Hire Cars!

I had booked a hire car for 34 days but my travel agent couldn’t confirm a GPS. So on Sunday, I found the hire car place and in the Sunday rush, took a ticket, waited an age, and confirmed that indeed it did have a gps. Oh and by the way, you might be better to come early on a Tuesday to beat the 9am rush, we open at 6:00.

OK.  That’s a plan. Have early breakfast, take a small bag with me, organise the car, check it out, and come back to the hotel to get the main bag and bike.  So at 7:15 I’m down there. No waiting. Ah, your car isn’t ready yet. You are not due until 9:00. But for only 8:50 EU you could have a slightly larger and more luxurious car now. Me: is that 8:50 per day.  Yes but for 2 days until 6th, that is only 17EU more. Me: but that’s 6th August, not July! (And I don’t really want a larger car.) Ah! I see.  Yes well that would be an extra 70Eu. Me: look never mind, I’ll come back at 9.

So off I went and killed some time. Got back down there with trolley piled high well before 9. Judged well when I took the ticket and was called right at 9. Ok good.  Now let’s do it. Well there was a bit of tooing and froing and muttering and checking with his neighbour and supervisor. I assumed some computer problem. Finally he came back: you have the car booked until 6 August. Yes.  Well it is due to be sold on 28 July. Can you bring it back to change over?  Me: No! Wait, maybe, let me check my schedule. I’m due back not far from Munich early that week. Maybe I could … but how would that work? I might have 2 bicycles (Kay had a thought that I might take her bike from AUT to FRA.) could someone help transfer the luggage?  Yes my man could organise that. Me: is there any discount for the inconvenience? No, you have prepaid.   More discussion with supervisor. Me not all that happy but don’t want to come away with a smaller car …  So we apparently have a deal. Off he goes for the key … and comes back with a smile. You are in luck. We have a very new car we can give you. Skoda Octavia with only 600km on the clock. (No idea how that compares with a VW Passat but I’m past caring. )

I’ve got to say somewhere in all that I thought of Christine trying to persuade me to do a car lease rather than regular hire!

so I can report it cruises very nicely at 130. Can match it in the fast lane at 150 if needs be. I’ve survived the first roundabout (though the right hand lane petered out before my exit so Mrs Sat Nav had to work harder to get me back on track) but by then I was almost in familiar territory in Plzen.

So a bit later arriving in Plzen than planned but all good. The bike seems to have survived the trip ok. Now just got to get my head into racing mode at speeds rather less than 150kph.