Saturday was Monterey with Gopal_V, Subbu, Sai, ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
hitesh and teemus. Hitesh drove Subbu and Gopal in his nice Pontiac G6, while I drove the rest on Sumeet's awful Focus. The drive was mostly uneventful. We got there some ten minutes before Hitesh and gang, probably because we exited CA 1 via US 101, while those guys took some GPS-assisted, longer route (CA 85, CA 17, CA 1).
We got there a little too late for whal-watching and the next sail was only at 14:00, so we decided to visit the aquarium and then get back.
I didn’t want to spend 25 bucks to see the aquarium because I had visited earlier in August with GopalV, but I ended up going anyway (loser). The Ocean Sunfish fascinates me. Done.
Excited, we headed to Chris’ whale-watching tours, only to learn that all whale-watching tours were canceled thanks to choppy waters. But he was doing a 10 buck “sail around sea otters” thing, which didn’t soud very interesting, but we went anyway. Boy, was it worth it! The waves!
Time to get back north and head for dinner. Subbu, Hitesh and I; Sai, Sumeet and Gopal. Subbu drove, while I slept through most of it. Pit stop: 748 N Mathilda (aka Larkspur). We rest for a while, yathin comes in a few, and then we head to DishDash just down the road. I asked for Sambusak Dajaj, realizing when it arrived that I was basically eating chicken patties in some gravy that was way spicy for my taste. My stomach’s bad right now.
Now I needed to return my rental car today because I had received a legal notice from them earlier on Friday. My credit card couldn’t be charged after the first month because it was over limit or some shite like that. Anyhoo, legal notice. I’d potentially be prosecuted if I didn’t return the car. So, Hitesh and I head to my place, Sumeet his; Hitesh’s car goes to garage, take my car, head to Sumeet’s (he’s the money); drive to Avis in SJC. Car returned. Say what you want but I really liked this car, the Chevy HHR.
I’m one broke man.
2007-10-21 10:05 am (UTC)
Didn't you have a Pontiac Grand Pix?
2007-10-21 08:51 pm (UTC)
2007-10-21 10:12 pm (UTC)
I remember driving that to San Francisco ... *shudder*
2007-10-22 02:16 am (UTC)
2007-10-21 06:22 pm (UTC)
2007-10-22 05:43 am (UTC)
WTF.
The first time I went to rent a car in the US(incidently the first time I was going to drive on the wrong side of the road), the guy offered me a HHR.
I hated it(to me it looked like the ambassador).
I took a corolla instead.
I rented just once from Avis, and just hated those guys. If I have my way I will never rent from avis. If you book an economy, they never upgrade you, only if you beg they will give you a cobalt(compact).
Most of my rentals were from dollar.com, and I always booked economy cars, and for my economy bookings I got
1. Dodge Avenger
2. Mustang
3. Jeep liberty
2007-10-22 06:12 am (UTC)
You need to book from the right Avis. :-) The one on Mountain View gives good deals.
Yahoos get discounts at Avis, so we normally end up using it. What rate do you get like on dollar?
2007-10-23 05:25 am (UTC)
With LDW and SLI it comes to 25 extra(standard across all rental companies).
I need to take LDW and SLI because I rented the cars on my own, not from company.
My total daily rental came to around 40$/day many times.
Even enterprise on First street SJC is very cheap with rates as low as 12-13$/day. The taxes are low since its a non airport location.
Downside is that you cannot drive to nevada.
2007-10-23 05:50 am (UTC)
> Downside is that you cannot drive to nevada.
That I wouldn't be able to do anyway since I don't have a US DL yet. :-)
2007-10-23 05:55 am (UTC)
with dollar it would be 12-13 a day+tax which comes to around 18$(insurance will be taken care by your company).
As for US DL, I got mine in first attempt.
Made 2 minor mistakes(stopping on the line instead of before line, taking a turn slightly fast to avoid traffic instead of waiting for traffic).
Coming back to rental cars, if you strike up small conversation with dollar guys, they become pally and never flinch to offer you a SUV or mustang or a Sebring/charger etc., for the price of an economy car.
If they are out of cars, you will atleast get a dodge avenger or honda civic.
2007-10-22 07:08 am (UTC)
http://www.sangregoriostore.com/livemus
some of the artists are fun. the "store" has a bar. (one of you has to be the designated driver though.)
2007-10-29 09:28 am (UTC)
2007-10-30 08:36 am (UTC)