in my family is pretty transit at the moment.
Mail from TD Canada Trust
After my bike was repaired I was ready to ride off to Tikal. It was then I got a text from my ex wife saying I had received mail from TD Canada Trust. It was a new debit card. I checked mine and sure enough mine was going to expired in June.
Rather than paying to have it couriered to me I decided to call TD Canada Trust and have them send me a new one to Guatemala. For the next 2 weeks I regretted that decision.
Debit Card Attempt #1
When I ordered my new debit card, TD Canada Trust said to call back in a couple of days for the tracking number for the UPS courier. I did that. I called back a few days later and there wasn’t a tracking number on file. They said to call back again to get it.
A couple days later I called back again and TD Canada Trust said there was no tracking number on file and to call back tomorrow.
This is when I got frustrated and demanded to speak to the supervisor. She gave me the same line and I got a bit heated saying I had no confidence in them and I wanted the tracking number now and I wasn’t going to hang up until I got it.
She put me on hold and 5 minutes later she came back and said there was something wrong and my debit card couldn’t be delivered!!!
If I hadn’t insisted on staying on line until she checked I would be still calling back and waiting for my debit card.
The supervisor took my address again and said she would send it out right away. So now I have to book another week here waiting for this card again.
Debit Card Attempt #2
Considering the debit card debacle with TD Canada Trust I decided to be smart. Yeah right. I texted my ex wife to courier out my debit card. That way if the one from TD Canada Trust didn’t show up again I would have another one coming. One of the two had to arrive.
My ex wife informed me that another debit card form TD Canada Trust had arrived! So she couriered that one out to me at a cost of $106 Cdn!
Three business days later the debit card she sent through Purolator arrived. I was so happy.
I phoned TD Canada Trust to activate it. They said it had to be done through an ATM machine or by making a purchase. I tried to explain that I was in Guatemala and I doubt that would work. This is a country with two credit card systems, one for local cards and one for international cards. Most stores only carry the local system, if one at all. But he insisted I go to an ATM to activate it.
So for the next two hours I went to 9 different banks, hotels, and ATM machines and it wouldn’t work.
I called TD Canada Trust again and this time they informed me that that card had been cancelled and couldn’t be re-opened! WHAT!?!!
Debit Card Attempt #3
I have to admit the guy who took my call at TD Canada Trust and told me that the debit card had been closed was really helpful. He spent a long time with me trying to figure out a way for me to leave satisfied. He attempted to get the debit card sent to me by my ex wife re-opened but couldn’t.
I asked for a tracking number and he checked with 4 supervisors and they said I couldn’t get it for another 2 days. This really frustrated me. I explained how I had been down that road before. But it was hard to get too frustrated because the guy was trying to really help me. In the end I had no choice but wait again for the the second debit card TD Canada Trust was having couriered to me.
A couple of days later the card arrived. I didn’t get too excited until I could activate it. I went to an ATM and it worked!! Finally.
Long Term Traveling
The world is not set up for long term travelers. Travel insurance is set up for vacations. Health insurance is set up for vacations. And things like drivers licenses, credit cards, and debit cards are set up to be renewed at the location you got them. When one is about to expire, you have to fight the system to renew things. We have come along way to becoming a global community, but we have a long way to go yet to make it easy for those of us who are long term travelers.
Champions League Final
Most of my time was spent waiting for my debit card and writing posts. However, I did get out and have a great time watching the Champions League Final.
I saw an ad that Hooters was showing the game. I arrived early to get in line.
When I got to the front the receptionist said she could put my name on a wait list but everything was reserved. HUH! Well I was sure everyone would show up. Me, along with lots of other people scattered in search of another place to watch the big game.
Luckily there were a few restaurants in the same complex. I hit the first one that had TVs on to the game and managed to get a good seat.
It was a pretty cool experience watching it in a soccer mad country. The place was packed. In fact every restaurant with a TV was packed. Cheers and jeers went out with every goal. Real Madrid easily beat Juventus.
As I walked home after the game, I ran across a few disappointed Juve fans.
Feature Picture
Sorry for the lack of photos in this post. But I LOVE the featured picture. It was drawn by my granddaughter Mia with the help of her father. It is my riding in Guatemala.
Now that I got my bike fixed and received my new debit card to get cash, I am ready to continue my journey.
My Location from June 3 to June 16, 2017
