We should be in Cairns today, after a couple of nights ago travelling by sleeper train from Brisbane, where we had booked a few days. Cairns seems to be unseasonably hot now, so perhaps that I cancelled the holiday when Ray died was wise. We wanted winter warmth but for various reasons, we could only work it out for this month when the weather is better here than mid winter and as it seems, a bit too warm in Cairns.
I had cancelled the accommodation, nothing paid in advance. The train company gave me an immediate refund for our train tickets, but when cancelling the flights, Melbourne to Brisbane, Cairns to Melbourne, I was only given a credit.
I thought the flights cost about $600. A few weeks ago, I checked and it was nearly $1,000. At the moment, I don't want to fly anywhere and I can't imagine doing so in the near future. I'd like that money, thank you very much.
Webjet warned to not try to deal with the airline, Virgin in this case, but with itself who we booked with. It requested a certified copy of Ray's death certificate and my ID. I provided that, and it seemed like a refund would happen.
A refund was attempted, but as I had already told the company, Ray's, who had paid for the flights, bank accounts are closed. Webjet said they will work it out and urged me to not put my bank account details in an email.
Webjet then wanted a certified copy of Ray's will, so I contacted the company who drew up his will for that. Three arrived promptly, I scanned one and emailed it to the return eddress. I think that was last Friday. The following Wednesday, while I had been at home most of the morning, as soon as I boarded a tram, a representative of Webjet called. With my debit card on the seat beside me, I read out the numbers. The credit went through, said the person. A confirmation email arrived. Two to three days to appear in your bank account. I'm still waiting but I've been thinking, that could have been an intercept of an email and the person I spoke to was not from Webjet, and perhaps the money will go into a scammers bank account.
I really don't think this will happen but it has made think about how I freely gave out my bank account details to an unverified person over the phone.
Anyway, good job by Webjet.
PS The money is now in my bank account. Oddly it is marked as going in immediately but it didn't show on my banking app until today. Such transfers used to happen immediately but they have been deliberately slowed to prevent what I described above.
The train trip looked interesting, which is why we chose it. The overnight trip included three meals and wine with your meal. It isn't a conventional sleeper train but I thought it would be a good taste to see how we went sleeping on a train. There is no privacy of course but once lights go out, does it matter and what are you going to do that needs privacy. I thought the fare, I've forgotten how much, was quite reasonable.
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The sleeper train sounds intriguing. No cabins though so no changing into PJs and fluffy slippers.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I would have given my card details like that. You are obviously less distrustful than me. I trust nobody!
JayCee, for one night I think it is tolerable. Neither of us expected perfect sleep.
DeleteIn my defence about the card details, someone would have done an awful lot of work for a relatively small return.
I don't think I would have given out that info but it all worked out for the best, so that's good. My girlfriend's husband 2.5 years ago and she's still dealing with stuff. Perhaps I should get my things in order, just in case.
ReplyDeletePixie there's nothing better you can do for your partner or family than have things organised for when you die. Because Ray's affairs were relatively simple and he made them simple up to a point, there was still heaps of paperwork, but I believe I have done it all now...famous last words. Someone is gonna want something more, I am sure.
DeleteI hope nobody overheard when you read out the numbers. I am paranoid about these things.
ReplyDeleteTasker, on a tram with two noisy girls adjacent to me, I could barely hear what I was saying, and who would have pen poised or phone recorder ready to take note.
Deletethecontemplativecat here Going through what could have been if Ray were still alive must have been a tear on your heart. You did some victory with the money returns. We took our gr-daugthers on a train trip in 2021, California to Chicago, 2 nights/3 days. Our sleeping arrangement were hell. We arranged for two "roomettes" about 7 feet long and 5 feet across. traveling across the deserts and rocks was boring. We had lived in victorville, CA in the Mojave desert. Never again, I tell you. Unless it is the Orient Express, flying is what we will have to do.
ReplyDeleteCC, it was among my very sad moments. It kind of still is.
DeleteI am disappointed to learn of your opinion about Amtrak. While Amtrak is not known for its punctuality or speed, in the clips I've watched it is generally liked as a relaxing way to travel if you don't have to be somewhere quickly. I know some of the Amtrak trips have fantastic scenery, surprising to me in Colorado and the southern approach to California.
I tensed up upon reading you gave out your bank info and am so, so glad things turned out okay. A credit company recognized unauthorized action that resulted in our household receiving a replacement charge card just this week.
ReplyDeleteWhew!
Meanwhile, money transfer delays result from greed in my cynical experience. Over mere days, financial entities accrue fortunes that my eighties/nineties savings dividends once generated incrementally. Stay healthy, wealthy, and wise. :D
That was a good result for you Darla.
DeleteI would normally agree with you about greed, but in this case it wasn't. It was a delay of the transfer of money to prevent fraud and then backdated to when the transaction happened. It is a deliberate policy by our overseeing banking authority.
I am glad the refund appeared - despite the malarky they put you through. And yes, my heart was in my mouth for you as I read this post. Brisbane is hot at the moment too. We are not. Yet.
ReplyDeleteEC, but spring is certainly in the air. The elm trees have developed their hops, ready to distributed by a hot north wind. Everyone here says how cold the weather has been, but they are all older people, and as an older person, every winter seems colder than the last. By my electric consumption, it is much the same as the year before last. We were in England for most of billing period last year. You've had a warmish winter this year.
