It's not that I have had nothing to blog about over the summer. In fact, I reached the point where there were so many potential topics that it was easier to watch a film or bury my head in a book than to choose which one to write about. But tonight's ordeal stands out: Refuelling the car.

Firstly, thanks to the company for giving me a Galp Frota card. With my love of monopoly operators, I was overjoyed, considering that all my usual Galp filling stations are generally packed. Tonight, at the Encarnacao filling station, leaving Lisbon, there were queues for all pumps, two of which were out of order but only one visibly so for the queuing motorists. Then I chose a card payment pump, but the card reader didn't work! Changing pumps was a marvellous experience. After finally filling up, the staff who took my payment were surly; three cashiers but only one accepting customers.

We are so used to bad service that this seems trivial, but this is the second consecutive occasion that visiting this filling station took more than 15 minutes just to fill up. My alternative, near Alvalade XXI, is just as bad.

The grumbling customers will be back for more bad treatment, such is the power of having a majority market share and the right contacts with the fleet operators. I just wish I could change.