Anyway, what I am going to tell you about is gas, because it has become a huge pain for us on or little trips. First some basic information you need to know:
1 gallon = 3.785 liters
100 liters on post cost approximately $110 (1 gallon = $4.13)
1 liter on the economy approximately $1.50 (1 gallon = $5.58)
Step one in getting gas is buying a book of coupons on post at the lower cost. Step two is using coupons at any Agip or Eni gas station in Italy. This sounds like a pretty simple process and on a daily basis isn't very difficult. However, Phil and I can not get this right when we travel. Two caveats to this process... first the gas station must be open, so that yoy can pay the clerk with the coupons. second, coupons are only good in Italy.
Example 1: Cinque Terra, which is about four hours away. In the Smart Car you can get there on a tank of gas (about 25 liters). We left for Cinque Terra around 10 am. About 1230 we passed an Agip on the Autostrada, we have what looks like just under half a tank so we don't stop. About 130 we have been on side mountain roads for about an hour, and our tank is getting emptier no Agip in sight (Esso gas stations everywhere! Esso used to take coupons!). 2 pm we are the town over from where we are staying, we have less than 5 liters of gas left...and we spot an Agip. Pull in go inside to give our coupons and they are closed till 330. Ok so we will just go to the town and then get gas on Monday when we leave (keeping our fingers crossed that we would make it back to the station with our measly 5 liters). Monday we don't leave till 4 thinking this way for sure the gas station will be open: NOPE. This is Italy, not only closed during lunch, which is 3 hours, but also closed on Mondays. So for the next hour and a half till we find an Agip on the right side of the autostrada, we pay full price on the economy getting 5 euro at a time.
Example 2: I have to go to Germany for an arraignment, it is a 6-7 hour drive (which took 8 because of traffic). You drive through Italy to Austria and then into Germany. Everyone says of there is an Agip right before you cross the border, you can fill up, and might be able to make it from there to Germany and back before you need gas again, or at least you won't have to pay for a full take on the economy. Well I missed the gas station and that station I stopped at was right over the Austrian border, so they don't take coupons! So I have to buy a full tank of gas on the economy to get from there up to Germany and then back to the station across the border in Italy again (someone told me I couldn't get a German gas card for this trip).
Example 3: Salzburg, which is also about four hours away. This time we take the civic (because I am following on the Germany and the Smart is not fast enough for the autobahn). Because the civic also gets good mileage and has a larger tank we can get there with gas to spare on one tank, but with me continuing another four hours into Germany, we need to fill up in Italy so that I don't have to get gas until I get to another installation where I can take advantage of the German system for Soldiers instead of buying on the economy. We get off the autostrada and head to an Agip right before crossing the Austrian border, it is closed for another two hours for lunch! Not again! So we tried one more and the same story.
Example 4: Returning from Germany - now I have a German gas card (you pay in advance and use it like a debit card but at Esso). Driving home I have a quarter tank and I am 30 minutes from Austria so I pull off the Autobahn and find an Esso in Germany to fill up with the German card I put money on. Esso is now an empty lot and the next nearest Esso is in Austria which doesn't accept the German gas card. So again I end up putting in 5 liters at a time until I can make it back to the Agip in Italy! And I now have all this money on an German Esso gas card that I can't use and that expires!
Long story -- Bottom Line --- While I am thankful we don't have to pay for gas on the economy everyday, it has become our demise when travelling!
Example 3: Salzburg, which is also about four hours away. This time we take the civic (because I am following on the Germany and the Smart is not fast enough for the autobahn). Because the civic also gets good mileage and has a larger tank we can get there with gas to spare on one tank, but with me continuing another four hours into Germany, we need to fill up in Italy so that I don't have to get gas until I get to another installation where I can take advantage of the German system for Soldiers instead of buying on the economy. We get off the autostrada and head to an Agip right before crossing the Austrian border, it is closed for another two hours for lunch! Not again! So we tried one more and the same story.
Example 4: Returning from Germany - now I have a German gas card (you pay in advance and use it like a debit card but at Esso). Driving home I have a quarter tank and I am 30 minutes from Austria so I pull off the Autobahn and find an Esso in Germany to fill up with the German card I put money on. Esso is now an empty lot and the next nearest Esso is in Austria which doesn't accept the German gas card. So again I end up putting in 5 liters at a time until I can make it back to the Agip in Italy! And I now have all this money on an German Esso gas card that I can't use and that expires!
Long story -- Bottom Line --- While I am thankful we don't have to pay for gas on the economy everyday, it has become our demise when travelling!
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