Junior!

Well I took the necessary, and lengthy/overly-annoying steps in getting set up for the internt. I decided to go for a company called 3 (Three). That may have been mistake #1 .... never pick a company that by name is already the 3rd best choice. What was advantageous about 3 was that it was A LOT cheaper ($55/month) for 2GB compared to other carriers ($100+/month). Plus the little modem was included. The other carriers (Telstra) made you pay another $300 for that. I'm hoping the 2GB will be enough. Hopefully downloading this 3 hour movie won't put too much of a dint into it.

Anyhow, the day started with me facing off with my new arch-nemesis. This crazy guy in his mid-40s or so. He wears an Australian Hat (like me), and mumbles very loudly (like me), however, he seems to be mumbling and pointing at me. We faced off on opposite sides of the train station. He just sat there laughing at me. He may have a mental disorder, or I may have had my underwear on outside my pants... It was the 2nd time I've seen him. Where will he be tomorrow? Will I ever get a picture of him? If I do, will I be able to out run him?

So I make it to 3, find a polite "Customer Service Cutie". She helps with the decision process but informs me that I can't do anything unless I have my passport with me. Also, I have to prove my address by showing an official letter sent to me. I of course don't have one with the new address as I just moved in on Saturday. Back home on the train.

I got the stuff, time to train back. I go to my bank, and ask about this whole "Address Issue". Can they print off something official for me with my address on it. That request seemed like the equivalent of asking them to give me the moon. 20 minutes of standing around and managers coming back and forth, they finally print off a sketchy internet address thing. "Oh geez".
So I get back to the 3 store, and this time I get "In-Your-Face Rude Girl" as my salesperson. Next thing I know I'm providing every piece of ID I have on me. Passport, Driver's Licence, Bank Card .... does she want a full body cavity search as well? When it comes to the sketchy address sheet I got from the bank. "Sorry, not official, you'll have to go back". Not wanting to spend 20 minutes doing nothing at the bank again, I ask if I can use the address I don't live at, but is on an old bank statement. "Sure!". But I can't use my REAL address??? "Nope, sorry". So now my bloody bills are going to my friend's place and not my own (Sorry Holly!).

Finally, they have to do the Credit Checks and Personal Reference Checks. "So your name's Junior right?"..... "Excuse Me"... "That's your name, Junior - Jr" .... "No, those are my initials [my bank statement was for JR Boyd], that's my name" as I point to the Passport she has open. I pass the credit check, now it's time to call my work to check if I'm employed. What? I thought I was just trying to get internet access. I remember in Canada getting a Credit Card when I was 18 and unemployed, so much easier back home. "We just have to make sure you're not some Dodgy Traveller".... "You mean I'm not? ... that's news to me". That process took about an hour (making me miss my train transfer), but I finally succeeded, and am back online blogging.....literally