Deep breaths

[indigo_rose99]

That's what the Hertz guy told me.  When he said it the third time, he had a panicked note in his voice.  Watching me implode was obviously not the high point of his afternoon.

The first Hertz guy said, "Go out the door and immediately turn right.  Walk until you see the blinking sign.  A Hertz bus will pick you up.  You can't miss it!  It is black and yellow."

Well, evidently, I could miss it.  And I did.  I later discovered that "immediately turn right" is really "walk across the street, then turn right".  I never saw a bus.  Any bus.  I now realize this is because they were impossible to see from where I was walking.  I spent 45 minutes walking through about 40F with high winds in airport clothing (i.e. not prepared to be outdoors -- no coat, no scarf, no gloves.  They were all packed.).  I only found the 2nd Hertz guy because I stopped to ask directions.  And ended up at the rental car return.  Not a place you pick up a car.

On the good side...  My local student's driving directions worked perfectly.  And my students' warnings from this past week about the 2Euro toll was critical.  I actually found the hotel.  I even managed to park and manhandle my luggage inside.  The place is beautiful.  More than 200 years old.  And I think I just sacrificed a kidney for internet access.  *sigh*

I am actually ok.  I ate something.  I'm mostly unpacked.  I'm now going to go hit up the concierge for places to walk.

Comments

[ovrclokd.livejournal.com]

*hug*

[jpenamelist.livejournal.com]

*hugs* hope the rest of the trip gets better

[walkinthewilds.livejournal.com]

*Hug*

[mr-efficient.livejournal.com]

"I'm now going to go hit up the concierge for places to walk."

I'm impressed at your resoluteness. I would have guessed that you'd had enough walking for one trip.

[indigo-rose99.livejournal.com]

Well my thought was I would find some local shop, maybe buy some fruit and wine or something. From people who had been here before, they said there was a small town nearby. And the concierge said it was "10 minutes walk to town" rather than the "hour and a half scenic walk" she first proposed. So I tried walking into town.

Either I am the slowest walker on the planet, or they have a different sense of time than the one my watch runs on. I found the edge of town after a brisk 30 minute walk. And figuring that I had gotten lost on the way there, I tried to find the "proper" way to get back. Of course I got lost. Happily the strangers I asked this time gave me sensible directions and it only took me another 30 uphill minutes to find my way back. So I got my hour (plus) walk in, anyway.

And I passed up on the wine and fruit because the shops were closing. Foolish me.

[callmetc.livejournal.com]

*hugs*