Why don't things work.. and small print should be banned...

Why is it life that everything seems so complicated and nothing ever straightforward?

For all those that say that life would be boring if there wasn't something to fight about.. give me boring any day... so here it is ... my list of complications at present:

• Shower fitting bought cheaper from China with 3 year warranty at a third of the price than here in Australia. Now finding that the space between the taps is non standard so now paid a plumber $150 to move the gap

• Dive computer - new innards (sent registered post to the US) put in at a cost of $300 (my beloved Suunto Stinger that they no longer make!). Then sitting in the car one day put me at a depth of 500 ft! Send it back -"no, the warranty only covers the parts not the labour" - so another $150. 3 weeks later still not arrived back.. spent time tracking it - at post office here in Port Douglas - they had written the wrong name on the parcel! Finally get the computer back.. first dive...... ............................. still a watch! Did not go into dive mode to start logging the dive! So back to square one on that.

• Last week broke down in my car. No problem I have roadside assist for 50km radius. Call up.. no, you live in a metropolitan area (der!) so only 20km cover. I am at that time 27km from Cairns and 30 km from Port Douglas. So limp the car to nearer to Port Douglas and call again. No we cannot give you assistance without paying for extra cover as you have moved the car! Now find out contacting them that 20km is the ROUND trip for the recovery vehicle so in actuality I am only covered for 10km! When I asked if I could cancel my membership they said 'Sure..... but we won't refund your money"..name and shame... don't use 24/7 Road Recovery Service!
  

..........................and the car... well that takes a page all on its own!

• In major correspondence with solicitors and Legal Ombudsman back in UK. Fighting over 30,000 pound cock up. The Major works bill on my last property was supposed to be paid by the buyers of my property. When I sold it seems there was no clause in the sales contract saying this, so I had to foot the bill. Argument from lawyers - I didn't instruct them. My argument - I paid for them to legally represent my interests and how do I know what to 'instruct' them about if I am not legally trained. They knew about this amount and should have made sure that it was in my best interests that I didn't have to pay this. Looks like it's going in the solicitor's favour.. so bye bye money! If you think this sounds rather blase... believe me I have shed tears, rung my hands and torn my shirts over this one!
  

• I bought a camera on Ebay for my underwater housing. On arrival the automatic focus didn't work. So sent it back but left the memory card in. No problem got the money back on the camera (minus Ebay and postage costs!), but left my memory card in the camera.. Ordered another memory card 2 weeks ago.. still waiting for it, they replied it could be going through customs. A 4gb memory card?

• I am not going to go through the house renovations... I have a stove top that turned brown on the first 'cook' so Bellini are coming to change that.. they said they would be coming over to change it.. but that was all I heard.

• Still awaiting finishing on the tiles in the kitchen... and just starting on the downstairs bathroom.. oh glee!

• Still to do... send back Swatch dive watch (doesn't work) and my back up UWATEC dive computer (that has to be sent back to manufacturers for battery replacement)

• Just spent $70 on a new internet dongle (love Optus!)... Vodafone dongle didn't work, Telstar dongle didn't work, tethering to Vodafone on my iPhone, didn't work. Ordering Vodafone wifi router via internet didn't work. Trying to order by phone - 1 hour later... didn't work. So this Post comes to you courtesy of Optus dongle!

• Bought an underwater camera with housing on Ebay for when I travelled through Central America before coming to Port. Took 20 photos then the battery died after 3 days. Bought some more batteries. Didn't work. Wrote to the manufacturers from Honduras who advised me I needed stronger batteries (Extra Duracell?). Advised as I am sitting on a little island where you would be lucky to get fresh fruit! Camera never worked so carted it around for 2 months around Central America. I send the camera to them, advising I wanted my money back . They say the camera was faulty and sent me a replacement one (which I don't want as I have cameras and housings here, and bought it specifically for the trip). Now sitting still in its box... will sell on Ebay.
  

Aaah... life and its tribulations..... the rich tapestry of life!