The rental car (s)

Yes - a simple thing like the rental car became an adventure on this vacation. Although my Dad says he can pick me up - I prefer to have a car so I can come and go as I want. Well - every time I decided to go somewhere, my parents were ready too!!!!  

I had done some research before I left thinking I should reserve a car. Then when I had to log into the car rental web site to do that, I gave up (whimp!!!!! - Marian would NEVER have let this happen) and decided I would take my chances when I arrived at the airport. I head to the car rental counters. No, No, No, No, No and so on down the line. There wasn't a SINGLE car available. WHAT?????    This has never happened. Well Saskatoon is growing all the agents say. Well if it is growing, you should have extra cars for idiots like me who do not reserve cars!!!!!  

Wait a minute - this town should have car rental offices at more locations than just the airport, so I go back. Do you have ANY cars in the city? No, No, No, Wait - oh yes - we have an office and it has cars. DUH!!!!    Why didn't you say that when I asked for a car??????

A quick call to the office by the agent (which I CONFIRMED myself by phone) and after locating my luggage, I was in a cab to the "downtown" office which was barely a few minutes from the airport. Good grief - these agents are idiots!!!!!!!

We have a full size car for you. No problem - that is what I wanted anyway. Not because I like a full size car, but because we were taking a trip to the southern part of the province and it would be more comfortable. So I got a black Nissan Altima.

Now this is not a bad car but BIG. I hate BIG cars.


Took the car down to Moose Jaw - everything is fine. On the way home, the LOW TIRE PRESSURE indicator comes on. CRAP!!!!!    We get out - check the tires - everything seems to be OK (so far). Zip into the nearest gas station - no air and no tire gauge.

OK - let's keep driving and see what happens. We are getting close to Saskatoon and we check the tire - OH BOY - that needs air and FAST. So we stop geocaching (more on that another day) and head to the nearest gas station. No air at the first station - the pump is broken, but we got air AND a gauge at the next station.

I decided to call the car rental roadside assistance to see if I could swap out the car since we were in Saskatoon at this point. Nope NO CARS available at the airport and it was after hours for the other locations. What is this deal of NOT having cars at the airport?????????

Hmmmmmm - OK - so the air wasn't leaking that fast, let's chance getting home - another 100 KM away. We stop part way home - visually check the tire - yep seems OK. Get in the car and are about 5 KM away from that gas station and the LOW TIRE PRESSURE indicator pops on AGAIN. Crud - well - I decide to risk it and we are all expecting to hear THUMP THUMP THUMP as the tire goes flat on the bumpy gravel roads which we were on by this time.

No one wanted to get out and change the tire as it was raining a bit and it was dark by now. I think we all said a silent prayer as we arrived at the farm and still had air in the tire.

However the next morning........................

FLAT!!!!!!

Well being on the farm - farmers are well equipped. My Dad gets out his portal air tank, fills the tire (after having to change the tire valve on his tank - boy those farmers have everything!!!!)    Wait a minute - what's that noise???????    PHISHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!     Oh yes - I can hear the air escaping from the tire. I feel around the tire and OH YEAH - I can feel the air coming out.


Hmmmmmm - I am NOT driving on this tire any more. So yep - I get to change the tire. My Dad's health isn't that great so he supervises while I do the grunt work. Didn't take too long and I now had a lovely spare tire on the car. Oh yes - I had already called the car rental at the airport and they had a car waiting for me.

Off I go at a lower speed than the posted 110 KM (I know - why in Saskatchewan???) - everyone must have thought it was a little old lady driving that car!!!!!    When I arrive - they say - we have a compact car and it may not have the same features as the full size. OK - I don't care - I just want a car.

And my parents are - why do you need a new car - they can just fix the tire? Well yeah - but I would have to wait. They don't do things like that to their customers!!!   Just give me a NEW car.

What kind of car do I get?????    A Ford Focus.

Now this is a cute little car (the same one that M wants when she gets a car - save up your money sweetie!!!!)


I get the same features and WAY MORE in this car. It is white and actually not a bad car - good choice M!!!!!!


Despite the rain - the roads are still dry - have a look at what happened on the way home....

Covered in DIRT

This wasn't even dust - this was DIRT!!!!!   Well the three of us bundled into this car for one more trip to North Battleford - a bit squishy, but not bad. Yes - it has Alberta plates on it, in case you were wondering.


I had made arrangements to return the car to the airport instead of the downtown location. I made it back to the airport with NO further problems. And the girl knocked off the last two hours of rental so that was a nice touch. You know you rent by the week, then the day, then the hour - well instead of being charged for one week, one day and TWO hours - she knocked off the two hours.

Wow - who knew that rented a car could be so complicated!!!!!!    NOTE TO SELF - RESERVE a car next time. And the tire had a stone chip embedded into the tire tread - at least that is what it looked like - no nails.


Speaking of driving - WATCH OUT. While I was away, M took the classroom part of her driver training. Now she wants to drive. Last night she had to work, so I asked if she wanted to drive. Yep - but she was nervous, so she drove to the only stop light between here and her work. Then she pulled over to the side, and onto the curb and back down!!!!   A few wide turns, but we made it. She asked me if I was SCARED to drive with her!!!!!    Then when I picked her up - she drove home. Needs a bit more work on the meaning of STOP signs, but she did not bad!!!!!    A bit more practice on the streets and then she needs to get the standard thing happening and she can drive MY car. ACK!!!!!!


YES - I will get to the other stories tomorrow. I have to get ready to teach a class today. WHAT is that????   I feel like I haven't taught in ages (which I haven't).

Got everything unpacked yesterday - well it is ALL put away. I know - who would have thought. Well I threw it all on the cutting table and I needed that yesterday so I could get some work done.

Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!