174 - Hertz So Good (Chebika, Tamerza, and Mides - Tunisia)
WE RENTED THE FIAT PUNTO FOR TEN DAYS. We wanted to extend our rental period. We wanted to pay more money. Hertz is a business. Hertz likey money. Therefore, an extension should be as easy as falling off a camel, right? Wrong. Just go to Hertz office in Tozeur (where we were) in hopes of contacting the office from which we rented the car in Tunis (where we weren't). Excellent plan if the office in Tozeur actually exists. It did not. Apparently, it closed shop. Super.
Soledad - Notes From My Travels…
Hertz (Mission Impossible)
By Leslie Peralta
One of the most memorable events from our road trip was attempting to contact Hertz to extend our car rental contract. We rented our trusty steed from the Hertz office at Carthage airport in Tunis. We originally paid for 10 days upfront, but the nice lady working in the office, who spoke decent English, assured us we could extend the lease while on the road if need be…Read More
Plan B: Call the office in Tunis. We spent three and a half days trying that. We tried any number we could find. We scrutinized the paperwork. We scoured the internet. We consulted a Ouija board. The Tunis airport number was our go to. We’d call. Someone would answer. That someone would transfer our call to the Hertz office. The phone would ring and ring… and then ring again. No one ever answered… EVER!
Plan C: We called the main office. The woman I spoke with couldn’t find my file. She called me back once to tell me so. Her promised follow-up never materialized. She'd had enough. This was the central theme of Operation: More Punto. Folks would get frustrated with the language barrier, hang up with the promise of a follow-up, and then never call back. This was better than hanging up on us initially, which occurred frequently. We called other offices in Tunisia. We called the emergency hotline. We summoned the angels, the saints, and all the prophets. Would Allah himself turn a blind eye to our plight?
Our dilemma was thus: If we were to keep the car past the contract period, would there be dire consequences? One woman said it shouldn’t be a problem, only to call back to tell us we might go to jail. In the span of a few minutes, we went from “Hakuna Matata” to “You're fucked.” Yessir.
Leslie finally reached a gentleman at a different office in the south. He spoke so little English, he had a friend (not a Hertz employee) translate. At first, it seemed they’d have to fax a new contract. Fax? Where? We were on our way to the fucking Sa-HA-ra! Not convenient, sir. Instead, he provided a different number for the Tunis office that someone actually answered. After a short, painful conversation, I was told keeping the Punto would be no problem. Um, ‘kay. We weren’t exactly brimming with confidence, but it was either that or return the car. You’ll never guess what we decided. In the end, it was all good. No handcuffs awaited our return. Just as well, my sweet ass wasn’t built for prison.
From a practical standpoint, this situation befuddled me. Tunisia is heavily touristed. Car rentals are a frequent occurrence. Were we the only assholes who ever tried to extend our rental by phone? Based on my experience, it would seem so. Or was it common practice to violate the contract terms and return vehicles days late? Do the only English-speaking Hertz employees work behind the airport counter, forbidden from answering the phone? What the hell would’ve happened if we’d had an accident or a breakdown? I shudder to think. Maybe we were real fucking pioneers in the rental space. Extend your rental, sir? Never occurred to us.
The video below is a short clip from two conversations. Sadly, our small camera went on the fritz. This was all we could salvage. It’s a pity, as it is a difficult to get an accurate representation of the true depth of our frustration. Still, you’ll get the gist.
Chebika, Tamerza, and Mides. What are three ancient Berber villages nestled inside mountain oases north of Tozeur? The original settlements were abandoned after torrential flooding in 1969. New villages were established nearby, but these are fairly modern and bland. I thought we might have to rely on Punto Power, but the road is excellent all the way to Mides. Super.
First up: Chebika. We drove right past. The road through the palm grove seemed promising, but the parking area outside the village looked like a used Land Cruiser sales lot. I estimated more tourists than palm trees. Buh-bye.
Next up: Tamerza. Our target was a 4.5 km trail to Mides mentioned in the Lonely Planet (i.e. the adventurous route). We couldn’t find the trailhead but did meet a “guide” willing to show us the way for about $40. It felt a little extortiony, so we passed. And then, for reasons I cannot explain, we neglected to visit the ancient version of Tamerza just below the modern one, which was kind of the whole goddamn point. Or maybe I can explain. I’d like to think Leslie and I were enjoying each other’s company so much, all else was mere background and ambiance. We were attuned to each other and little else. The journey was the destination and all the shit. Yes.
On to Mides. This oasis village was less than compelling, but we did manage a short hike back toward Tamerza. This made the trip worthwhile, as the walk through a small canyon (referred to as the “Grand Canyon” by the hombre offering his guiding services) followed by a jaunt up a rocky hilltop allowed us to pretend for a brief moment we'd left the hordes behind. Even a cursory glance around more than hints at the dramatic geological forces that conspired to create the scene. Close your eyes and listen to the wind howl. Go.
For anyone considering the same trip, I can assure you a guide is unnecessary, though a qualified one might be worth the expense.
