Wednesday, September 12, 2012

August 14th, 2012 Cusco

3:30AM  I arrived at Cusco and took a cab to the Milhouse for 6 PENs because no one knew where it was and only one driver knew.  I stalled a little but he only came down from 10 to 6 PENs.

4AM  I arrived at the Milhouse and took the 22 PENs 12 person room.


5AM I couldn't sleep and woke to call Wells Fargo and Capital One, which had a 10 USD or 3% surchage, whichever is greater and for an amount no greater than 180 USDs.


9AM  I went out to search for a deal for Machu Picchu .  It didn't take long for me to get to 200 and then 180 USDs.  I then returned to Milhouse to go back to the Skype phone calls to Wells Fargo again.

1AM  I have finally grown visibly desperate after my calls seemed to have all cut off at the 1 hour mark.  To think about it, I have to glad that at least the quality was decent on my tablet.  I was on the phone with the executive department for emergency funding of 1000 USDs.  The first woman was scolding me a bit before we got disconnected.  This was when I cursed at the phone and told thr old French woman to lay off me.

2PM   It takes around 40 minutes to get to these guys.   It starts the 800 number, then verification, then PMA associate, the verification again, then the PMA supervisor and finally executive department, with a 10 to 20 minute wait between each.

4PM  I had two 40 minute calls and I wasn't able to get the executive department again.  Apparently answering the security question incorrectly at 5AM locked my account for one day.  I then had the 800 number transfer me to the Palo Alto branch.  I waited for the supervisor Monica for over an hour when I was almost giving up.  She showed and cleared me by updating the address.  I got to another man at the executive department. He told me to wait for the control number and then we were disconnected.  I called again, this time all the way through in about 30 minutes to Michael Velet.  He gave me a Western Union control number without charging me a fee.  I was able to get my grand.  Before I left, I approached the German girls that arrived earlier to ask again if they would exchange with me.  They did!  I was able to get 1000 PENs.  I thanked them and rushed to buy the ticket for tomorrow at 3:30AM for 465 PENs.  I took some pictures.  Now I had some cash, I held off Western Union until I needed it.

 
8PM  I had a guinea pig at Sabor a Casa for 40 PENs, which was expensive here.  It was too much grease, I think.  So far the specialty dishes from Peru have not amazed me.



10PM  I returned to the hostel and offered the two German girls coffee but they declined.  We chatted a while.  They have doing South and Central America for more than 4 months now.  They are both 24 and have traveled more than 30 countries each.  I think they will catch me soon. I talked the Asian guy staying in the same dorm.  He is from Redwood City and goes to Menlo College.  I went to bed at 12PM.

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