OK, it's time for a rant.

I've been here 3 weeks now and should be settled in, but does anything go right in this country? Does anything work?
First, the banks: you can't get a bank account without an address, you can't get an address without a bank account. I managed to get an account for ex-pats, but have to pay for it and can't get a credit card for 6 months. The bank won't send out a debit card or the PIN until you have an address, so you can't have access to your money unless you go to the branch you opened the account at with your passport. I got the card, but the PIN has been delivered to my Australian address. Why? Because the bank's system recognises  the first address of the account, not any updates. WTF???
Next, I've been living in hotels and serviced apartments, lugging around lots of bags, getting them wet in the rain, not unpacking anything. Yesterday I rocked up at the agent's at 9am (agreed time) to pick up the keys to my flat...finally. The agent looked at me "we have a slight problem" the flat has no furniture. "What??" None. At all.
When you sign a lease for a furnished flat, you expect some furniture, a bed, a sofa, a table at least. But the previous tenant took everything with her. Even the bathroom mirror. "its not my fault, we didn't find out about this until Monday" is the agent's excuse. "if you knew then, why didn't you tell me and I would have stayed at the serviced flat". "Oh, we thought we'd have it sorted"
Story is the developer of the building managed it originally, the last and only tenant wanted an empty flat so they spread the owner's £2000 worth of furniture around lots of other flats, all this was ignored when the current agent took over the building. The owner is furious, he's lost out, the previous management have absolved all responsibility and I have an empty flat. I'm refusing to pay rent until this is fixed.
I had to buy a blow up mattress to sleep on and a folding chair.

Home sweet home

No furniture arrived today as promised. I have been calm about this, but sick of excuses, so I stormed into the agent's office down the street and went off. With an office full of customers. And I get called "aggressive"...again. (They think Ian Thorpe is being aggressive on the BBC Olympic coverage because he says "Look..." before he makes a statement).

Nice view, though

When I got home there was a sheepish phone call from the agent saying that stuff will be delivered tomorrow morning, they'll pay for it and work out who owes what later.
Great, another night on the air bed, but out of all this I get brand new furniture!
At least I have a TV. $400 for a 40 inch LCD at Tesco. Bargain.