Aww I love reading about your Portugal experience, Maria! the month I spent there 3 summers ago now, holds such a special place in my heart! Sending you a couple of my favorite coffee shops in Lagos :)
Appreciate your message, Lani! In Lisbon I bought “The Librarians of Lisbon”. At first I thought it would be too cliche but it actually taught me a lot about history. Historical fiction with some dramatic romance. I found it at Livraria Bertrand. Are you based in Portugal as well?
Last year I made a similar mistake accidentally renting an EV in the UK and I paid extra to switch and the counter to a non-EV. When I returned the car, the checkout lady asked if there was anything that could have made the rental experience better and I told her that I wished the booking process had been more clear about the EV. I did not ask for a refund, and she didn't offer anything, but she recorded the feedback and 3 days I noticed on my credit card transactions that the upcharge was refunded.
Oh wow that is so nice of them! I think you struck luck with great customer service and kindness. The car they gave me ended up being a hybrid so I got a bit of the best of both worlds. Road tripping long hours on remote roads in a foreign country by myself didn't sound like the best way to try driving fully electric haha. But it's a good point you bring for car rental companies to be more clear on the types of vehicles, and provide guidance on electric infrastructure, charging, etc especially for those new to it, which is a lot of us!
Serendipity at work again! So happy to learn that things are working out even better than expected. You sound happy and excited again. I appreciate hearing your good news. The picture is beautiful. 🙏
Aww I love reading about your Portugal experience, Maria! the month I spent there 3 summers ago now, holds such a special place in my heart! Sending you a couple of my favorite coffee shops in Lagos :)
Welcome to Portugal! Enjoy your time here. And, just curious because I’m a booklover, what is the book you bought?
Appreciate your message, Lani! In Lisbon I bought “The Librarians of Lisbon”. At first I thought it would be too cliche but it actually taught me a lot about history. Historical fiction with some dramatic romance. I found it at Livraria Bertrand. Are you based in Portugal as well?
I’m just north of Lisbon near Torres Vedras. I’ll look for the book. I love historical fiction! Thanks!!
Oh fantastic! Loved Portugal I definitely hope to return one day. Let me know if you read the book!
Last year I made a similar mistake accidentally renting an EV in the UK and I paid extra to switch and the counter to a non-EV. When I returned the car, the checkout lady asked if there was anything that could have made the rental experience better and I told her that I wished the booking process had been more clear about the EV. I did not ask for a refund, and she didn't offer anything, but she recorded the feedback and 3 days I noticed on my credit card transactions that the upcharge was refunded.
Oh wow that is so nice of them! I think you struck luck with great customer service and kindness. The car they gave me ended up being a hybrid so I got a bit of the best of both worlds. Road tripping long hours on remote roads in a foreign country by myself didn't sound like the best way to try driving fully electric haha. But it's a good point you bring for car rental companies to be more clear on the types of vehicles, and provide guidance on electric infrastructure, charging, etc especially for those new to it, which is a lot of us!
Love this! I'm going to Portugal for the first time in 2026, so it's exciting and orienting to read this. How magical that your Paris swap worked out!
ahhh that's exciting!! I have lots of tips and tricks ive learned so far, happy to share them when you plan your trip ;)
Thank you!
Serendipity at work again! So happy to learn that things are working out even better than expected. You sound happy and excited again. I appreciate hearing your good news. The picture is beautiful. 🙏