TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN/INTEREST
March 01 of 2024: when I used my Scotia Bank debit card and Credit card at a Time Horton’s location at Alta Vista, it gave an error “invalid PIN” message and for the other card “declined” message between 09h00 and 09h20 am. Must be some kind of Human intervention. Why, I did not ask the bank to do this. Eventually I used cash to pay for a small transaction.
Very strange that “invalid PIN” and “declined” issues started on March 01 of 2024 at a retail merchant, I wonder why ?? This is something similar to login issues on internet websites/computer. These PIN issues or declined issues at retail merchants are not new for me, I have been experiencing such negative issues in Ontario at check outs, POS, at payment since 2006. at grocery stores (I remember metro in Glebe) and other retail stores.
I immediately, visited a Scotia Bank branch in my first neighbour hood in Ottawa near Palm Gates apartments to validate the PIN. So most likely this happened due to human intervention at the merchant or elsewhere, not known to me, but it was not invalid PIN, it was very misleading inaccurate message on the machine, malicious intents, defamation.
March 01 of 2024: most likely he was Turkish speaking man, who was seen in the shelter using the upper bunk bed of the same bed at the shelter was seen today at the Billings bridge station when I was waiting for a oc transpo bus around 18h20. Same man was seen in the building few times soon after I leased at the 1909 Russell Rd, as per housing workers recommendations, after few times he stopped showing up at the building, after that another french speaking man comes to the building with his mobility equipment (such as a walker etc.), also seen at the shelter, sometimes he sits on the bench across from the elevators. Same person was seen at the shelter as well during the meals line up mostly.
March 02 of 2024: on my way to Toronto, paid for the ticket by cash and little change by debit card ($0.18) around 08h00. Boarding pass checker at the top of the line called me by my first name after looking at the printed document provided to me by the ticketing counter. Via rail has discontinued the use of app, but the my online account remain valid on the web/internet and works well for me. Via rail should consider to use a comma or “/” in the name if shown differently than the ID presented at the time of ticketing/booking etc. (as airlines do.)
Some delay was announced by via rail staff due to Switching issue at Smith falls station around 10:00 am, which was over soon and trip back on track. Started 20 minutes late from Ottawa, was 50 minutes late at Brockville. arrived at Kingston 11h27, due on route delays destination arrival time will be different, perhaps one hour later than the scheduled time originally. 14h34 was the ETA at Union Station as was announced just few minutes ago on the PA system around 13h36. Next stop will be in Oshawa at Viarail Station around 14h00.
Another 18 minutes to Toronto (Union), just pulled out of Guildwood station around 14h30
Internet was very slow on this trip of via rail 3.15 (down) and 2.27 (up)
Unusually loud sound was heard around 12h57 originating from the Southside of the car # 03.
March 02 of 2024: Now I am a checked in passenger, departing tonight from YYZ to Dammam via DXB. checked in at 16h15
March 02 of 2024: change of gate from E73 on the boarding pass to E71 as shown on the departure board. Announcements were heard around 20h15
March 03 of 2024 (in Dubai at the DXB airport): tonight I am at the DXB airport after arriving here from YYZ by AC56 departed from Toronto on March 02 of 2024. I am for my flight EK 827 to Dammam. I decided not to leave the airport and did not go to the downtown for the overnight stay. I will stay on the airside. Before entering the flight connections area after arrival, again I went through a security check point, which made me put the phone, belt and shoes in the basket. Called the Emirates airlines to check me in for the boarding pass, also called the freedommobile to make sure that my roaming features for calls and internet connectivity were fully functional without any hiccups.
March 05 of 2024: looking for a monthly apartment and a work contract with a company in Jubail. Met with a Schlumberger operations staff in the restaurant and Grand Hyatt Hotel near Alrashid mall in alkhobar.
March 06 of 2024: this morning around 06h30 I called the room service to order some food, person who answered the phone said Buffett is open so you can use Buffett and a discount will be given (i.e. of room service) but the attendant in the restaurant at the Mezzanine floor did not reduce the price and charged the full price, after that room service was not able to keep their word for it. This is over charging.
March 06 of 2024: Thanks to IEEE for renewing my membership at my current residency in Saudi Arabia.
