Oh, our car.
So, we waited a few weeks for it to get fixed and then yesterday, were very excited to hear that it was actually on it's way!!!
It was coming from the city of Santiago, which is about an hour drive from our tiny, rural village of Las Canas, which is so small, it isn't even Google-able.
At around noon, we were told it was on it's way. We waited the hour, then waited a few more.
We couldn't leave until they got here, not to mention, the plumber/electrician was coming back with our goodies to fix our sewage leak and our stove, so we were stuck here for that reason as well.
Plumber/electrician dude never showed up. We're still waiting.
If we weren't waiting, we would have gone into town in a cab/bus to get some food, but instead we just stayed put with no working stove to make even rice with.
We thought that maybe, perhaps, they had just stolen our car and all the money we'd given them so far. We've run out of a trust, and were starting to think the worst, like maybe they were just selling our parts of our car while we wait.
It was about 5 pm when they finally showed up, and we realized all the drama we were making out our car to be going through was wrong, and that we could actually trust our new mechanics, who come as a duo.
Poor guys were halfway up the Moca when they ran out of gas.
They had to call friends to help them get enough gas to get it to the shop, which is much closer than our house.
Now it was time to go pick it up from their shop/house. Off all 4 of us went, crammed in the little 4 cylinder Toyota pickup, circa 1970, three in the front, one in the cargo area.
By the time we got to our car, it was dark.
I had learned it's not safe to drive in rural areas when it's dark, but I didn't realize just how terrifying it really was going to be.
It's black on those roads with no street lights, and you can't see the edge of the concrete where it dips off into creeks, cows and donkeys.
Not to mention, people walk on the side of the road, with no care of how close they are to traffic, and you don't really see them until you're up their asses.
Furthermore, people drive without headlights, including motorcycles and scooters, so they too are a target for your vehicle.
Oh, then there's the people who just trust you not to hit them as they cross from one side of the street to the other.
Don't even get me started on the dogs who wander aimlessly.
We hadn't driven very far before we realized our radio was gone.
We could've sworn there was a radio in that car when it left our house, as it was tied to a scrawny rope behind that little Toyota pickup, to be towed to the mechanics house/shop.
However, we thought, if that was all that got stolen from the car, so be it. At least we found the rear view mirror in the armchair console.
There is no outside door handle for me to use, so Papi has to open it from the inside. Oh, and the window doesn't work from my side either, so I'll be asking Papi to roll and unroll as I please.
The good news is, our car no longer smells like a rancid polecat. They cleaned it up really nice.
The better news is, it is so rough looking that we will not look like tourists. We'll fit in quite nicely now.
Papi has never owned a vehicle so meager. As I giggled at Prince Papi's dismay, he asked, "Well, have you ever owned something so ghetto?!"
I smiled, "A few times."
It's a rite of passage. Every person in this lifetime gets to drive a beater. It's law, unless you're rich.
He'll soon get used to it and he'll see that it doesn't have to be shiny and pretty for it to get us around.
Anyway, today, we were supposed to go get the placard to drive it legally. You need some kinda little sticker that shows it's your car, or the police will pull you over and extort you for money.
In came the mechanic at the Dominican Time of 10:30 (he did say he'd be here at 9 a.m.), and we were all set to go get the placard, when he told us we needed a particular piece of paper in order to do so.
We don't have that paper.
Why? Because the original owner hasn't gotten off his ass to send it to our lawyer.
But hey! Our new honest mechanics told us they have our radio in the shop, so that nobody would steal it while they worked on our car. They said they'll put it back in later. We have found some good people.
So, Papi went back to bed and I'm chasing puppies around while we spend another day in forced relaxation.
Damn good thing the view is so beautiful.
So, we waited a few weeks for it to get fixed and then yesterday, were very excited to hear that it was actually on it's way!!!
It was coming from the city of Santiago, which is about an hour drive from our tiny, rural village of Las Canas, which is so small, it isn't even Google-able.
