USVI-On-Line

So... ya'll know I like to plan... well, I made my Jeep ressie with STJ Car Rental yesterday for the STJ leg of our trip in December.

You can do this via e-mail with St John Car rental. I just print out the form, fill it out, scan it and send as a PDF (big shout out to Lonnie, Bobby and Cynthia BTW). Easy peasy.

And ....since I'm going to need a car for our week on Jost, I decided to give the Jost agency a call. We've rented from these folks before and they are great people.

Generally speaking, when you call a car rental company on Jost, it usually sounds like the you are speaking through a tin can attached to string with another tin can on the other end. This time at least, the reception was better.

As a side note: Last time, we didn't even give them a CC. We paid them $70 in cash and they just gave us the car. That's how they roll. No messing around with insurance (Sure, you have to fill out some paperwork-- and there was probably some fine print in there that requires me to donate a kidney if I so much as get a scratch on the car) but the general deal is pretty straight forward and they don't get too stressed out about the details.

Anyway, given the small size of the island and the fact that there aren't a whole lot of cars to rent and the fact that I'm going to need one of said cars for more than a couple of days, I thought it would be good to give them a call. And yesterday seemed just as good a time as any.

So here's how the conversation went:

G= Gromit
R= Jost car rental co

Ring, Ring

R: Good afternoon, may I help you?
G: Good afternoon! How are you today?
R: Well, very well. And yourself?
G: Excellent. I am interested in renting a car for our upcoming trip.
R: Yes.
G: We'll need one for about seven days.
R: Oh. Ok.
G: December 3-10.
R: (laughter)
G: (Silence-- I knew this was coming)
R: Where are you staying?
G: Ivans
R: (Still more chuckling followed by) Oh, Ivan is a good man. But that's a long way off.
G: Yes, Ma'am. We like Ivans a lot. Six months, I know. But since we need a car for several days I thought I should give you a call sooner.
R: (still giggling) Yes, I see what you mean.
G: Yeah, if it was just a couple of days I wouldn't call until much, much later but it's for a week.
R: Yes. That's right. But maybe you should call in November?
G: So, do you just want me to call back in November?
R: Yes, probably.
G: Ok, so I'll call back in November.
R: Well, we could put your name on the list.
G: Ok, that's fine.
R: But I'm in the middle of something right now, you know?
G: Ok. Whatever you like. Whatever is easiest.
R: Maybe you call back tomorrow?
G: Would that be Ok?
R: Yes. Call back tomorrow.
G: Ok.I look forward to speaking with you tomorrow.
R: OK.
G: Have a good evening, sorry to interrupt.
R: That's OK. Good talking with you.

Click

Maybe the whole conversation loses something in translation when you write it down but I share it as an exercise in understanding how things work on Jost.

She was perfectly delightful and friendly and perfectly amused as to why I would want to call so far in advance to make the car reservation.

When I told my hubby about this conversation he just laughed out loud and smiled. "Yep, sounds like Jost."

But based on my experiences in the VI I've also learned not to get frustrated and to just do things according to their schedule and not mine -- and I am perfectly OK with that.

I look forward to calling them back again today... I'll let you know how that works out.

That exchange reminds me of renting from Penn's (via telephone how quaint!) in 1995. It was our first trip, before I was educated on island ways. Too funny.

The cash and keys transaction is what we did in T & C. They didn't care when we returned the car, just leave it at the airport with the keys in it. Should I call you and tell you where I parked, I asked. No, we will find it. OK......

That's too funny! I love the people on Jost! I'm looking forward to hearing how today's conversation goes

... carefully noting these transactions for (hopefully) future use. The humor of it all is a fun plus.

That phone conversation is exactly why I love the islands- It is the only time I accept that pace of life without getting mad. Now here stateside that would have sent me into a rage Look forward to hearing how the call goes today.

First real trip to StJ in 2004, I was all nervous about the car because our pals were arriving first (had never been on island before) and were picking up the car.

I called to try to confirm with StJ Car Rental

Me: Hello (didn't know better). I'd like to confirm a reservation
Them: What?
Me: Confirm a reservation.
them: Hold on.
they then put the phone down. I now know they must have been out back because it sounded like they put the phone down inside a car engine.
Time passes...
More Time passes...My wife is amused,
They return to say not to worry and to just show up.

2 months later...our pals show up and they never linked them to my reservation; just gave them a jeep. The next day, I went to get on the rental as a 2nd driver and introduced myself.
"Oh...there you are. (to my friend) Who's he then?"

Yea...if they did this to me at the counter at, say EWR or PHL, I'd have stroked out twice.

Vacation is fun

lol...classic...no worries....

Hubby & I along with friends had our first visit to Jost from our sailing trip from STX on "Kindred Spirit"...... we just had our best Friday laugh in a long time. THX for sharing!!!

That is awesome!

I had to laugh when returned my Jeep to Budget a few weeks ago:

Me: I'm returning my Jeep, here are the keys.
Budget: Okay thanks! Enjoy your flight!
M: Do I need to fill out any exit paperwork? Verify the mileage, etc?
B: Nah, as long as you haven't totaled it...you're good!

Here in the states Enterprise basically does a cavity search of the vehicle and my credit when we return it...

Nice!
I can't wait to call for my trip. I'll do it on a day when regular life is irritating.

In February we got in late- we had arranged to meet the car at the National Park dock (thank you Caribbean Villas for setting that up). The rental place was closed so they just handed the keys over and told us to come by the next day to fill out the papers, give a credit card, etc. Of course island time set in immediately and the days just slid by- could never make it over there to get the business done. By the last day we were horrified to show up (they had never called us all week and they did have our number and knew the villa were were staying in). So hubby goes in (I was too embarrassed and waited outside).

Hubby: Good afternoon, I'm here to return the Jeep Liberty
Rental: which one?
Hubby: points outside to our car
Rental: Oh, you the guy that never filed out the paperwork?
Hubby: yes, I'm sorry- what do I need to do? (fully expecting some sort of financial penalty)
Rental: well, it's all done, now, so just pay, that's it (never even thought about going outside to check it out)
Hubby: amazed, relieved, and delighted all at once
me: more in love with this island than ever before.

Nothing lost in translation at all. I laughed out loud because isn't that exactly the reason why we love it down in the Islands?

I'm sure our stress and planning so far in advance just makes the locals laugh inside. My attraction to the Caribbean is that they just don't seem to worry so far into the future. Just take it a day at a time.

Oh that is too funny! Reminds me of the first time I book a few nights at Ivan’s. I’m a planner/organizer too and like to have confirmation and stuff before I go anywhere, high season or not. Thats just not the way things are done on JVD! Called Ivan’s and the call sounded kinda like that same tin can. Long story short…by the end of the 2min call, I swear had a cabin booked by my first name on a post it somewhere on the bar wall! We took our chance when we arrived in January because I thought that we wouldn’t even have a place to stay. Never be disappointed by Ivan…no need for full name, credit card info, etc. We had the best cabin…12 steps from the beach!

Thanks for the info about the car rental. We will be extending our normal 2 night stay to 4 nights and wanted to rent a suv this time. After your experience, I won’t call until maybe the month before.

Great story and I can totally hear her telling you to call back tomorrow...or in November.....or not.