On Thursday, I receive this inquiry for Sunday (3 days notice.. these are definitely not advance planners)
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.Please send map to see location. 2 self employed couples from Namibia for holiday.
On Friday, I receive this
I sent a link to the credit card payment page.Thanks for your quick response. Please forward payment details.
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
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.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......
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?