Nervously awaiting arrival of guests tomorrow...

From the moment they step through the door your bookings become guests, and their experiences determine whether they ever come back.
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debk
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Nervously awaiting arrival of guests tomorrow...

Post by debk »

Just need to share...

On Thursday, I receive this inquiry for Sunday (3 days notice.. these are definitely not advance planners)
Please send map to see location. 2 self employed couples from Namibia for holiday.
I replied with the standard, sorry, we don't send exact location info prior to booking... but here's a map showing general location. And, yes, the house is available for your requested four nights.

On Friday, I receive this
Thanks for your quick response. Please forward payment details.
I sent a link to the credit card payment page.

On Saturday/Today, they paid but the card processor marked their payment "WARNING--potential high risk."

Now, admittedly, I've occasionally received these warnings before with no problem but never on such a short notice booking. (Actually I've never had such a short notice booking. The guests who are in the house now are having such a good time that they extended their stay after arriving but are, in fact, leaving Sunday morning at 9am... so the house is available...)

I emailed back and asked them to use another credit card.

They emailed
This is the last time we will have email access. To avoid further inconvenience we will pay in cash upon arrival. Please sms or call with address or your phone number. Our number is 264......
Hmmmm, I says to myself, they are walking around with €1300 in cash? (It's Saturday afternoon and no bank will be open between now and checkin on Sunday evening.) Time to have a chat and see if this is for real.

I called their Namibian number. (Phone service is rather spotty from Namibian, fyi.) Willie seems nice enough. Yes, they have €1300 in cash. They are in the Algarve and will drive up tomorrow, return their car and take a taxi to our place. I will meet them between 4:30 and 5:00pm.

I'm not sure why I am so nervous about all this. Willie seemed sincere and pleasant... as much as I could tell with the phone disconnecting four times during our very brief talk...

Can't wait to meet these folks...

Any words of wisdom for me? :shock:
alexia s.
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Post by alexia s. »

Will you be by yourself when you meet them?
Best,
Alexia.
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debk
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Post by debk »

Alexia, as usual, you wisely cut to a key issue: my husband is in the States, else he would definitely be doing this checkin.

Instead, my 10 year old son will be with me. And any neighbors who happen to be around. Fortunately, the neighbors are awesome. One of my son's best friends lives directly across the street from the house.

I forgot to mention that I didn't give these folks the address of the house. (Taxi drivers can never find it.) I arranged to meet them at a well-known headquarters a block away.

Thanks for posting. I don't feel so alone! :)

Of course, if you never hear from me again I've been whisked off to Namibia...
A-two
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Post by A-two »

Debbie,
In another lifetime I had a very good Namibian friend who is a wildlife documentary film producer and made wonderful films about the Namibian Desert for the BBC and Discovery Channel. He is fair skinned, very good looking, Eton educated and extremely rich. If it's the same person, please ask him to call me and he can have my place for nothing .... :lol:

Seriously, I agree with astute Alexia, do not meet these folks alone and if they turn up without the cash and tales of woe - having been robbed on the way and needing your help until they can contact the Namibian embassy or the like - walk away. Otherwise, hopefully, you will be pleasantly surprised and pleased to meet some very interesting people.

Good Luck!!!!
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Ju
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Post by Ju »

I understand your concern, but do be careful not to tar the whole of Africa with the same reputation of certain Nigerians.

Whould you have the same concern if they were Canadians?

Ju
alexia s.
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Post by alexia s. »

"Would you have the same concern if they were Canadians?"

Yes!
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Alexia.
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Garri
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Post by Garri »

I understand your concern, but do be careful not to tar the whole of Africa with the same reputation of certain Nigerians.
To be fair, it's the credit card clearance companies that are tarring the whole of Africa with the same reputation.
Guest3
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Post by Guest3 »

I am waiting with anticipation as to what's happened! Hope for debk's sake everything is bona fide and there are no problems with these people.
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debk
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Post by debk »

"Would you have the same concern if they were Canadians?"
Ju, thank you for making an excellent point. If you had ever met my family in person, you'd know we are anything but Afro-phobic... 8) ... but re-reading my message I can see how that might have seemed part of my concern. Since I think subtle racism is the most dangerous kind, I am very appreciative of your comment!

Here is what brought on the red-flags:

1. Terse initial email starts by asking for nothing but address. Given that this is for some of the few days that we have available for October, I assume they studied the availability calendar.

2. Only 3 day advance notice... coupled with day-long response times. I would be more frantic (eg, more regular correspondence or would call the phone number on my website), not waiting a whole day each time to go to an internet cafe to learn about availability, etc., for my next accommodation. Paying the day before is just cutting it a bit close for me.

3. Credit card payment is marked "WARNING -- potential high risk" (caps original to the card processor message)

4. The idea of walking around with €1300+ in cash. That's just not normal around here.

The first three things together (address request, strangly slow response times, rejected credit card) had me almost quit but I really wanted to give the benefit of the doubt so I called. And then...

5. Phone number doesn't seem to work the first three times I tried it.

I had resolved to say "No, thank you" except Willie did sound genuinally interested (though frustrated by the credit card rejection which he said had never happened before).

Now it may all be moot. We had agreed that I would sms the address for the meeting point, which I did twice last evening with a "please confirm receipt." Haven't heard a thing and this morning their phone is not on. So maybe they won't show after all?

The really *wonderful* thing today though is that the people who checked out this morning were the type that make this such fun: they had a fabulous time, regaled me with stories and left the house spotless. They even appeared to have polished the faucets! No need to call in cleaning help: less than three hours later, I'm back at home. Just need to do a quick shop for the fresh bread, fruit and cheese before checkin. Assuming there is a checkin...

Thanks again, to everyone for the support. Venting here has been quite cathartic. I'll let you know if they show.
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debk
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Post by debk »

Well... they arrived... an hour early... and without euros.

Just lots of little traveler's checks -- which, sorry, is not cash. (My bank charges a €10 deposit fee per traveler's checks, because they are "foreign checks.")

Fortunately, they did have $1100 US dollars which they insisted I take and tomorrow we will exchange for the €1300 euros.

Grand relief here. Son and I are definitely going out to dinner to celebrate.

In fact, in thanks for the awesome support, I want to invite you all to join us: see you at Café Tijelinha at 8pm! :D
Guest3
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Post by Guest3 »

Whew!! That's a relief..was really worried about the outcome, especially as you're dealing with the situation on your own.

Glad it's turned ok debk...got a G&T..so cheers! Enjoy your dinner!
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debk
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Post by debk »

got a G&T..so cheers!
Party's on, Crystal. Thanks for joining us... and for checking in!!
Fraise
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Post by Fraise »

Have you now got the euros? You were right to be wary but then you also seemed to deal with it really well! Hope you enjoyed the meal? I thought about coming but my broomstick has just gone in for a service :twisted: Maybe next time- hey,I've just had a thought-we could start a cyber meal thing then I might loose some weight!!Cyber meals could be the thing of the future- a sort of "cyber weight watchers" :wink:
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debk
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Post by debk »

Thanks, Fraise. Lovely meal for me and the son...

Steaming, fresh vegetable soup; mixed salad; carapauzinhos (small fried fish that you eat in their entirety, including heads :shock: ) for the son; lamb for me; and enough batatas fritas to add 10 pounds to your frame.

All for a whopping €11.05. Yum!

(Picking up the euros at 5pm today.)
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Garri
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Post by Garri »

Deb, damn you've got me salivating and it's only 10am! Plus you've got me pining, not for Lisbon but for Vauxhall SW8 - South Lambeth Road to be precise!
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