DeleteI used to hold shares for Webjet. Good to know they provide you with a good service. The cabin looks rather nice
ReplyDeleteI was quite impressed by Webjet, Roentare. The man who called me had an Indian accent but he didn't sound like he was in India, and he didn't sound like he was reading from a script.
DeleteNever heard of Webjet. But I yet haven't had to cancel a travel trip.
ReplyDeleteDora, maybe you know booking.com ? It is pretty much the same.
DeleteWhat's in those bags on the seats? Personal hygiene products?
ReplyDeleteCondoms, lube, the day after gay pregnancy pill, and an abundance of moist towelettes. Any further questions?
DeleteI remember when you talked about that trip and showed us photos of the sleeping arrangements. I am glad Webjet came through - I have heard a similar story about not going direct to the airline for refunds. Now you need to take some of that money and go on a mini break. I've heard Lakes is nice this time of year!!!
ReplyDeleteDid I show pics of the beds Merlot? I can't remember. Ray never wanted to visit western Victoria. I do. But Larrikins End would be good too, into southern NSW. Where is Mount Kozicostco? I loved Cooma. I love Sydney, and I'm thinking about taking a sleeper room by train. Who knows. I am still adjusting to life on my own without my soundboard.
DeleteA refund is always preferrable to a credit, at least from the point of view of the person getting the refund.
ReplyDeleteMostly so Kirk. I didn't mind the afore mentioned department store credit. I need a new summer dress.
DeleteGreat you got a refund, sensible company in doing so.
ReplyDeleteThe trip wasn't meant to be it seems Andrew.
Eldest son, wife and their children have just returned from Cairns, Port Douglas and the Gold Coast.
Margaret, I guess your grands took all the rides at the Gold Coast. They must have loved it. As you describe, it would not have been a cheap holiday for your son and his wife.
DeleteSo you're train sleeping in an oversized baby capsule? Very glad your airfare was refunded. How is Cairns? Years ago when we moved from Sydney to Melbourne we met up with friends, also an Army family, who were moving from frosty Tasmania to warm Cairns and they later sent us a mid-July photo of the husband and boys swimming at the beach.
ReplyDeleteA baby capsule sums it up quite well River. It is strange to swim in warm Queensland sea water. You hesitate for the cold shock that doesn't arrive. We had an acquaintance who moved from QLD to Tassie, and then soon moved back to QLD because he didn't like the cold. What did he expect, duh.
DeleteIt's all worked out after all - what a relief.
ReplyDeleteIt did JB. So what shall I spend the money on? It just goes into my bank account and will be used for daily living.
DeleteWebjet wanted a certified copy of Ray's will? Good grief.. I must tell my lawyer to give my will to NO ONE except people and organisations mentioned on the will. Is nothing private any more?
ReplyDeleteHels, it was making sure fraud wasn't involved. It needed to be proved that I was the rightful recipient of the refund which was owed to Ray, which the will proved. I actually appreciate Webjets caution about that.
DeleteThe train looks very nice ! But Webjet wants to have a copy of Ray's will ? Crazy, we don't have made a will, I just could give a birth certificate. I had made a lot of copies and remember that I annexed it to all questions one could ask.
ReplyDeleteGattina, Webjet needed certainty that I was the recipient from Ray's will and I was the one who is entitled to the refund. I really don't have a problem with that.
DeleteWell I am glad it all worked out. At least you didn't 'almost' miss the train as we did the other day. A mad dash along long walkways, our Andrew making it to the person who shuts the doors and chatting him up till we arrived.
ReplyDeleteAnd you got your money back, I expect that was a relief, hassle is no fun.
Thelma, will we hear about that trip in the future or have you already mentioned where you visited? Getting the money back was another thing ticked off.
DeleteGlad the refund made it through. Airlines can be painful to deal with.
ReplyDeleteTP, I guess you are familiar with the European airline system of delays and compensation. That should be world wide.
DeleteOh, good. I'm glad you got the refund, but sorry you had to cancel the trip. Perhaps in the future you'll be motivated to give it another try, at a better time of year! A train to Cairns sounds fascinating.
ReplyDeleteSteve, I may well rebook. I'm finding it hard to get motivated to do much more than what has to be done at the moment. There will be drastic changes in my finances towards the end of the year, for the better I think. It is all so up in the air at the moment.
DeleteGlad you got the refund, Andrew. I have been trying to figure out how the seats turn into that tiny little "bed" thing. Or am I mistaken?
ReplyDeleteGood question Pat. I will guess the cushioned part of the seat slides forward, so what you lean your back on as you are seated becomes where your head and upper body lies, your hips will be on the seat part and a footrest extends out to become where your feet rest.
DeleteAy yi yi. I would have been sick waiting for that refund to show. I won't even gasp that you gave that information out in a public place. But all's well that ends well. I will keep my mouth shut.
ReplyDeleteDebby, it was quite a noisy background. I wasn't worried about that. As I said in another comment, there would have to be lot of work done, that is looking at all the details etc for a $1000 return.
DeleteIts so easy to get tricked by scammers. Its good that the phone call was real and you got your refund. I'm after one from the forest service but I think it will be hard to get.
ReplyDeleteStrayer, that was an interesting business about the forest service. Please mention it when you have some return contact from the department.
DeleteI cherish my memories of train travel across the American continent Quite a civilize way to travel
ReplyDeleteIt certainly is Cloudia. You just don't have to be in a hurry and don't expect great punctuality by Amtrak.
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