Things have been a little up in the air for me the past couple of weeks and I had to choose between staying longer in Southern Africa or going home for Christmas. I finally decided I was staying in South Africa, however, my plane ticket had to be changed 48 hours in advance and it was Sunday and my ticket was for Tuesday. Here is what it took me to change my ticket from Lesotho.I had to call Hong Kong to change my ticket and there was no long distance phone cards to be found, there is not a toll free number to call Asian Air Miles for Lesotho, no operator in Lesotho, the cell phone service was down, there is not a working pay phone in this country, the electricity (internet) and water was cut off that day and we did not have kerosene for cooking (although not having water or a means to cook did not effect me making a phone call, the fact that I did not have my bath and ate cold food that day made me extra grumpy). To make matters worse I could not get into South Africa because my Visa had expired and immigration officers are only at the border gate during weekdays. Things looked pretty grim for me but I was determined! I had a toll free number to call Asian Miles from South Africa and I was sure the South African cell phone signal would not be down. Qacha’s Nek is right on the South African border so I figured there must be a place near the border where I can use my South African SIM card and pick up a signal without leaving the country. I walked towards the big hill next to the border gate with my cell phone pointed towards the sky! I always wanted to climb the hill because it reminds me of the hill from Dr. Seuss’ ‘How the Grinch stole Christmas’ and that day it seemed like it would be the best place to pick up a signal. I walked and walked with no sign of a signal, then when I was almost to the top of the Grinch hill my cell phone beeped and the screen read you have 3 new messages and I there was a one bar signal. I made one step forward and the signal died, I made two steps backwards and the signal died, I made one step forward and the signal came back, I stepped to the right and then to the left but failed to get a signal. I went back to the spot where I first got the signal and thought to myself- I may get a better signal further up the hill but what if this is the only spot in the country that I get reception. I could not risk losing my sweet spot so I decided I was going to try to make my call from there. I squat down and was excited to find in this position I had two bars on my phone. I still had to determine if I could call toll free on my cell phone. I dialed the number and heard “Welcome to Asia Miles for service in English please press one, for service in Cantonese please press two” I felt like crying it freaking worked!! I then heard really bad elevator music for about 35 minutes. In the meanwhile three curious cows and several children from the village nearby gathered around me wondering what the hell I was doing. I stayed perfectly still squat on the hill afraid that I would lose the signal. My legs were just about to give out on me when a male agent came on the phone and our conversation went something like this:Male Agent: How can I help you?Me: My booking reference number is K2026.Male Agent: KQ0Q6?
Me: No K2026.
Male Agent: KQ0Q6 are you Miss Ying Chan?
Me: NO! It is K2 you know the number 2 TWO.
Male Agent: Your booking reference number is K.T.W.O?
Me: Huff, No it is K then 2. The number 2! Like 123.
Male Agent: K123?
Me: Argh, No it is K2026
Male Agent: K2026, Ms. Erwin Lin.
Me: Yes!
Male Agent: What can I do for you today Ms. Lin.
Me: I would like to change my flight from Johannesburg to London to Vancouver that is scheduled to return on Tuesday December 4th to some time in early February.
Male Agent: Are you the account holder Ms. Lin?
Me: No I’m the passenger.
Male Agent: Do chin you chan have bang the rang account ding holders dong PIN crash and bin date clang of ting birth ring?
One of the curious boys from the village that has come to watch me make this phone call is playing with a metal tire rim and a wire and is making a lot of noise!
Me: Sorry could you hold on for two seconds I can’t here you.
Me to the children: Here is 20 Maloti can you please go buy yourself some candy and leave me alone for a couple of minutes! (The children run off, but the cows remain. If only I could bribe the cow with the huge bell!)
Me to agent: Sorry about that could you repeat your last question.
Male agent: Do you have the account holders PIN and date of birth?
Me: Sorry I don’t have that information.
Male agent: Well we can not change the ticket without it.
Me: But I have changed my ticket when I was in Canada without that information.
Male agent: Sorry I can’t help you, it is for security reasons. Good Bye.
Me: No wait, wait. Is it possible I could speak to another agent?
Male agent: Please hold
I listen to the bad elevator music for another half an hour. I’m a little worried because my battery is running low on my phone.
Male agent 2: Welcome to Asia Miles how can I help you?
Me: (He sounds just like the agent I had before) Are you the same agent I was just talking too?
Male agent 2: Nope I don’t think so but I can try to help you.
Me: My booking reference number is K2026.
Male Agent 2: KQ0Q6?
The children return!
Me: (I’m seriously about to freak out) No it is K2026!
Male Agent 2: Ms. Erin Lane
Me: Yes, yes. I would like to change my ticket to February.
Male Agent 2: Do you have the account holders PIN and date of birth.
Me: Listen, I don’t have it and there is no possible way for me to get before my flight leaves on Tuesday. I have changed my flight before and I did not have to give this information.
Male Agent 2: Sorry for security measures I can’t change your flight without this information.
Me: Do you know where the Kingdom of Lesotho is?
Male Agent 2: No!
Me: I didn’t think so! Look I’m in this country that you didn’t know even existed. There is no electricity, no internet, no working phones, and I have no way out of the country today. I just walked 2 hours up a mountain to get a South African cell phone signal. I’m dirty, hungry, my legs are asleep and I really have to pee! There are 3 cows and 20 children staring at me. My cell phone is almost dead and I have no way to charge it. I do not have the PIN number and there is no possible way for me to get it for you. You can have anything else; my passport number, credit card number, I will even send you a blood sample if you like, but I don’t have the PIN! If you don’t change my flight now my seat will be empty on the plane on Tuesday. I’m begging you, please help me.
Male Agent 2: What date would you like Ms. Lane?
Me: February 11th
Male Agent 2: Your ticket has been changed. I will send you an e-mail confirmation if that will be useful to you.
Me: Yes, thank you so incredibly much.
Five minutes later my cell phone died and I walked back home hand in hand with the village children, there mouths filled with sweets. The moral of the story is that you can achieve anything you set your mind too J I will now be home in February.