At around noon, we were told it was on it's way. We waited the hour, then waited a few more.
We couldn't leave until they got here, not to mention, the plumber/electrician was coming back with our goodies to fix our sewage leak and our stove, so we were stuck here for that reason as well.
Plumber/electrician dude never showed up. We're still waiting.
If we weren't waiting, we would have gone into town in a cab/bus to get some food, but instead we just stayed put with no working stove to make even rice with.
We thought that maybe, perhaps, they had just stolen our car and all the money we'd given them so far. We've run out of a trust, and were starting to think the worst, like maybe they were just selling our parts of our car while we wait.
It was about 5 pm when they finally showed up, and we realized all the drama we were making out our car to be going through was wrong, and that we could actually trust our new mechanics, who come as a duo.
Poor guys were halfway up the Moca when they ran out of gas.
They had to call friends to help them get enough gas to get it to the shop, which is much closer than our house.
Now it was time to go pick it up from their shop/house. Off all 4 of us went, crammed in the little 4 cylinder Toyota pickup, circa 1970, three in the front, one in the cargo area.
By the time we got to our car, it was dark.
I had learned it's not safe to drive in rural areas when it's dark, but I didn't realize just how terrifying it really was going to be.
It's black on those roads with no street lights, and you can't see the edge of the concrete where it dips off into creeks, cows and donkeys.
Not to mention, people walk on the side of the road, with no care of how close they are to traffic, and you don't really see them until you're up their asses.
Furthermore, people drive without headlights, including motorcycles and scooters, so they too are a target for your vehicle.
Oh, then there's the people who just trust you not to hit them as they cross from one side of the street to the other.
Don't even get me started on the dogs who wander aimlessly.
We hadn't driven very far before we realized our radio was gone.
We could've sworn there was a radio in that car when it left our house, as it was tied to a scrawny rope behind that little Toyota pickup, to be towed to the mechanics house/shop.
However, we thought, if that was all that got stolen from the car, so be it. At least we found the rear view mirror in the armchair console.
There is no outside door handle for me to use, so Papi has to open it from the inside. Oh, and the window doesn't work from my side either, so I'll be asking Papi to roll and unroll as I please.
The good news is, our car no longer smells like a rancid polecat. They cleaned it up really nice.
The better news is, it is so rough looking that we will not look like tourists. We'll fit in quite nicely now.
Papi has never owned a vehicle so meager. As I giggled at Prince Papi's dismay, he asked, "Well, have you ever owned something so ghetto?!"
I smiled, "A few times."
It's a rite of passage. Every person in this lifetime gets to drive a beater. It's law, unless you're rich.
He'll soon get used to it and he'll see that it doesn't have to be shiny and pretty for it to get us around.
Anyway, today, we were supposed to go get the placard to drive it legally. You need some kinda little sticker that shows it's your car, or the police will pull you over and extort you for money.
In came the mechanic at the Dominican Time of 10:30 (he did say he'd be here at 9 a.m.), and we were all set to go get the placard, when he told us we needed a particular piece of paper in order to do so.
We don't have that paper.
Why? Because the original owner hasn't gotten off his ass to send it to our lawyer.
But hey! Our new honest mechanics told us they have our radio in the shop, so that nobody would steal it while they worked on our car. They said they'll put it back in later. We have found some good people.
So, Papi went back to bed and I'm chasing puppies around while we spend another day in forced relaxation.
Damn good thing the view is so beautiful.
i never know what amazing, incredible person i will meet next
Hey I'm used to it already! I am just happy to have a car! There is no way we can afford a new one lol. I just simply asked have you ever owned anything like this and I still don't think you have. I sure never thought I would! I've never seen a car like this in Van!!
ReplyDeleteoh i have baby. you never saw my toyota truck, or the beater i drove while i was in between my honda and my truck.
Deleteand you never saw what my mother drove ;)
i have had them. it's your turn :)