Don't You Want My Money?

So I've been using my MYKI. Whoop-dee-do.

Since they FINALLY managed the roll out on all public transport (even if they did have to fudge the distinction between Zone 1 and 2 on trams, but I'll get to that later) it's suddenly become worth my while to travel using Melbourne's new smart-card travel solution.

But now I have a problem. I'm all out of credit.

I have previously topped up my MYKI (is it strictly necessary for my to write 'my' in front of 'MYKI'?) at Clifton Hill station and, hmm... somewhere else - possibly Flinders Street station. But now I'm all out of credit and I'm stuck in Carnegie. Despite living at the end of the 67 tram route, there is nowhere for me to top-up. Not even a top-up machine at the end of the bloody line. So I am forced to travel on the good-old-fashioned Metcard system. Thank God they still work.

So I figure I'll top-up next time I catch the train into town. Umm... no top-up machine at Carnegie. No top-up machine there, either.

I realise I can just top-up at Flinders Street. I know I can probably hunt one down somewhere else. I know, although I don't trust them, I can probably do it online - but I'm worried about the 'lag'.

I know of at least one reader who will seek to make this MY problem (Hi Boonga), but surely when you're trying to change a culture of behaviour it's gotta be easier than this? I mean, it is now more convenient for me to use the old system than to top-up my card on the new system.

And don't start me on the top-up machines themselves. They are about as intuitive as cutting and pasting on Mac OS.X.

And don't start me on the sheer number of touch-on machines on trams and at train stations that simply do not work.

Just don't start me.

xxx