A decade ago on a trip to Corfu with my wife we somehow ended up halfway up a mountain on what I had thought was a road but turned out to be a goat track. In executing a 27-point turn I managed to dislodge the rear bumper on the right side after catching it on a rock. After some frantic scouring of what little there was in the car that we could use to re-attach it I managed to get it held in place with a shoestring and number of toothpicks. The rental car agency didn't say anything when we turned it back in, so neither did I...
It’s hard to think of a better way to create memories! In college, my girlfriend (now wife) and I rented a car in Normandy. We picked it up at a small gas station that doubled as a Hertz location. I hadn’t meaningfully driven a manual transmission, but that was the option. It was the map quest era, and our directions to the B and B were printed on paper. Over the next three days we got lost, asked a gentleman walking a donkey for directions, drove through a farmers market (without incident), and were made fun of by an old lady while rolling backwards down a hill trying to get the car in gear.
I drove from Firenze to Lucca. I was upgraded to an Alfa Romeo SUV which sounded nice at the time but I quickly realized a Panda would be far better navigating out Firenze. Your piece is spot on as it took a few minutes to get my bearings. I wish car designers would keep if very simple and intuitive to use the vehicle. Still a lot of fun driving in Italia.
There’s also something exotic and exciting about being pulled over by police in a foreign country (presuming that they are just issuing a speeding ticket in an orderly manner, and not soliciting a bribe/taking you to a Siberian labor camp).
Great piece, David. There’s also the danger of putting the wrong gas in a rented car as happened to us in Norway. You remember the story. Finally rescued from the isolated mountaintop at dusk, your mother and I sat in the Volvo atop a huge tow truck as it headed to a garage. We waved at the sheep we had passed hours earlier on the way up the mountain.
A decade ago on a trip to Corfu with my wife we somehow ended up halfway up a mountain on what I had thought was a road but turned out to be a goat track. In executing a 27-point turn I managed to dislodge the rear bumper on the right side after catching it on a rock. After some frantic scouring of what little there was in the car that we could use to re-attach it I managed to get it held in place with a shoestring and number of toothpicks. The rental car agency didn't say anything when we turned it back in, so neither did I...
“Once the game deserts you it can be tough out there.” Amen, brother.
It’s hard to think of a better way to create memories! In college, my girlfriend (now wife) and I rented a car in Normandy. We picked it up at a small gas station that doubled as a Hertz location. I hadn’t meaningfully driven a manual transmission, but that was the option. It was the map quest era, and our directions to the B and B were printed on paper. Over the next three days we got lost, asked a gentleman walking a donkey for directions, drove through a farmers market (without incident), and were made fun of by an old lady while rolling backwards down a hill trying to get the car in gear.
Always take travel guidance from Monsieur Hulot
I drove from Firenze to Lucca. I was upgraded to an Alfa Romeo SUV which sounded nice at the time but I quickly realized a Panda would be far better navigating out Firenze. Your piece is spot on as it took a few minutes to get my bearings. I wish car designers would keep if very simple and intuitive to use the vehicle. Still a lot of fun driving in Italia.
There’s also something exotic and exciting about being pulled over by police in a foreign country (presuming that they are just issuing a speeding ticket in an orderly manner, and not soliciting a bribe/taking you to a Siberian labor camp).
I can imagine your pain with the big Merc on Scottish B roads!
Great piece, David. There’s also the danger of putting the wrong gas in a rented car as happened to us in Norway. You remember the story. Finally rescued from the isolated mountaintop at dusk, your mother and I sat in the Volvo atop a huge tow truck as it headed to a garage. We waved at the sheep we had passed hours earlier on the way up the mountain.
Which movie ?
It's easy.
Uber has rental cars now.