March 07 of 2024: This morning walked around the area, hailed a cab and checked in at a different hotel “Night Inn” better rate, nightly rate.
March 07 of 2024: I am back around 12h52 at my Hotel apartment 211 after walking around the neighbour hood and bought some ready to eat meals, also went through 4th Street, within about one hour.
March 08 of 2024: after signing the rental document, in the evening I bought few essentials from the corner store across the building, left the items on the fridge top and slept at “night inn”, picked up my bags early morning around six o’clock and came to my apartment building on the 3rd Street. A worker was seen wiping the doors at the entrance.
March 09 of 2024: Bought a Motorola G¹⁴ android 13 phone from Lulu hyper market across from Golden Tulip Hotel with indoor slippers for my apartment and a roll of packaging tape.
March 09 of 2024: when I came back to my apartment, some water was seen splashed on the floor (was dry when I went out to handle a situation with the mobile company.)
Earlier one taxi operator declined to give me a ride (by saying that he had a booking etc) after letting me in the vehicle when I signaled to stop.
March 10 of 2024: 1) Today I ordered lunch from Hardee’s delivered to my apartment.
2) While I was on my walk, a short stubby man (perhaps knew me from somewhere) asked for some help/money, saying that he used to work for a water company, got terminated, etc. I gave him a 5 Riyal note but told hime to talk to someone in the mosque. I was surprised that he would speak to me in Urdu. When companies terminate or not renew a contract, they offer plane ticket and severance package to send them back to their home, so why he was asking for money on the sidewalk.
March 10 of 2024: I just got Amazon delivery 3 items, one item was missing around 17h30. While I was waiting for the truck at the lobby door steps of the building, a man came and asked me for some money, (while I was communicating with amazon delivery truck driver on WhatsApp), I said to the man that when I get my million dollar delivery, come ask for money, he left in a hurry, he came rushingly.
One family (Urdu speaking) was seen moving in the building on the second floor. Man and a child spoke to me and asked about my nationality etc.
March 10 of 2024: around 23h00 loud honking horn was heard perhaps it was originating from car or vehicle for some reason. I got up picked up my bag and went outdoors to find out what was happening, by the time I got to the ground level/lobby, alarm stopped. Person who rented the apartment to me and issued the one page rental document was also sitting in the lobby in the far corner, his usual place of sitting, far corner on the back side.
March 11 of 2024: in the morning I walked to the building where travelling agents were located during Dessert storm crisis in 1990, we bought first class tickets on Saudi Airlines to leave from the area on the last flight out of Dhahran airport in January 1991. Than walked to Jarir book store where we bought a book on the subject of pregnancy before my eldest offspring was born, took a taxi to Dammam to Visit Honeywell ATCO building, and Sheraton (Perhaps Dammam Oberoi of the past) etc.
سواری بیٹھی ھے دونوں کیلے استعمال کرتے چاھیے مرد ھو یا عورت ھو. لفظ Unisex Urdu.
Perhaps English word “passenger” when used in Urdu conversation also becomes unisex.
This was heard from a driver in a cab, heading to the airport. He was talking to some one on the phone. The other person on the phone would not know wether the passenger was a male or a female.
March 12 of 2024: walked to the Lulu hyper market early morning and hired a cab to return to the building/apt 301.
March 12 of 2024: around 11h15 am one taxi driver started meter at 20.00 riyals in Khobar near old shola (which was burned down many years ago) market after I bought a thob from a shop. He was trying to say in broken English that it was airport taxi, but even airport taxi starts at 5.50 riyals or 6.50 riyals. For a short ride to the electronics market near Habitat hotel, meter was showing 28 riyals, he offered 13 riyals discount and charged me 15 riyals.
March 12 of 2024: Received that last item of the list from Amazon shipment around 16h00 but the delivery man did not deliver at the apartment 301 door, rather insisted for me to go outdoors to the truck, outside the building, he said he has 70 customers etc was, no time, etc. .
Published by
{Khalid Mahmood}
Ph: +966(059)641-3319
Alkhobar, Saudi Arabia.
(Contd. On the next page for March 2024 in Alkhobar Saudi Arabia).
