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Original poster

Can anyone please help me to make sense of a weird incident that happenned in Greece

42 replies

Witchofzog · 03/06/2019 20:36

This happenned a few years ago but I still don't know what it was all about.

So ds and I went to a Greek Island on holiday. He was around 14. For some reason the transfer coach took us to the wrong hotel which had a similar name and was part of the same chain, so the receptionist called a taxi to take us to the correct hotel

The taxi drove for a few miles then stopped outside an isolated house in the middle of nowhere and another man got in. He said he was the hotel manager and demanded to see our passports. It was dark by this point and I was blatantly freaked out so refused to get out of the taxi unless we went somewhere populated. The men took us to the nearest town but the "manager" tried to make me feel stupid saying I was in Greece and therefore safe Hmm

When we got to the town I showed our passports and we were then taken to our hotel. I never saw the "manager" again and strongly suspect he wasn't anything to do with the hotel

So what on earth was it all about? I was calm then but more freaked out now. It was just so odd

OP posts:
Original poster
Witchofzog · 03/06/2019 20:39

I should have reported it but we had had an awful experience in Egypt the year before where I was treated like a terrible person for being an unmarried single mum and we both wanted this holiday to be better. Which to be fair it was and we have been back since but I am still very confused by that weird incident

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Original poster
Witchofzog · 03/06/2019 21:17

No one?

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Mokepon · 03/06/2019 21:20

I'm not sure anyone will be able to explain that!
Sounds like a couple of dodgy chancers up to no good and you had a lucky escape when they realised you were not a pushover.
Horrible for you.

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Spooky & paranormal
Fizzytonicplease · 03/06/2019 21:35

Did the hotel have a reception for you to check in at? I know some self catering hotels in greece who dont have someone on reception at night leave the keys behind the door, or the hotel owner meet the night arrivals to confirm its them and then give the room number.

Original poster
Witchofzog · 03/06/2019 21:39

I was adamant that ds and I were not being separated. He was at that strange man boy age where he wasn't sure if he would have to defend us or not.

There was a 24 hour reception as the hotel was quite large.

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Fizzytonicplease · 03/06/2019 21:56

It sounds very odd then.

Sagradafamiliar · 03/06/2019 21:59

He wanted a lift and the taxi driver decided to stop off and get him rather than drop you off first? Just so happened he was a bit of a weirdo.

Original poster
Witchofzog · 03/06/2019 22:08

I hope that's all it was Sagrada. It was the passport showing that threw me. I would have been ok with the lift thing as I wasn't paying for the taxi myself

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managedmis · 03/06/2019 22:12

Total bullshit.

Why do they need to see your passports?

Hobbes8 · 03/06/2019 22:17

It could have been the lift thing. We got in a taxi at an Egyptian airport having negotiated a price for what we assumed was a private trip and they spent 20 minutes trying to fill the car up with various randomers who would give them more money for the same journey. My husband was once in a taxi in Morocco for a long trip and they pulled into a garage in the middle on nowhere, flashed their lights and another car flashed back. He thought he was about to be mugged but they were just switching drivers for the long drive.

I’ve never had any weirdness in Greece, but I guess it’s possible anywhere there’s a language / cultural barrier and a potential to be scammed.

I don’t mean to belittle your experience though. It sounds terrifying, and you handled it really well.

Original poster
Witchofzog · 03/06/2019 22:18

That's what I was wondering. I was scared it was a ruse to get me out of the car so they could drive off with ds and leave me with weird "manager" guy

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MotherOfDragonite · 03/06/2019 22:19

Did he ask you to get out of the taxi in the remote location? That seems weird, even if he was legit and needed to see your passports...

IHeartArya · 03/06/2019 22:20

The picking up of passengers is done frequently in Greece & is unnerving when it’s the first few times. The passport thing is odd though. Bit late to report it now though. Think you did well in the circumstances.

Original poster
Witchofzog · 03/06/2019 22:23

I hadn't been to Greece before Hobbes8 so was unsure if this was just the Greek way or not. It totally throws you when you are in a different country and you are unsure of exactly what is normal or not

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Original poster
Witchofzog · 03/06/2019 22:28

Yes that is what scared me. Being asked to get out of the taxi somewhere so remote. I wasn't so afraid when we pulled up in the local big town but I still made ds get out with me just in case

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Hobbes8 · 03/06/2019 22:31

Did the hotel ask to see your passports again?

HennyPennyHorror · 03/06/2019 22:33

Have you googled the place and the company to see if there are any similar experiences people have shared?

Original poster
Witchofzog · 03/06/2019 22:35

Yeah the hotel took our passports again. And there is nothing on trip advisor but I guess our situation was unique as we were sent to the wrong hotel to begin with

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GiveMeAllTheGin8 · 03/06/2019 22:38

Why was the taxi asking you to get out? Very strange

Isthebigwomanhere · 03/06/2019 22:42

Whereabouts was you?

Original poster
Witchofzog · 03/06/2019 22:56

I was in Crete staying near Hersonissos but the transfer took us to Sissi. The driver took us to Malia in the end to get the passports out which were in the boot in the pocket of a smaller suitcase hence needing to get out of the car. I guess they had no way of knowing where they were when they asked though which was one saving grace

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donthaveacludotcom · 03/06/2019 23:25

Did you say anything to the reception staff of your correct hotel?

Original poster
Witchofzog · 04/06/2019 09:13

I remember asking about it but the language barrier made it difficult and I don't think the lady on reception really understood what I was saying.

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bluebell34567 · 04/06/2019 09:44

did the taxi driver know the man do you think? did they have any conversation?

donthaveacludotcom · 04/06/2019 10:06

Have a google of the areas news stories and see if there's any reported similar instances. But to be honest that may just worry you.