Breakdown

[aggienaut]

Yesterday: I'm just starting up from the almost-complete-stop at the stop sign when the engine shuts down, leaving me slowly rolling in terror across a highway that has no stops, in what's called a "black spot" intersection due to the dangerous accidents that occur there. Muttering "no no no no no noooo" under my breath I look both ways expecting to see a log truck doing 100 barreling down on me but fortunately the road is clear. It's barely a week since I'd been standing amid the wreckage of an accident at a nearly identical intersection -- but whereas before I was safely wearing the flourescent yellow of the country fire brigade, now I was in a dead car broadside-on to oncoming traffic!!

   Of all places in the 30 kilometer commute to work, my car chooses the absolutely absolutely worst car-length to break down in. It almost defies belief, but I have little time to contemplate it heavily as I will the car to keep on rolling, which it does, until I'm on the conveniently wide gravel shoulder of the road beyond the intersection.

   The day had begun a bit ominously too. I had just cleaned up the house for the airbnb guests who would be arriving later, which involves tossing all miscelleneous objects into my office, which consequently looks a complete mess. As I went to close the office door the doorknob had come off in my hand. Leaving me staring at it. No clear way to solidly reaffix it. Well this would look pretty ghetto if the first thing guests see when they come in is a door missing a doorknob, or that door hanging open to reveal an epic mess inside. I carefully managed to get the door closed and kind of get the doorknob back on in a way that at least looks right, but it seemed like a bad omen, and apparently was.

   Also of note, the PREVIOUS day I had arrived at work to find the work truck wouldn't start. Had to have it taken in to the mechanic, turns out there was an air-leak in the fuel pump. So when my own car broke down the following day "oh come on this car too!" could be added to exclamations of "no no no anywhere but here!"

   Checking the basics, the engine was out of oil BUT in my defense I had checked it only like two weeks ago, though I've been aware it guzzles oil (and yet doesn't drip any, where it goes is anyone's guess), so I'm terribly afraid the engine might have done itself in by driving with no oil (but there was no smoke or anything, I'd have thought an oil-less related death would result in lots of heat and smoke?). Anyway as it happens there is an auto mechanic place around the corner from my house (the town is tiny but has everything one needs!), so I had them come tow me back to Birregurra and am now driving their kinda quirky loaner car.


   In other news I've had three airbnb guests in a row this week, which necessitated buying a lot more of all categories of linens so I didn't have to wash everything every day (filled three laundry machines when I finally went in today!). First couple was really nice, they were in the midst of driving the coast. I'd have liked to talk to them more but they kept to themselves in their room mostly. Second couple was also really nice, was here because they were going to local "45th best restaurant in the world" Brea for lunch on Saturday (they mentioned reservations fill up three months in advance, they booked this last October!). As soon as they had their stuff in the room asked "do you have a bottle opener?" ... we spent the rest of the evening having beers and chatting on the porch and it was great.
   Third couple arrived today. They arrived while I was still out getting the laundry done around 12:30, but I figured what can you expect when you ask to check in early and I had mentioned I had a previous booking, and they wouldn't be sleeping in the middle of the day right? Well when I got back it turns out they were but had brought their own bedding? But anyway, the noteworthy thing here is they kind of regarded me as an intruder in their own space when the guy finally came out to the living room and found me there and was like "you live here?" all surprised. I had gotten this surprised response once before from another older couple, who like this one had had trouble figuring out how to book on airbnb. So I guess people who are unclear on how airbnb works are... unclear on how airbnb works.
   And they have a small fluffy dog! My listing had said indoor pets to be evaluated on a case by case basis, which Ii realize was a mistake because everyone swears up and down their dog is the best and are you going to say no?
   And they've gone off to a wedding leaving me to dog-sit their dog, who has been whining. I didn't sign up for this :-/ I have now added "$50 fee for inside pets" to my listing and am thinking of trying to come up with the most seamless phrasing to emphasize that yes I god damn live here.


   Also, though airbnb keeps telling me if I lower my price I'll get "19% more bookings!" I was just having a gander at the listed "listing similar to this" for mine and they're all around $150 (mine is at $100. All prices OzDollars btw which is like 75 cents to the dollar), so I don't know why airbnb is telling me to lower my price, I'm _this_ close to raising it!


   Anyway, that's the latest. It's 107f today, a friend is having a pool party, and I'm here dog-sitting for some strangers, my car might be dead, and this doorknob keeps coming off in my hand.


