The past week has been a nightmare for me. It's nothing serious as getting into trouble or going through a bad ordeal that concerns family, work, friends, or our household, God forbid. It's more of a headache any person would usually go through once they start dealing with adult stuff…like banking and insurance coverage for instance.
Working in the insurance industry since my internship days, I’ve been exposed to the idea of properly securing your future. I’ve learned to calculate the risks I take, and I logically weigh pros and cons whenever I need to make decisions especially big ones. I have short-term and long-term goals, and I do my best to achieve them. In short, I look before I leap.
In late 2006, I’ve made a decision to take up another life insurance policy through ALICO. The policy was purchased from one of the big local banks in the UAE through their bancassurance scheme. I thought then it would be good to have another policy in place for me, knowing that the policy is going to be written by the world’s top ranking insurance company (ALICO is AIG's life insurance arm) and currency is in USD. However, after paying for a month, I changed my mind as I realized I already have two standing insurance policies, one of which is now paid in full, and another with only just a few remaining years to pay left not including the group term insurance coverage I have at work. To cancel the policy, i stopped paying the premium as I know that it will automatically lapse anyway. From thereon, I’ve contemplated on getting a pension plan instead.
Come early 2007, I’ve made up my mind to get a pension plan through the same bancassurance scheme. I was torn then between ALICO & Zurich, but went for the former. Premium payment was arranged through automatic debit from the savings account they had set up for me. I received my own ATM card that’s also a debit card along with 2 Gold credit cards that are free for life. My banking life couldn’t get any better! or so i thought…
Early this year, I suspected that something was wrong with my account. I wasn’t receiving my monthly statement of account on a regular basis so I wasn’t able to monitor my account closely. To make the long story short, the bank’s system, brilliant as it is, has been debiting me twice a month – one for the pension plan, and get this – one for the life policy that has long been cancelled (I had received a formal advise from the insurance company, which I have in my file). Apparently, the bank did not set up a new account for me. They assigned me the same customer number where all my other transactions fall under (car loan, credit cards, pension plan). So whenever it recognizes the money I deposit for my pension plan, the bank deducts premium for the lapsed life policy. Come due date for the pension plan, the system reflects that there is insufficient funds, therefore, there's nothing for them to remit to the insurer. How did that happen, you ask? Because the bank claims that I didn’t ask them to cancel the standing order for the life policy, despite them knowing that my policy is already cancelled. Wtf!!
I was fuming mad when I learned that my pension plan had lapsed last December because ALICO was not receiving premium payments to keep it rolling. They did admit, however, that I have $710 in my suspense account because my bank was remitting money for a policy that is no longer existing. All along, money was floating in ALICO's system, and they didn’t know what to do with it. They couldn't contact me directly because of their agreement with the bank. The bank didn’t inform me either because their system is, for lack of a better word, inefficient. It was a messy picture, and for days, I was restless about it!
As I write this post, the application form to reinstate my pension plan has already been filled out. I obliged to have it signed by a witness, as well. I need to pay ALICO 3 months worth of premiums because the bank refrained from debiting my account. According to them, their “new” system does not debit premiums on reported lapsed policies. Hahaha!! I wanted to tell them their operations is nothing but a huge joke!
Oh well, what else can I do? I just have to face the situation and deal with all the paperwork with hope that everything will be settled soon. No sense in crying over spilled milk – even if I wasn’t the one who spilled the milk anyway!
Wish me luck guys!
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Stain Devils
I promised Pat that i will post my latest find on stain removing. Here’s my miracle worker for oil stains and anything emulsion in general.
Handy to have at home. It saved us a lot of clothes that had oil stains on them. The only downside is you can’t carry it with you and use it anytime there’s a spilling accident. You have to have the tolerance to keep the stain untouched until you get home.
Glo Care Stain Devils is highly recommended! For other stains, you can try their other specifics range.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Rekindling Nice Memories
My most memorable travel of last year has got to be the trip to Nice (pronounced as ‘nis’), which is located at the Southern part of France, set beautifully in the Mediterranean Coast and nestled on the Cote d’ Azur (French Riviera). What made the trip quite interesting is the fact that I didn’t go alone – the husband was with me! Yipee!!
Nice was actually our pit stop before heading to our actual destination, as it is the city with the nearest international airport. We landed on a weekday morning, welcomed by the loveliest weather we’ve experienced in years. The sun was bright, and the wind gently breezed on our faces. Mmmm, great weather for me who just loves walking!
