Crete Car Rental

“I tell you 140 so it’s 140. It’s no good for me but good for you”. “You keep more than one week it’s 20 euro a day but call me if you keep car longer than week, HA HA HA”! I thought I should read what I was signing. The fine print says if I get I have a tire problem it’s my responsibility and there’s a 300 Euro deductible for damage. However, 20 Euros a day with taxes and insurance included seems like a good deal. He preferred I pay cash. Actually kind of insisted. Most of all my gut was telling me it was ok. We’ll see.

I waited while the rental agency owner made what he insisted was the finest coffee frappe in Greece, Nescafe. About an hour went by and a fully loved Fiat Seicento S was ready for my taking. The first thing I noticed was the rusty seat frame and heavily worn carpet. I had been told the tires were new but I’d say they’re still ok. The body displayed plenty of knicks, scratches, and dings all around. I began to wonder if it was a second cousins nephews car or something of the sort but legitimacy was confirmed by a couple of well faded rental car company decals on doors.

The motorcycle escort out for Heraklion was free. The owner said he was going my direction anyway. The gear box felt loose but still good. The non power steering a little stiff at slow speeds but ok past 10 mph. Brakes good. Since the tank was on empty I was first directed to a gas station. After that the owner escorted me past a few more turns before veering off with a big wave and grand smile. I wasn’t sure if it meant have a good trip or good luck. As usual I am traveling without a cell phone.

So its been about a year since I abandoned the blog. I kept thinking I would do something a little different by switching to another blog site with a better format but work, busyness and life have got in the way as priorities shifted. Also, nothing like losing your father to throw one a little off kilter. I think about dad all the time. But hey, life goes on. It’s been a year and a half.

Last February I spent a month in Tasmania, Australia and pretty much took a month long break from the internet aside of checking emails on occasion. I also only recently returned to social media after a year long hiatus. I honestly didn’t miss it at all but on the flip side I missed a lot. I missed numerous social gatherings etc. People generally don’t send invitations anymore nor call to inform. They just post announcements on social media.

Anyway, the 200 plus kilometer drive in my newly rented Fiat was a smooth one. The manual transmission with low clearance and small body make the vehicle feel like a sports car at 60 kmp. I zipped thru small villages on narrow roads and squeezed by the occasional oncoming bus. All day I navigated perfectly fine with a map and didn't make one wrong turn. My destination was Elafonisi and I was driving like a rally car driver. Within the speed limit of course.

The idea was to get away from the city and hopefully the crowds. Upon arrival at the desired destination it was blazing hot and the beach below Elafonisi was packed. However, I could see beyond the excessively large dusty parking area and people. The desert rocky shores, shallow bays, and clear blue water of the Libyan sea looked pretty good. It was four in the afternoon so I looked for a place to stay.

The beach may be a big attraction but the nearby town is very small and accommodation sparse. Whats available is not cheap. I asked around, stopped at a few places, and inquired at a restaurant. I could only find one available option. A previous booking had just canceled. So, I took it

The owner of the 4 room modestly posh hotel property couldn't be nicer. Genuinely helpful and appreciative. We talked for a bit and he told me how he lost everything during the Greek financial crisis. His entire wealth of half a million Euros went up in a flash. He was fully vested in the market. Today he puts nothing in the market and everything into property. He now owns two hotels. I paid for two nights. 60 euro a night. So far I am not finding the island of Crete to be very cheap but prices are relatively reasonable and generally you get a good value for your money.

I waited for the crowds to clear out before returning to the beach in the evening. As is often the case a little walking took me past the main area to a nice spot for an evening swim. Afterwards I returned to the hotel with a private patio perfectly positioned for a lovely sunset.