UPDATE: Sunday now, this last couple just left. Among other things I noticed they were passive aggressively only using my back door and going the long way around to the front (the front door sticks a bit but honestly its not anywhere near unusable) ... I've got a feeling they're gonna leave me with an "interesting" review... :-X

Comments

[dadi.livejournal.com]

Oh ugh, that sounds like a suboptimal week. I don't even want to imagine the scare with the car stopping in the intersection... so glad nothing happened!

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

Oh my gosh it was terrifying. Like people fly down that highway and here I was stuck right across it!!

[adafrog.livejournal.com]

OMG, crappy week. Hope it gets better for you.

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

Ugh so far not, this last couple just got worse... like they were outwardly nice but made a lot of nitpicky comments ("this place really needs a womans touch") and were passive aggressively not using the front door because it sticks. So now I feel like I'm gonna get a really bad review ) :

[adafrog.livejournal.com]

OMG, what jerks.

[fbhjr.livejournal.com]

Sorry for the breakdown, but glad it wasn't worse!

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

Me toooo!

[suzanna-o.livejournal.com]

I guess some people do have secondary properties for Airbnb, but I think most people are renting out a room! My sister is thinking of building a small studio with a bathroom behind her house, and then she could also use it for Airbnb.

Glad you weren't hurt when your car stopped.
Something similar once happened to me when my car fuel pump froze up on a highway. Someone kindly stopped to help me roll the car to the side of the road.

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

Yeah my listing clearly says "1 room and shared common spaces" but I guess the title is "adorable house" 'and has a picture of the house. Like I said the people who were confused were both older couples who didn't seem to understand how to operate airbnb -- the first one had been booked by their son and this one again had had a relative physically show up at my front door to secure the booking. I might have to scrutinize the info on people who book more because I've found while it's a joy to have people you get along with in, couples like this one make me feel resentful and anxious and it isn't fun.

[nibot.livejournal.com]

hmm, yeah, saying "adorable house" might be part of the problem. "room in adorable house" is more accurate although less catchy.

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

It's really easy to see on Airb&b if you're renting a room or a flat separate from the owner's place and I guess some people just look at the pictures and price and don't read the description!

But what a fraught week...your car breaking down in such a bad place had me shuddering. Been there and I know the terror. I hope the coming week goes MUCH better!

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

Yeah my listing clearly says "1 room and shared common spaces" but I guess the title is "adorable house" 'and has a picture of the house. Like I said the people who were confused were both older couples who didn't seem to understand how to operate airbnb -- the first one had been booked by their son and this one again had had a relative physically show up at my front door to secure the booking. I might have to scrutinize the info on people who book more because I've found while it's a joy to have people you get along with in, couples like this one make me feel resentful and anxious and it isn't fun.

Yeah I couldn't believe the location of the breakdown! I guess its the only stop on my way to work so if it was for some reason bound to fail immediately following a stop, thats where it would be. But yeah, terrifying!

[jaiden-s.livejournal.com]

Wow...that's a string of bad luck. And those airbnb guests are awfully presumptuous.

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

And they moved my bbq so they could park the car where it was and I come out and the tongs and things that had been sitting on it were carelessly on the ground where they had fallen off during the move and they hadn't bothered to pick them up and put them back on it, as soon as I saw that I was like frowwwwn. ):

[tigtogiba34.livejournal.com]

Oh goodness so scary about the car! But thankfully something was looking out for you up there and you wound up unscathed!

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

Thankfully!!

[mexpatriot.livejournal.com]

I've been using ABnB a lot, as a guest. I always first select the option for whole house/apartment. So, it's really on them if they don't do that and are then disappointed.

I am not good with sharing space with strangers. I can't deal with hostels. Maybe I want to walk around in my underwear, or naked.

I've stayed at places where the owner lived there, but my space was completely separate. That was ok.

The wife and I booked a place that had nice pictures and good reviews. We got there and it was in a ghetto and completely fucked up looking. There was hair all over the linens. The owner couldn't even bother to meet us there, just told us where the keys were hidden. We booked a hotel, and told the owner that if he cancelled our res we wouldn't leave the worst review ever. Still, I feel like people should be warned of such a shithole. There really is no recourse.

I booked a place in San Jose, Costa Rica for two weeks in September. Two days before arriving, I wrote to the owner to let her know what time to expect me. She cancelled the reservation. Two days notice! I had booked over a month in advance. I could see that she has done this before. Again, there is no recourse.

[skimmed-miilk.livejournal.com]

Oh man, not the best start to the year. Hopefully the only way is up!

[kk1raven.livejournal.com]

Your price sounds quite reasonable to me and that third couple sound unreasonable.