We stayed at Hotel Ibis in Promenade de Anglais, which is just a kilometer from the airport. It was a small hotel next to a neighborhood park, and a stone’s throw away from the bus stop. We chose Hotel Ibis mainly because it’s affordable (we only needed to stay there for a night anyway), it’s accessible, it has free wifi connection, and is at least a familiar chain of budget hotels that provided us the basics we needed. We took the bus to get to our hotel because buses in Nice are tourist friendly – there’s enough room for your luggage, and people don’t mind your big stuff at all!
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| a view from the sky |
We had breakfast at the hotel – coffee with croissants, what else! After checking-in, we took a short nap before making our way out to explore the place. We asked for a map from the concierge, and armed with our point and shoot cameras, we went about with our ‘touristy activities’.
Our first stop was at the Gare de Nice SNCF train station where the Tourist Information Office was located. We asked for directions on how to get to the Russian Cathedral and other tourist attractions, and also asked for additional maps (my gosh, how many maps does a couple really need in a small town like Nice?!? LOL!). After taking a few photos here and there, we had a late lunch at one of the cafés we’ve spotted next to the train station. Feeling re-energized, we marched our way to the Russian Cathedral to check it out.
Our first stop was at the Gare de Nice SNCF train station where the Tourist Information Office was located. We asked for directions on how to get to the Russian Cathedral and other tourist attractions, and also asked for additional maps (my gosh, how many maps does a couple really need in a small town like Nice?!? LOL!). After taking a few photos here and there, we had a late lunch at one of the cafés we’ve spotted next to the train station. Feeling re-energized, we marched our way to the Russian Cathedral to check it out.
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| Gare de Nice SNCF |
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| The Russian Cathedral |
Next, we took a bus to bring us to Galeries Lafayette. This popular shopping store in France is situated in the Place Massena so that made it more of a famous landmark in Nice. The plaza was buzzing with tourists, and we were overwhelmed with all the beautiful shops and cafés in all directions. There were performers in the plaza, and our favorite was the guy who played fantastic piano music. His pieces were so lively that people started coming up to him to watch him play. After that, we walked a little further to appreciate the grand fountain.
Feeling thirsty from our walk-about, we went to the Cours Saleya Market or better known as the ‘Flower Market’ for a little ‘merienda’ stop. This tiny street is a market place by day, and transforms into a big area for al fresco dining at night. We had refreshments at one of the quaint coffee shops where we had a chance to rest our feet. In half an hour, we found ourselves walking again to explore the Vieux Nice (Old Nice). A bit more walking led us to the beach side, more commonly known as Quais Etats Unis where we settled on a bench and just watched people of all ages walk, jog and bike along the strip. Time seemed to be slow in Nice so it was no wonder a lot of people prefer to retire there because of its relaxing atmosphere. We also took good note of the following things we liked about Nice:
- It is a dog-friendly environment. Everywhere you go, you’ll find dogs freely roaming around with their masters, and they are allowed to enter every establishment in town.
- People are relaxed and very patient. Cars don’t go speeding, and they give way to pedestrians – all the time! No honking either.
- Food is served fresh. When you check out a restaurant, try to ask for their catch of the day - guaranteed yummy-ness!
- Compared to other European cities, shopping in Nice is a lot cheaper. Food and drinks don't cost that much, too.
Here are some other pictures we took that afternoon:
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| Quais Etats Unis |
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| trying to see Cannes from afar |
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| locals doing some fishing |
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| the flower market at sundown |
That evening, when the sun finally had set, we chose a restaurant amongst the enticing array of establishments in the flower market. We picked a quiet corner and had a lovely meal where I tasted the most palatable pasta with the freshest shrimps in the world! After dinner, we took a cab to head back to our hotel at half past 9:00 in the evening.
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| the unfortgettable pasta...yummy!! |
The next morning, we woke up early as Ryan promised me that we'd take pictures of us together because we'll carry with us our tripod. He also assured me that we will go hike up the stairs to get to Le Chateau so we can see the view from up there. We went about the same route that we took the day earlier, and had a chance to see more of the plaza as there weren't much people roaming in the area. We also went to see the street filled with luxurious shops, and took an interesting visit at the flower market by day.
