Re: 7 Week Rekkie
 

Finally - and for the first time - my card was inserted into the machine today and then I proceeded to do as before.

At home you never swipe it's always chip in first and never ever sign - well rarely - so just a case of different - not better or worse

Re: 7 Week Rekkie
 

Thanks for the compliment.

The weather here has been great and seems to be raining a lot in Perth at the mo. The AFL last night was deluged by rain. Hope it stops by August.

Bezza

Re: 7 Week Rekkie
 

Thanks,

About to plan the precise route in the next few days.

Would love to head for a place we visited some 15 years ago called Gipsy Point. Rosellas on the verandah and roos and goannas around the place.

Would be a tale for the children to tell.

Mornington we haven't done and it may well be Gippsland that we head for so good to get a feel for the place.

Bezza

Re: 7 Week Rekkie
 

And whilst I am online

Can anyone identify the following ?

Anyone fancy a few more views of Agnes Water and 1770?

Bezza

Re: 7 Week Rekkie
 

First one looks like a blue tongue lizard - used to get them heaps in our back yards in Brissie decades ago but only see a few now.

Re: 7 Week Rekkie
 

My guess for the bird is a Brahminy Kite.

Lizard looks like a blue tongue (as mentioned above).

Re: 7 Week Rekkie
 

Thanks Fish,

Spotted by the youngest who named him Norman from "Timothy goes to School".

Slow moving and fat - if that helps - and usually found basking in the mid-day heat by the pool.

Any idea on the bird - Sea Eagle?

Bezza

Re: 7 Week Rekkie
 

Martin Luther,

Certainly looks like the images on Google - seen just before sunrise at Agnes Water.

Bezza

Re: 7 Week Rekkie
 

Decided to expand on this in case it helps newcomers:

Debit cards (eftpos) cards in australia have always required a pin - I think they store the info on the magnetic stripe so a swipe machine was all that was needed. The sales clerk sometimes asks whether you want "cash out" on top of your purchase, you swipe your card, click the "savings" button and enter your pin and then you get given your additional cash. It is withdrawn directly from your savings (current) account. This has been the system since the 1980's.

Credit cards were swiped but just required a signature. You swipe, hit the credit button, sign the receipt and you're done - purchase only, no cash out available.

In the last couple of years banks have introduced pins for credit cards too which I'm guessing use the chip and pin technology, rather than storing it on the magnetic stripe - so it would only be inserted into a machine if it is a credit card and you have a pin number for it. Most debit cards with a pin still just need to be swiped not inserted into a machine.

Visa Debit - debit cards with a credit card option on them have been around since the 80's - specially at credit unions. You swipe and then hit either:

- savings and enter your pin - if you want to get additional cash out.

- credit and sign or credit and enter pin - if you don't need extra cash - the benefit of hitting "credit" is that your bank does not count it towards your monthly limit of free transactions.

Whether you hit savings or credit the money comes directly from your savings (current) account - ie it is not a credit card but can be used as one to make purchases but comes from your money.



I realise a lot of this is similar to the UK but thought laying it out might help clear up some of the confusion. One big difference I noticed was that in the UK you didn't require a pin number on a debit card - i thought this was very dodgy (was worried about losing my wallet and getting my bank a/c emptied as no one seemed to really check those signatures) so was glad when it was finally changed to require a pin like most other countries. Guessing that because the UK waited so long to introduce pins onto debit cards they could use the new chip and pin technology for both debit and credit cards unlike the mixed system we have here where debit cards store pin on magnetic stripe and credit cards use chip and pin.

Re: 7 Week Rekkie
 

No worries....whenever I see one I still feel guilty about helping a dodgy mate hang one from a tree when I was a little kid - I didn't turn out to be a serial killer thank god - not sure about him though :D

Re: 7 Week Rekkie
 

Just to point out that you are given the option at the terminal of Cheque, Savings or Credit. An Australian EFTPOS card can debit all your bank accounts, be it a savings, cheque or credit card account. It means you have one card that does everything and don't need to shuffle around money between accounts.

And when the check out chic asked "do you have flyby's" the answer is no. Its a loyalty program card thats about the most useless ever.

Re: 7 Week Rekkie
 

Are you talking about a visa debit as per above?

Re: 7 Week Rekkie
 

The latest option that we now have is the "Tap & Go" system.

No need to sign or enter a PIN for amounts that are $35 or less, just tap your card against the reader....

Re: 7 Week Rekkie
 

Wow, havent seen one of them - credit or debit card?

Re: 7 Week Rekkie
 

Credit card that I am aware off. As that's what I have got.