Rising To The Challenge

‘TRYING HARDER’

I am notorious for not reading the small print. On occasion, there have been times when I consider that perhaps it might have been prudent to have done so. In this particular case, it may well have averted a considerable amount of angst; always a good thing when you are over 60, sleep deprived and suffering from high blood pressure (self-induced I suspect).

In making my reservation for the smallest, cheapest hire car when visiting Corfu, on the grounds that it was highly likely that without it I would be totally isolated at my cheap and cheerful airbnb, it had only briefly occurred to me, on the periphery of my overcrowded brain, that this would involve driving on the ‘wrong’ side of the road. What I had completely failed to do was to acknowledge that in not booking an automatic car the controls would likewise be on the opposite side. Now I was playing a whole different ball game, as I was soon to discover, when indulging in some nifty footwork, whilst simultaneously struggling to gain control of the unfamiliar position of the gearstick.

But, I am being a little hasty in my recollection of the events, by not recounting them in the chronological order in which they occurred.

The care hire itself, purchased from a well-known international company that ‘tries harder’, had been a bargain at just £126 for 8 days. A little research had, I thought, been sufficient preparation for me to confidently reject the ‘upsell’ of the additional insurance to cover any excess. I was fully intending to refuse the offer. That was until I discovered that without it I would be liable for the first 900 euros of any claim made, regardless of whether or not another driver was at fault. Thus it was that I found myself faced with an offer I could not, or dare not, refuse. At an additional £20 per day, that this now was costing more than the original car hire price. A scam if ever there was one. However, I must give myself some credit here for a certain degree of nouse, as I successfully manage to challenge the additional 8 euros per day charged for personal injury cover. I figured that having no dependents, if I died on the road I wouldn’t much care anyway. Now fully covered for any eventuality, except my own death or injury, I was ready for the challenge ahead, and at the appointed (unmanned) pickup point took possession, albeit temporary, of a brand new bright red Toyota Aygo.

The fact that I had never heard of the brand before, let alone driven one, did not deter me from leaping in with gay abandon, eager to complete this first leg of my journey; once I had got into the right, i.e. left, side of the car.

Remembering to do this on each occasion proved to be one of the biggest challenges, for the first day or so. Familiarity does after all breed contempt.

All journeys should be ones of discovery, and this initial foray into the delights of Corfu proved to be no exception. Locating my airbnb studio, with no exact location and a very poor map was ‘interesting’. Satnav? Nah. They are for wimps. In my defence, the situation I rather rapidly found myself in was not aided by the fact that the ‘helpful’ car hire clerk had little idea of the direction in which I should point my little red missile. However, I had been, unreliably as it happens, informed that it was a mere 10-15 minutes from the airport. The ensuing exploration of this section of the island I felt fully justified the 1½ hours it actually took; my ‘landlady’ meanwhile was preparing a search party.

Fortunately, being in the middle of the afternoon, I had the benefit of daylight, and air conditioning, as the temperature hovered around 30’. The roads were thankfully quiet as I surmised that the population and half-term visitors alike were enjoying a post-prandial siesta. The downside of this was that I could find no-one with which to converse in order to a) ascertain where exactly I was and b) obtain directions to my nameless accommodation.

The only wildlife I encountered during the early part of my journey was a slender bright green snake wending its way across the road. That was until the mangy flea ridden dogs came suddenly to life, teeth bared, as I approached. I knew I should never have accepted a red car, it just makes everyone so aggressive.

So, on I soldiered. Up and down and around twisty, turny rural lanes, with narry a sign of civilisation; the only evidence being the most enormous piles of rubbish along the roadside. And I mean enormous, literally hundreds of bags piled high at regular intervals, presumably waiting to be collected at some point, by someone.

The frequency with which I stalled, at traffic lights and when attempting to change gear uphill, strongly resembled that of those learner drivers we all encounter when in a hurry to get to work; I barely got out of second gear for most of the journey. The roads, if one can call them that, being rather narrow and less than perfectly formed, combined with the necessity to drive on the ‘other’ side, meant that the excess insurance cover I had been ‘persuaded’ to purchase was already beginning to reap benefits. Undeterred by the loud ‘crash, bang, wallop’ as I hit a pot hole, the size of which would put ours to shame, I felt, and heard, the scrape of the brambles and overgrown vegetation against the side of my shiny chariot, in the comforting knowledge that no amount of damage would incur the wrath of the rental company that ‘tries harder’. By this point, traversing the same stretch of road for the third time, I was trying really hard myself. I swear I only just ‘tapped’ the wing mirror of the inconveniently parked car as I went on my merry way.

As for the scenery. What scenery? I was far too busy keeping my eyes glued to the road, white knuckles clinging for dear life onto the steering wheel to notice anything.

I eventually reached my destination as the sun, which had been in my eyes the whole way, was just starting its descent, and was greeted by a welcoming jug of homemade wine and tiropita (Greek cheese pie).

Confident now in tackling any challenge that the Corfiot roads put in my way, I am basking in having successfully risen to the challenge. I think I shall take up rally driving when I get home.