I have to give credit to my husband who did some research about the place as he insisted that we go and see the flower market. I wasn’t too keen on going to a market place while on holiday as I found the idea quite boring. But boy, was I so wrong! When we got to the flower market, I felt giddy excited like a child discovering the joys of a bouncy castle! The tiny road was filled with make-shift stalls selling all sorts of stuff: fresh flowers and plants on nice flower pots, varieties of olives, fresh fish, beautiful vegetables of extraordinary colors that made them appear so ‘unreal’, bon bons of different shapes and sizes, soaps made of minerals found only in Nice, candles, wax and other household items that could pass as souvenirs. it was such a delightful morning seeing all the locals and tourists buy their goods in such high spirits.
After that trip to the market, we went our way to see the Le Chateau. The hike was all worth the effort especially when we saw the view from the top. We had a panoramic view of the Mediterranean Sea and the Notre Dame du port. the sun glistened in the water quite beautifully that it had a calming effect on us. We stayed there for about half an hour before going back to the hotel to check out and catch a cab to get us to our next stop – Monte Carlo in the principality of Monaco!
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view of the Old Town and the Promenade de Anglais
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| overlooking the Mediterranean Sea |
atop the Le Chateau
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| Notre Dame du Port |
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Weekend 21
So, how was your weekend, peeps? Mine was fun, busy and tiring.
Let’s start with the fun part first, shall we?
Hubby & I met up with college friend C to help her out with her sister’s wedding. So off we went to the florist I recommended to finalize their order. Afterwards, we went to Ramee Royal Hotel’s Sports Bar for a hearty buffet brunch. It surprised me that this four star hotel we used to ignore serve really good food. They also have wide array of selection that’s an instant plus. And their dessert station was the best! I couldn’t decide which sweets to try out so I took a small portion of all their lovely looking desserts. Everything looked and tasted yummy that I almost couldn’t feel a thing after eating. There was entertainment, of course, provided by an old couple – the man playing the saxophone, and the woman playing the organ.
After our incredibly sumptuous meal, we went to Wafi Mall for a little walk to burn the fats we gained from our gluttonous lunch. We store hopped while the bride-to-be purchased other items they still need for the wedding. Hubby and I chanced upon the jug we’ve been eyeing for since we’ve seen it in the movie ‘Made of Honor’. The price tag was a bit over the top but we just decided to splurge on it rather than regret not buying it later on.
From Wafi, hubby had to leave us three to go home and change for his photo shoot with friends. Being good girls that we are off we went to hear mass at St. Mary’s Church. We then went to Starbucks at Jumeirah Palm Strip to have a round of refreshing frappuccinos while we discussed details about the wedding. Being the only married girl amongst us three, I was asked questions from the missalette down to the ‘things to remember’ on the big day. After going through the wedding stuff, we all chatted coolly about everything under the sun. We joked, reminisced and laughed till our tummies hurt and our eyes brimmed with tears.
As hubby’s gig with friends finished late in the evening, C and I opted to stay late at the French Bakery in Al Wasl Road. Despite the sticky feeling of being outdoors, we chose a spot in their Al Fresco area to savor the aroma of shisha (and for her to be able to smoke, too). My Honey was able to pick me up at 1:45 am, and that’s when we decided to call it a night.
Now the busy part.
Since we got home at past two in the morning, we woke up late the following day (Saturday). In as much as we wanted to gallivant around the mall because it was too hot to do anything outside, we had to drive from one place to another from 11:30 am to 7:15 pm. Here’s a rundown of what we did:
11:30 am – open a new savings account (yihee!)
12:15 pm – lunch at Marry Brown then coffee at Starbucks for some caffeine kick
2:00 pm – ocular inspection at the bowling centre option no. 1 for my birthday party. I want a party because I’m turning 30, and it’s a milestone celebration! (oops, did i just give away my real age?!?)2:30 pm – since I had to cancel my salon appointment last Thursday, I had to go for my hair and nail treatments yesterday, And it lasted for 2 ½ freakin’ hours! By the time I was done, I was fidgety already.
5:30 pm – went to the Pioneer House booksale at Al Boom Tourist Village. It was a haven for book lovers! Discount on their new books ranged from 20% - 70% off. I bought a lot of children’s books, and Disney books with CDs for my godchildren as gifts for Christmas. The hubby got himself two cookbooks, a copy of the “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy: The Fab 5's Guide to Looking Better, Cooking Better, Dressing Better, Behaving Better and Living Better” book, and a Dan Brown paperback.
