We fell in love with Costa Rica the very first time we visited. Since then, we have been there nine times and purchased property to build our retirement home on. Since we are not ready to retire, we vacation in Costa Rica 2-3 times each year, always traveling some where we have not been before.

We always rent a car, the last time we headed to the area south of Limon. Going through the mountains from San Jose to Limon was beautiful, but I was driving and it was frustrating because everyone was driving so slow.

During this time, I commented to my husband that I thought there was something wrong with the electronics in the car, because the kilometers on the gauges and the signs weren’t matching. Then the time came for gas and to change drivers. Approximately 5-10 miles down the road, my husband says to me that this car was imported into Costa Rica.

Well, DUH, all American cars are imported into Costa Rica. Then he proceeds to tell me that the speedometer has MPH on the outer ring, not KMH. For anyone not familiar with the difference, 80 MPH is 120 KPH. That is the reason that everyone was driving so slowly. I was driving 80 MPH’s, believing that I was driving 80 KPH’s. Every person on the road that I passed must have been saying “Look at that stupid Gringa”. Needless to say from now on I will be sure to look at the “small” print around the speedometer before leaving the car rental dealer.

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Filed under: Reader Opinion & Stories on November 14th, 2007