I take a moto from Caribe Tours on Friday to Playa Dorada. Guy said 150 pesos. I judge the distance and say OK. I come back yesterday on a moto from Playa Dorado to Caribe Tours. I said "how much?" Guy mumbled some **** that sounded like 10 pesos. I ask him 3 times because I dont understand his mumbles. Then he makes the "whatever you want to pay" gesture so I give him 150 pesos.
I put $10US on my Claro phone and it lasts a week and a half. I put another $10 Sunday morning at 8am and it last 5 hours????
His Royal Majesty, Lord Belly Button Kidney Bean, House of Donkey Kong
OK, so usually I keep this to myself, but I will share my "survival secrets" with you.
First one:
Pretend you are on a pirate ship (you basically are). As people lie to your face and grossly overcharge you and pass off inferior goods to you, like when Caribe Tours cafeteria in SD sold me an OPENED pack of ciggies with one gone :-/ (they got me on that one the b@$tards), just imagine it all happening on a pirate ship. Imagine all the Dominicans with peg legs, gold teeth, rakish headscarves, etc. You have a lot of "booty" and the scoundrels, being pirates, have to get it from you!!! Imagine that everything they say is followed by "arrrrrrrrrrrrrrh" and "ahoy matey". Your goal is simply to not have to walk the plank and you do whatever is necessary. THAT is the mentality here and THAT is what you are dealing with.
Second one: understanding that the average IQ here is 82-84 (classified as dull, borderline mentally retarded), imagine that you are living in a society created by and for the mentally challenged. Cuz you are.
Third one: pretend you are an extra in the blockbuster film that spawned so many sequels: The Planet of the Apes.
Numbers 2 and 3 worked for me pretty well, especially Number 2 but I got bored with it and now Number 1 has been lighting up my days.