Okay, today was really an "exciting" day.. as if I didn't have enough excitement in my life so far.. Maybe that was also why I was so calm when the problem arise.. Let me tell you what happened...
Since I am traveling in Japan, I didn't want to bring huge amount of cash with me, plus the fact that it is very easy to withdraw money from the convenient stores that are everywhere... or so I thought.. Another thing is I brought ONLY my Shinsei Bank ATM card, thinking that POSBank is usually found in suburb and not in the city area, so it won't be as useful.. I am SO wrong.. :x
When I reached Kagoshima, I had enough cash to last me 2 days maximum.. but I still wanna see if I can draw money from the convenient stores in Kagoshima.. Then I realized that there isn't seems to be THAT many convenient stores in Kagoshima as in Tokyo or even Kyoto! I went into Lawson and tried my Shinsei Bank ATM card.. It refused to give me cash.. I went to the Tourist Information Counter at the Kagoshima Chuo Station and ask if there is any 7-11 around the area.. Imagine the shock I got when the lady manning the counter told me that there is NO 7-11 in Kagoshima!!!! She then suggest that I try using my card in the POSBank branch next to the station.. I tried and it didn't work either... I tried my Singapore credit card and it too can't get me cash...
At this time, I think most people would be panicking.. yet, I was unusually calm.. I gave my brother a call, asking him to check the website of Shinsei Bank if there is any branches around Kagoshima or Kyushu that I can get my OWN money out.. then I was going through all kinds of possible work-around.. "Once I check-in to the hotel, I can use Skype to call SG and ask them about my credit card..", "Maybe I can use Internet transfer to pay for my lodgings..", "Maybe I can fly back to Tokyo and come back again.. the most I would lose is ¥20,000 for the air tickets and I would still be able to enjoy the rest of my holiday..", "I can pay all the hotel and maybe even the Shinkansen tickets using my credit card, just have to watch my spending and save on food & drinks..", "Maybe I can get cash in Chugoku or Shikoku area... "..
It was during this time that I realized that nothing is going to spoil this trip for me!! not even the lack of money!! I will just take things as they come.. I did want to kick myself for bringing this ATM card instead of the POSBank one.. but I spent less than 20% of the time feeling bad/stupid while the rest of the time I spend cracking my head trying to find work-around.. I didn't blame myself as much as I thought I would, maybe because I am the ONLY ONE suffering for my mistake.. :p
Once I check-in to the hotel and got online, I verified that Shinsei ATM can be used in ALL POSBank ATM.. I went to the POSBank Branch again, and this time I asked a staff who was there.. She showed me the CORRECT button to push to get the money using a non-POSBank ATM card.. You have no idea how relieved I was.... :)
And so, that is the story about me ALMOST had to survive 14-days with less than ¥40,000 cash.. :p
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