THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAIL

It pays to read the fine print, you know! You think you've successfully booked a special dinner for 6 at that great restaurant for the last night of your holiday with your best friends. WRONG!!!

Having the job of booking Whaler's Inn Restaurant in Victor Harbor for the last night of our 3 night stay in Victor was just one 'to do' item on my list of things to finalise for our trip several weeks away. That done, I emailed the confirmation to the other 2 couples. All done, finished, out of mind.

Come the day, we dolled ourselves up, had pre-dinner drinks in our holiday house, then headed to the restaurant for our 7pm booking.

'Sorry, but we don't have a booking for six in the name of Eddi for 7pm.'

'What do you mean???? I even got a confirmation yesterday on my phone.'

'But we don't do online bookings.'

I fumbled for my phone to check my confirmation and realised it had been an email on my iPad, which I didn't have with me.

'Are you sure it was for Whaler's Restaurant at Victor Harbour, South Australia and not Whaler's Restaurant at Exmouth, Western Australia?'

I was dumbfounded. I didn't even know any restaurants in Exmouth, WA.

'Of course not !!! I'm not that stupid.'

By that stage my friends were getting a little worried that they wouldn't be eating that night, so they asked whether they had room for us anyway. The dining room looked pretty full, but there was one table for 6 just begging for us to take it over.

'Yes, we do have one table kept spare just for situations like this. We have this happen a lot.'

To cut a long story short, we got a fantastic table outside on the deck with wonderful views and the food was fantastic. I hastily rang the restaurant in Exmouth and cancelled my booking (luckily they are 3 hours behind us). They laughed when I told them, so apparently it happens quite often. You'd think someone would have the sense to make sure these two restaurants don't get confused. Anyway, after checking my confirmation text I saw in fine print and right at the bottom:

"Whalers Restaurant is located within the Exmouth Escape Resort." WHO EVER READS THAT FAR DOWN !!