Fueling the trip.

Buying petrol is generally considered to be a simple task, you fill your tank, you pay, you drive off; yes?  Not all the time.

First of all what is 95 and 98?  You are at the petrol bit then faced with 95 or 98 and sometimes 100, or 90.  95 correct.

Sans plomb? Or plomb?  Yes the French still sell a lot of leaded!

Then at some “fully serviced” garages the attendant shakes his head when I say no as he picks up the diesel pump. He gets nearer to the un covered tank with the diesel, I shout louder, he inwardly sighs, “de English, hah” and puts the nozzle very close to the tank.  Put the pump down.  Stand clear of the tank.  Its petrol. 

The paying.  In Euro currency countries you pay before you pump, in other countries after.  Maybe it’s because other currencies are not likely to devalue in the time it takes to fill up.

Some pre pay are of an amount, say 30 euros, or it deducts however much you have used.  It sounds simple but I’m sure we have paid for a tank of fuel for a smug looking Italian van driver. I argued with the machine for 5 minutes.

And no one sells charcoal out the front.