this globalized world we live in

Some days I cannot figure out how the world functions with so many incompetant people running things!

So I try to book a flight out of India... it automatically directs me to the "india" website. Fine. I go through all the booking procedures, but then because I am a US citizen, it tells me to go back to the US page. I do.. but then as soon as I enter my billing address, in India, it takes me back to the India page!

Ok. so finally the hassle is completed. I think it is all over. I get to the final page on the flight booking which says "Booking Complete! You will receive an email notification shortly". Two days have gone by with no such notification by email. My credit card has only been charged a 1 dollar "pending" charge to prove it is real. I call the airline.. they say its all normal and within the next 24 hrs the posting should show on my bank account. Ok. Sounds good.

One hour later, I get a call from the airline's office in India telling me my credit card has not accepted the payment. This I know cannot be true as the amount being charged is tiny in comparrison to my credit limit. But the Indian lady on the phone tells me it's because the charge is too high!! She suggests I call my bank to figure it all out.

Ok.. still not insanely annoyed, but getting there. I call the bank. They say - no declines have been made and there is no reason why the airline should be having problems since I have plenty of credit and they have already done the "test" charge showing the number they have is correct. He suggests I tell them to call directly if they still cannot get it to go through.

Ok... more annoyed.. the India phone number I was given is continuously busy.... finally I get through and explain that there is nothing wrong with my card and the bank has not declined any charges. I tell her she needs to call them on their free international customer service number. But this lady tells me that she is not allowed to make outgoing calls! But she in fact just called me 10 minutes before! After a short burst of yelling at her, she obviously consults her manager who OK's the COLLECT (i.e. free) call to the states to speak with my bank!

And now.. I sit waiting to hear back from "Suma" about what the status is.

I just wonder.. how this world can function with so many hassles like this. I am sure that the reason it's not going through is because the India credit card machine has a malfunction or the line is down. But this cannot be a reason for them.. they feel it must be someone else's doing. GRRR.

So we'll see... if it succeeds then I will be flying to America in March, but if it doesn't then I might just give up and take the Indian stance that it wasn't meant to be!