7:15 pm – ocular inspection at the bowling centre option no. 2
And lastly, the tiring part.
I honestly didn’t mind all the drive and hippity-hopping we did over the weekend. It's the heat that made every bit of the weekend tiring. You must’ve all guessed that the feel of summer has already hit us. it is now SCORCHING HOT!! And when we talk about summer in the UAE, that’s about 45 degrees Celsius on the average, paired with 60%-80% humidity. Imagine doing your errands with this kind of heat! double the effort indeed. goodness gracious!! We couldn’t even sit in the car immediately because we have to cool it first. We dreaded the feel of the leather seats!
How about you folks – how did you spend your weekend? I hope it was all fun, too.
Let’s start with the fun part first, shall we?
Hubby & I met up with college friend C to help her out with her sister’s wedding. So off we went to the florist I recommended to finalize their order. Afterwards, we went to Ramee Royal Hotel’s Sports Bar for a hearty buffet brunch. It surprised me that this four star hotel we used to ignore serve really good food. They also have wide array of selection that’s an instant plus. And their dessert station was the best! I couldn’t decide which sweets to try out so I took a small portion of all their lovely looking desserts. Everything looked and tasted yummy that I almost couldn’t feel a thing after eating. There was entertainment, of course, provided by an old couple – the man playing the saxophone, and the woman playing the organ.
After our incredibly sumptuous meal, we went to Wafi Mall for a little walk to burn the fats we gained from our gluttonous lunch. We store hopped while the bride-to-be purchased other items they still need for the wedding. Hubby and I chanced upon the jug we’ve been eyeing for since we’ve seen it in the movie ‘Made of Honor’. The price tag was a bit over the top but we just decided to splurge on it rather than regret not buying it later on.
From Wafi, hubby had to leave us three to go home and change for his photo shoot with friends. Being good girls that we are off we went to hear mass at St. Mary’s Church. We then went to Starbucks at Jumeirah Palm Strip to have a round of refreshing frappuccinos while we discussed details about the wedding. Being the only married girl amongst us three, I was asked questions from the missalette down to the ‘things to remember’ on the big day. After going through the wedding stuff, we all chatted coolly about everything under the sun. We joked, reminisced and laughed till our tummies hurt and our eyes brimmed with tears.
As hubby’s gig with friends finished late in the evening, C and I opted to stay late at the French Bakery in Al Wasl Road. Despite the sticky feeling of being outdoors, we chose a spot in their Al Fresco area to savor the aroma of shisha (and for her to be able to smoke, too). My Honey was able to pick me up at 1:45 am, and that’s when we decided to call it a night.
Now the busy part.
Since we got home at past two in the morning, we woke up late the following day (Saturday). In as much as we wanted to gallivant around the mall because it was too hot to do anything outside, we had to drive from one place to another from 11:30 am to 7:15 pm. Here’s a rundown of what we did:
11:30 am – open a new savings account (yihee!)
12:15 pm – lunch at Marry Brown then coffee at Starbucks for some caffeine kick
2:00 pm – ocular inspection at the bowling centre option no. 1 for my birthday party. I want a party because I’m turning 30, and it’s a milestone celebration! (oops, did i just give away my real age?!?)2:30 pm – since I had to cancel my salon appointment last Thursday, I had to go for my hair and nail treatments yesterday, And it lasted for 2 ½ freakin’ hours! By the time I was done, I was fidgety already.
5:30 pm – went to the Pioneer House booksale at Al Boom Tourist Village. It was a haven for book lovers! Discount on their new books ranged from 20% - 70% off. I bought a lot of children’s books, and Disney books with CDs for my godchildren as gifts for Christmas. The hubby got himself two cookbooks, a copy of the “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy: The Fab 5's Guide to Looking Better, Cooking Better, Dressing Better, Behaving Better and Living Better” book, and a Dan Brown paperback.
7:15 pm – ocular inspection at the bowling centre option no. 2
And lastly, the tiring part.
I honestly didn’t mind all the drive and hippity-hopping we did over the weekend. It's the heat that made every bit of the weekend tiring. You must’ve all guessed that the feel of summer has already hit us. it is now SCORCHING HOT!! And when we talk about summer in the UAE, that’s about 45 degrees Celsius on the average, paired with 60%-80% humidity. Imagine doing your errands with this kind of heat! double the effort indeed. goodness gracious!! We couldn’t even sit in the car immediately because we have to cool it first. We dreaded the feel of the leather seats!
