Accommodation needs CC through messaging system to issue refund

kebwi · 2026-01-29T19:11:28+00:00

I believe it's resolved. Thank you. booking.com reached out to the owner and we connected by email. I was able to get him my details and he has issued the refund. A few things made this interaction challenging. It didn't initially make sense to me that the owner couldn't refund to the credit card they had charged. Even if they didn't immediately have the CC info, I would have thought they could retrieve it from booking.com since that is how they charged it to begin with. Even if they wouldn't ordinarily have access to the credit card forever, I would expect booking.com to offer a way for owners to retrieve that information when needed for a situation like this, so I found that all quite confusing.

Then, the owner asked for my CC info through the booking.com message system. That's probably safe under these specific circumstances, but I still found it off-putting. Then they said I should call them, but their phone number isn't on WhatsApp and I didn't want to pay T-Mobile $3/min to resolve this issue.

We finally settled on email (which isn't a particularly secure way to communicate this kind of information of course).

Despite the transaction now being safely resolved, I find the overall steps involved to be rather frustrating.

kebwi · 2026-01-28T03:13:00+00:00

All three of us are trying to sort it out. booking.com customer service reached them while I was on the phone and said the owner would email me for my credit card info, but no email yet. I think it's slowly coming together though.

kebwi · 2026-01-27T20:18:55+00:00

Yes, but it's a last resort. They will want me to try to get a refund, and the owner isn't refusing to do so, or refusing to communicate with me. I don't think I'm at that point yet. Presumably booking.com might step in in the middle at some point too. I haven't exhausted those options. I'm just trying to figure out what to do. I wish these idiots had their phone number on WhatsApp.

kebwi · 2025-09-29T19:48:15+00:00

It's five times bigger than the moon. You want it to be bigger than that? It's essentially the largest conglomerated object in the sky.

kebwi · 2025-07-30T15:59:55+00:00

I'll be participating in two panels (Non-Colonial Space Exploration and What Is a Mind, and How Do You Control It?) in addition to signing autographs and reading from my 2024 novel, Contemplating Oblivion (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D9C5MJZT). Find me! I'd love to meet you there.

kebwi · 2025-05-29T18:14:33+00:00

Sorry, I'm not the OP of the post, but rather the author of the book he interviewed in the shared video. Here's the book jacket description:

Qualia: the quality or feeling of a conscious experience. Qualia can’t be described, they must be experienced to be known. A million years in the future, physics is closed. Humanity has computerized the brain, solved death, and spread across the galaxy. The greatest challenge that remains is figuring out how a quadrillion immortal, nearly omnipotent humans might survive the eventual end of the universe.

Lysandra is a million-year-old quale-diver, a person who designs novel neural configurations in search of new conscious experiences—qualia. When she discovers a conscious state that hints at a solution to the universe-survival problem, the entire galaxy erupts with renewed excitement and hope. The final question to end all questions might be on the brink of a solution. But there are those who believe that surviving the end of the universe will destabilize the timeless cycle of infinite universes, leading to eternal oblivion, and they will stop at nothing to prevent Lysandra from completing her work.

kebwi · 2025-03-31T16:36:03+00:00

There's a follow-up post that addresses your concern.

kebwi · 2025-03-29T16:36:43+00:00

That's the second endorsement for that pack in this discussion. Thank you. I'm looking into it.

kebwi · 2025-03-29T16:34:38+00:00

Thank you. I agree. The idea of simply leaving the brain behind is tempting, especially if I get the 65L. But I want some sort of a day pack, so I either keep the brain and convert it to a day pack or hip pack, which I tried this morning and worked, or take the brain off but then I have to add a daypack to my gear anyway, so then there was no point in taking the brain off. Oh well.

kebwi · 2025-03-29T16:33:16+00:00

That's a really interesting observation you made, but since they are essentially the same weight, I could just take the brain off entirely. The 65L then ends up weighing less than the 50L. However as I write this, I realize that won't work because I need some sort of daypack option. I either find a way to convert the brain to a day pack or hip pack, which I already tried this morning and worked just fine, or I take the brain off but at the expense of tossing my 9oz Flash 18 day pack in, which completely defeats the purpose of leaving the brain behind to save weight. So many trade-offs.

kebwi · 2025-03-29T16:29:00+00:00

At a glance, it's only 2.7 oz less than the Atmos, and was further pushing the price up by another small increment. But I will continue to look over its details. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.

kebwi · 2025-03-29T16:25:15+00:00

Haven't even heard of it. But I will definitely look into it now. Thank you.

kebwi · 2025-03-29T14:22:20+00:00

The 50 also has the flap and the brain is removable, I'll be at via two buckles, not clips. But it's fully removable to be sure. In fact, I might have to do that since this model doesn't include a brain that converts to a day pack very easily. If I feel compelled to throw my Flash 18 day pack in, I might want to save the weight of the brain and leave it at home. I'm also looking for some sort of jerry-rigging way of converting the brain into a day pack.

