Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Buying Gasoline

Buying gasoline is often an experience, a Honduran experience. Gasoline and diesel both continue to rise and many times the stations are out of regular. Or so they say. Perhaps, they just see an opportunity to take advantage of a gringa. I do not know that for sure, just perhaps.

Tonight, as I started up the mountain, I needed to buy gasoline. Most stations close some of their lanes at night and every station has people working that fill your tank. You are not even suppose to get out and fill your own tank. I pulled into a station and obviously, some lanes were closed. I pulled into a lane and released my gas cap. Nicole was with me and had her window down and the attendant told her that lane was closed. I pulled into another lane that had cars waiting in it. I also needed my oil checked, so I popped the hood. I was holding my credit card and the man said this was a cash only lane. Nicole kept telling him I wanted to fill my tank and needed my oil checked. He said go to another lane, this is cash only. Nicole said to me we should go to another station, not another lane. It sounded like a great idea to me. I pulled out of the lane and Nicole jumped out to slam down the hood.

We pulled into a station where I regularly buy gas. Most lanes were closed and the lines in the ones that were open were not too long. I thought because they had regular all would be well. Nicole kept telling the guy to check my oil. While he was putting the gas into my car, the line behind me got quite long. This man told us he could not check the oil because the line was too long. Nicole asked again and this time he said "no, my love, I cannot check the oil. The line is too long. Neither one of us thought too much of his answer.

Normally, they take my card, run it and bring it back for me to sign. The man took the card, and told Nicole to go inside and sign it and bring it back to me. The line was too long for him to wait on my card to be run.

I was sitting there thinking this is so Honduran. But I did learn a valuable lesson tonight. I need to buy gas during the day. And I definitely need to check my oil in the daylight hours.

I guess every day is a good day when I can say I learned something.

Terri

2 comments:

Carla and Daryl said...

it's very "go with the flow" there in honduras. at times i'm sure you get really frustrated but most of the time i'm sure you have to almost laugh at the situation cause, well, what else are ya gonna do? either that or cry and laughing is better... right?

Ginger said...

Man, paying through the nose and can't even get them to check your oil. I would send Pearley to get my gas. They wouldn't be so rude to a man I bet. I don't know how I missed this blog. But I am just now reading the wed. blog. I had a busy wed. and got behind.

Maddie and Jaden just got picked up by their parents. I am beat and going to bed now.love, Ginger