Bandits....

First things first.....

The other day on our first fill of Diesel in Mexico we filled 100 litres which was M$1212 which is OK considering. As always we wrote down the figures counted the money and when the guy came back to get the cash he quickly turned away from me. This rang bells with me immediately. He then turned back and showed me that the 500, 500, 200, 10, 5 we had given him was in fact a 500, 50, 200, 10, 5 and we had mistakenly gave him a 50 instead of a 500. I questioned Julie who had counted the money and she wasn't sure at all in fact she was pretty convinced she had given me the wrong money. So I swapped the 50 for a 500. I asked Julie a few times "are you sure he didn't palm it?" and she seemed pretty happy we were in the wrong. I was not. We drove off and after a while I stopped. Quite a while......40km. I was convinced he'd palmed it. We then went through the entire Mexico balance sheet and we were indeed M$450 short. We did this a few times and always we were M$450 short give or take a few Peso's we used as tips. That was it. I drove all the way back. M$500 is £25.

On arriving back at the gas station. The manager was called and was OK but he was convinced it wasn't his station. I wasn't convinced until he took me over the the pump I used. I'd stepped in some glue on the floor as they were repairing the pump. It wasn't there. I was at the wrong station!!!! and all wound up!!!! I'd got everyone out and cameras re-played and bills produced. I apologised and he was fine. He told me it was the next one not 100meters away (I think he knew what they do).

So,,,, I had to do it all again. This time I followed my own advice. I knew what the attendant looked like so I went straight to him and said I think he'd made a mistake and gave him opportunity to correct it without complaint.....he immediately pulled out a pile of bills and tried to give me a M$200 to which I replied "no its a 500" he handed it over without question.....I gave him back the 50 (I'm not a thief as I could have easily kept the 50). This makes me think its common practice for this guy. So If you are in Tulum watch your money and count it out to them and give them no chance to do what they did to us. I had hoped when I played the scenarios in my mind the event would unfold as they did but didn't think for one minute it would go as planned.

First time in 21 months we've been really ripped off....he didn't however count of Julies accounting system or a Yorkshireman. We knew we were right.

Over the last few days we've been able to sample the RV parks and campsites of Mexico. Something we've not done for quite a long time. I mean proper campsites are a thing of the past for us. They mostly ended in Africa.  These places are mostly empty as Its off season for RV's from the USA. We've met a few Overlanders on their way South which is also a thing od the past really. Not met many Overlanders on this continent at all. A few but not loads like Africa.