They arrived at 4:48am . . . ?

[debk]

I woke this morning to find this text message on my phone:

Dec 30, 2006 04:48:57
Ola deb. This is josh a friend of alice´s. We arrived early and are waiting in front of the apartment. Please let us know when you can get here. Thanks.

debk

[enid]

aaaaagh!!!! What did you do?

[debk]

Er, honestly?

I laughed out loud.

(Not very caring, I know, I know! )

By the time I processed the message, it was 7am and I was heading to do a checkout at 7:30 at our two rental houses. I couldn't very well make those guests late -- and risk missing their plane -- so I called 'josh' and told him I could be at the apartment at 8:20am.

When I called, they were indeed huddled on the street and had been for hours. I explained they were 2 minutes from the Rossio, Lisbon's main plaza, which they actually almost refused to believe. (Our neighborhood is so quiet, you have no idea how close you are to the action. Alice wouldn't get off the phone until she had walked around the corner and seen the Rossio monument... ) They thought the entire city was shutdown -- indeed, our sleepy bairro was -- but they did eventually go warm up at a café.

Seems they took an early bus from Sevilla last night and miscalculated arrival a bit.

I've never had anything quite like this one, just had to share. 4:48am. Anyone else? Gives new meaning to "early check-in," eh?

HNY!
debk

[Partridge]

Ooh Debk, how very very dare they I would not have dreamed of getting someone up if I was that early, don't blame you for laughing

[Guest3]

It certainly gives a new meaning to 'early check-in'. It must be the Xmas spirit in you Deb.....I would have been grouchy as hell to have been woken up at 4am!

[Big Sis..]

Ooh Debk, how very very dare they

Exactly

[debk]

I would not have dreamed of getting someone up if I was that early

To be fair, let me clarify that they didn't call... they sent a text message. And I think they did a text message specifically to NOT wake me.

Bless their little hearts. They are fairly young and were suitably embarrassed.
debk

[Loopy Lou]

My very first guests after I had bought La Charronniere arrived at sometime in the region of 5 a.m. when they had told me to expect them at about 8.00 p.m. the night before. 8.00 p.m. came and went, 9.00, 10.00, 11.00, 12.00, and I finally gave up and went to bed at 1.00 a.m. having left the outside lights on and the key in the gite door.

When I woke up at 8.00 a.m. I couldn't see their car at first because they had parked at the end of the building, but I did finally realise that they had arrived. The whole day passed and I finally knocked on their door at 5.00 p.m. to see if everything was OK. They had obviously got lost. Poor things, they had dreadful weather for the 4 days they were here in October and, s*d's law being what it is, it was a lovely sunny day the day they left.

Don't suppose I shall see them again even though I offered them a discount for a booking for this year. Thank God they didn't wake me up when they arrived!

[debk]

Oh, Loopy. That's awful. I would have been quite worried. Good thing you live close enough to leave the key in the door. And your first guests, too. Poor YOU.

(I'd say "poor them" except they could have called and asked for directions... )

Bom ano!
debk

[Loopy Lou]

Lovely people from Canning Town in London and of Nigerian decent. Brought their two youngest children with them who were the sweetest little people. The original booking was for both gites for the parents and their 5 (!) children ranging from 19 to 4!! However, when I told them that the pool would be closed (I had to go back to Cambridge to see my brand new grandson and anyway it had ceased to be pool weather), they nearly cancelled altogether but I said that they would then have to forfeit their payment as it was so last minute. That's when they decided to come for a shorter holiday with just the two youngest and I offered them the discount for their disappointment. They thought the pool was heated and that they would be able to spend their time swimming and lounging in the pool garden - in October? Please!!!! We are not in the Caribbean here. I felt so sorry for them, but kept the money anyway!!! She is a teacher, don't know what he does, but ....

[Big Sis..]

I felt so sorry for them, but kept the money anyway!!!

Too True

Our pool in Spain is open all year ...It does look sooo inviting specially when the suns shining[it got to 88 a few days on the patio this Dec...]
Ive been in in the past and its b**** freezing[I only went in cos one of the neighbours said I wouldnt ]

This year 2 families had both houses over Xmas
and Had kids and I said I bet they go in....
Hubby said Naw.....just got an email to say the kids braved it a couple of times...Both families had a great time and are talking of booking next year.
As these were my First Xmas Bookings Im quite pleased[I will let you know how pleased when Ive has the electric bill ]

[brenda]

Both our rooms were booked over Christmas - 4 friends travelling together. All of them used the pool every day of their stay! Thought they were mad - but as long as they enjoyed it fine by us.

[Big Sis..]

Hi Brenda[another early bird Eh....]

I think we forget when we[or I] were kids we used the local pool and it was always freezing.......

[brenda]

Hi Ros - maybe I would have risked it when a child but certainly not NOW! Earliest I have been in our pool was March 2006 - and I got out much quicker than I got in!!!!!

Must be my old bones.

I certainly didn´t envy our guests getting into what - to me - was freezing water. Each to their own though.

They must have liked it as asked re. coming back next Winter as they left.

[Mouse]

Talking of swimming in cold water...its a tradition here that on Christmas Day morning a swim takes place across Sant Antoni harbour!!
Even tho' it was a lovely sunny day....I don't think I could have even dipped a toe in never mind swim!

Great event to watch tho'!!

Mouse
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