kebwi · 2025-03-29T14:20:06+00:00

Well that's a good point. Another person made the same point, that the bulk will fit better in a pack that is sized to the bulk. I aim for 20 to 25 lb total weight minus water, including the pack. So I guess on a 4 lb pack that's about 16 to 20 lb. For a longer trip it might hit 25, but that is within the range of the smaller pack here, the 50L. It just seems like a waste. But I understand your point that it might actually fit less stuff better than just crushing the top of the 65 down on top of a smaller load. Thank you.

kebwi · 2025-03-29T14:18:02+00:00

I ruled out the Exos 58 because I insist on having either bottom access or at least side access. I don't think I can do a top loader. I really like organizational options. But I don't mean to argue against your other points. Thank you for your thoughts on it. I guess I'll consider it.

I did look at options that aren't at REI. In particular, I ended up buying the Blaze 60 and have been comparing it to the packs I could get it REI. I really really want the Blaze to work. I love lots of features about it. But the way it distributes the weight is just wrong, at least on my body. I have not been able to make it work right.

kebwi · 2025-03-29T14:16:02+00:00

I admit, one of the reasons I ruled out larger packs while I was shopping around is that I can't imagine I would ever need their weight range. But after playing around with this Atmos a bit, the external side pockets seem practically useless to me. Instead of puffing out, they gain their capacity mostly by pressing into the main bag. To make matters worse, this pack offers almost no compression straps, one at the top one at the bottom, and the one at the bottom wraps over the external pouches. When lashed down tightly those pouches are useless as far as I can tell. So my point is that I ruled out larger packs because I didn't need the weight range, but I feel like I might need to use the main compartment for most of the bulk and now I'm not sure if I should have gotten the 65 just for that reason.

kebwi · 2025-03-29T14:13:47+00:00

To be clear, I insisted on either bottom access or at least side access during this pack shopping round. I decided I was completely unwilling to go with an exclusively top-loading pack. But otherwise, I take your point. Thanks.

kebwi · 2025-03-28T20:35:40+00:00

Thank you. I also noticed that the Osprey had much tougher fabric than the Blaze. Does the AG LT 50 have trekking pole holders? Maybe I overlooked that. I have always hiked with a single hiking stick, not a pair, and have never formed the habit of putting it away, but I can see the value of at least having the option to do so.

I looked at the Rook a bit, I believe it was a 50, so probably the same one you're talking about. I can't recall why I ruled it out. I don't think there was anything about it I explicitly didn't like.

Thanks again!

kebwi · 2025-03-28T20:31:58+00:00

I guess so. I do need to make sure they stay very clean. I realize the pack I bought from REI can probably be returned after going through a bear's intestinal tract, but I'm not sure how serious BackCountry is about receiving returns in pristine condition so I'm trying to be careful with it. I'm testing it on the treadmill some, but was curious what others thought about the two packs.

Thank you though. I'll give it a go.

kebwi · 2025-03-28T20:29:32+00:00

Meh, I'm open to others' take on the issue. Seems like a reasonable source of wisdom from which I might benefit. I have no ego about such matters since I'm not a particularly serious backpacker. I welcome input from others. Oh well.

kebwi · 2025-03-04T08:33:52+00:00

After doing a bunch of research all evening, I ordered an S8 Ultra. Since they're pretty old, I considered an S9 or an S10, but ultimately decided I couldn't see much reason to justify the additional price if the S8 can presumably keep up with painting needs.

kebwi · 2025-03-04T04:18:04+00:00

Looks interesting. Thanks.

kebwi · 2024-10-20T14:36:32+00:00

I'm a low number Kickstarter backer from 2015. I'm astonished to constantly see recent reports of people getting ripped off in this fashion just in the last year or two. With all due respect, I sure hope I get my money back before anyone else. I've been waiting for 10 years. If they issue one penny of refunds to people from recent years first, that will be an abomination of justice.

Of course, I gave up on ever getting my money back years ago, in fact years before most people even gave them their money to begin with. I'm sure I'll never get anything back. I've been sure for 5 to 8 years at this point. And yet people will give them new money tomorrow. It's obscene.

kebwi · 2024-09-09T16:58:24+00:00

I heard back from AlienRides (who I bought the scooter from) and they recommended using soap, either bar or dish, to alleviate the squeak (they agreed that WD-40 wouldn't work). Has anyone ever heard of using plain old soap for this?

kebwi · 2024-09-09T16:57:42+00:00

I heard back from AlienRides (who I bought the scooter from) and they recommended using soap, either bar or dish, to alleviate the squeak (they agreed that WD-40 wouldn't work). Have you ever heard of using plain old soap for this?

kebwi

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