August 16, 2015 

Guest blogger: Team member, Jaycee

Leaving our hostel was bittersweet but we were ready for our next adventure, one that we were never expecting.  We picked up our rental car about 3 sizes too small then what we asked for but was the only one available. We tried to make a game plan on how to pack the car but we ended up shoving bags in any way possible. If we had rope we would have strapped bags to the roof. We were sitting on top of suitcases and had suitcases and bags on our laps and feet. It is not exaggeration when I say that not one more item could have fit in the car. We were all unable to move but singing and laughing the whole way; until we got to a small road block. 

We were an hour into our journey when we came to a rolling stop in traffic and the clutch went to the floor. We pulled up the clutch petal and it went stiff so we are unable to push it down. After messing with it for a moment we get it to function. But the smell coming from our car started to strengthen.  We were winding up a steep mountain on a densely wooded back road, church lane, when we came to a stop with the engine revving and the clutch to the floor. Smoke began swirling out from the hood. We had smelled the burning from the time we started driving the car but we thought it was the buses around us. We determined that the clutch was blown and no way the car was going anywhere. 

Parking as best we could on the side off the road we called the rental company and to make the story short we were on the phone with multiple people more then 12 times and ended up waiting a total of 5 and a half hours. Within that time we brought out a speaker and had a couple dance offs. Snacked on the food krista had smartly packed and waited and waited and waited. Let’s just say we made a lot a memories had plentiful bonding time. The tow truck brought the car to the hotel, we all spilled out of the taxi and stuffed our faces. All in all we got to our hotel at around 10 pm and ate all we could then went to bed.

Note from Krista -I think the team all reached new levels of boredom and silliness while stuck on the road.  There was hooting with owls, games of “ninja”, stick fights, stone tossing and unnameable actions of utter craziness. I am really impressed with how well they endured this “adventure”.  

Also – Avis/Budget had shameful emergency customer service and wasted 1 1/2 days of our touring in total.