Smokers here frequently travel 2 hours to the Costa Rica border to buy illegal cigarettes at about 70% less than normal ones. A big savings! But you have to pay for the travel expenses and all the time, a total of 4 hours.
A lot of time and work.
There is much coordination of trips to the border so that smokers can enjoy their habit at a fraction of the normal cost. You can imagine the arrangements offered just so someone can avoid the trip but still get their cigarettes.
My friend returned to his auto mechanic for his cigarettes because he was out and needed more.
Of course, when he got to his car, all 6 cartons were gone. But not the medicinal herb...it was still there.
Now we know the priorities of the locals.
He then went across the street to buy a pack of cigarettes. The clerk pulled out a pack of contraband cigarettes, strangely like his missing ones.
When he asked for more than one pack, the clerk pulled out the bag with all 6 cartons in it. He had to buy his OWN cigarettes back at a MARKED up price.
The spirit of entrepreneurism is alive and well in Panama!
3 comments:
oh so familiar! while violence of any kind was a VERY rare occurrance, theft is extremely common. the rule seems to be, if You have your hand on something, it belongs to You. If your are not holding of touching it, it is on the free-market for a new owner... especially true of luggage in train stations, etc, or packages, anywhere. really interesting that the baggie was left behind. That's a laugher. Thank You, Darshan
I was speaking of India, but Panama seems very similar. D
Exactly! It even gets more extreme with tools. It is almost the duty of construction workers to "borrow" job site tools. It isn't even considered stealing!
My buddy wasn't pissed at the thief, he was mad at himself for being that forgetful.
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