Gas: sometimes you have it, sometimes you don't

No, not that type of gas. This time, it is the real thing, the important thing: petrol. Malawi has no gas now, and it has very little diesel. The lines for the gas stations, almost all of which are empty, wrap around the roundabouts, line the streets, and cause a traffic nightmare for the 7 remaining people who have fuel to get around. People are sleeping in their cars in queue, waking up to push their cars a few meters, grateful to receive the precious 10 liter rations of gas as if it were manna from heaven. These folks really are the lucky ones as they are actually already in line when the petrol trickles in. The social networks and SMS lines are busy is response: people sharing hints and news of where petrol is or where petrol is rumored to be. Many are out of gas just from searching the city with their last remaining liter.

Of course, fuel shortages clearly affect more than just individual mobility: there are shortages of goods and services as businesses and transportation companies also suffer. Everyone is unhappy. And gas costs a fortune here anyway: upwards of $7/gallon [we won’t be listening to our USA friends’ complaints of $3/gallon gas ever again!]. A planned march on Monday, Egypt style, is focused on the gas shortage and the links to the country’s lack of foreign exchange to pay the petrol dealers.

Personally, we are doing okay. Initially, Jon thought that I was exaggerating the frequency of the fuel shortages, but as this is the 4^th time the city has been dry in about 3 months, we now religiously adhere to the half tank rule [I try to fill up at ¾ tank!]. As we both heard rumors of this crisis last weekend, we both fueled up and each have more than ½ tank left to get through this latest mess. Still, with no fuel in sight, and no desire to spend 14 hours in the car in line for gas, we too are feeling the pinch. No weekend hiking trip for us; no trip to the beach; carpool only; strong preference for foot travel. Jon leaves on Monday, and although I am sad about that, there is one silver lining: having access to two cars with ½ tank gas, each, gives me a nice gas cushion to get around for another couple of weeks. Other folks, not so lucky.