How about you folks – how did you spend your weekend? I hope it was all fun, too.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Kid At Heart
That's how I felt after spending the sundown at Al Qasba yesterday. We spent about a couple of hours just taking snapshots.
At first, I felt bored just sitting in there watching my companions click away.
Not until we started watching the Al Qasba Musical Fountain do its magic. Here are pictures of me goofing around like little kid:
In fact, the kids began playing in the fountain after I did. husband thinks I'm such a ‘promotor’. Well, the fountain is there for the kids to play with, right? In this kind of weather, one of the most fun thing to do is get wet!
Let’s not forget the pictures of the dear husband practicing some shots with his brand new 17-85mm lens:
Nice pictures, huh? All photos are taken by our friend K. Thanks, dude!
At first, I felt bored just sitting in there watching my companions click away.
Not until we started watching the Al Qasba Musical Fountain do its magic. Here are pictures of me goofing around like little kid:
In fact, the kids began playing in the fountain after I did. husband thinks I'm such a ‘promotor’. Well, the fountain is there for the kids to play with, right? In this kind of weather, one of the most fun thing to do is get wet!
Let’s not forget the pictures of the dear husband practicing some shots with his brand new 17-85mm lens:
Nice pictures, huh? All photos are taken by our friend K. Thanks, dude!
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Rice Feast
In my week long stay in the States, I never had rice at all. So I've started craving for the ultimate Pinoy staple food since I hopped on the plane back to Dubai
To take our palates off the taste of garlic rice, hubby took me to dinner last night at Lemongrass, our new favorite Thai restaurant. We ordered their signature dish, Med Goo plus Talay Pao to go perfectly with Kao Suay, their fragrant Jasmine rice. to describe our meal ‘divine’ would be an understatement!
Tonight, we will be watching ‘Iron Man’. But before catching the movie, we’ll have to have dinner first. I'm already wondering which restaurant we’ll end up eating at. Well, I don’t mind which restaurant really, as long as they serve rice. I can start dieting next week, haha!
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
What Kept Me Busy After 5
…in San Diego, California was the shopping experience!
These bags contain just a few of my purchases. By the time I took this photo, the rest of the stuff I bought in the last couple of days were already stowed away. I literally racked my brains trying to fit everything in my 2 pieces of luggage!
I had a feeling I'd be able to find this in the States. Horton Plaza’s Louis Vuitton didn’t fail me :)
Before I left, my Uncle Regie & Auntie Malou gave me this as a gift:
On top of this, I got a Hollister shirt and top, too. woohoo!!
What’s good about this trip is that it didn’t hurt my credit cards. Since my relatives treated me to most of my meals each day, plus my cousins drove for me in town, I saved up from my per diem so I was able to buy (loads of) stuff for me & hubby.
These bags contain just a few of my purchases. By the time I took this photo, the rest of the stuff I bought in the last couple of days were already stowed away. I literally racked my brains trying to fit everything in my 2 pieces of luggage!
I had a feeling I'd be able to find this in the States. Horton Plaza’s Louis Vuitton didn’t fail me :)
Before I left, my Uncle Regie & Auntie Malou gave me this as a gift:
On top of this, I got a Hollister shirt and top, too. woohoo!!
What’s good about this trip is that it didn’t hurt my credit cards. Since my relatives treated me to most of my meals each day, plus my cousins drove for me in town, I saved up from my per diem so I was able to buy (loads of) stuff for me & hubby.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
High Altitude Blubber
When you are aboard a plane feeling bored and restless, DO NOT watch a movie like “P.S. I Love You”, unless you are ready to openly show your emotions to your fellow passengers.
I couldn’t stop crying on my way to Houston aboard flight EK 211 last 25th April. It was the first movie I watched since the plane took off, and the feeling of sadly missing my better half was aggravated by the movie’s story. Good thing my seatmates were asleep and the cabin crews were not doing their rounds so no one noticed my flowing tears while watching the film. It would’ve been totally embarrassing, I imagine!
I couldn’t stop crying on my way to Houston aboard flight EK 211 last 25th April. It was the first movie I watched since the plane took off, and the feeling of sadly missing my better half was aggravated by the movie’s story. Good thing my seatmates were asleep and the cabin crews were not doing their rounds so no one noticed my flowing tears while watching the film. It would’ve been totally embarrassing, I imagine!
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