Fixing a flat

La llanta que no funciona—the tire that doesn't work.

Our first flat in Costa Rica (and surely we'll experience another!) happened to our rental car on our fourth day in the country. We were just getting ready to head out the slower-than-molasses gate in our neighborhood when a guard pointed out that one of the car's tires had gone completely flat in the short distance from our house to the gate.

We all got out to inspect the tire, and Dan began removing the offending wheel to put on the spare. Thankfully a construction worker stopped by and finished changing the tire so Dan didn't have to get filthy, since he was dressed nicely on our way to meet the principal and teachers at the girls' school.

The interesting part of this experience was that we got the car to a repair shop and they fixed the tire, put it back on the car, and put the spare away in the trunk all for a mere three bucks. Three bucks! Living in the central valley isn't always cheap, but our tire solution was a great deal.