In July of 2025, in an attempt to escape the heat and humidity of daily 40 degree temperatures, Akemi and I rented a car to get out of Nishinomiya and enjoy a day surrounded by nature at a couple of relaxing parks in the Osaka area.

Our plan was to take a morning stroll through the Japanese Garden at the Expo 70 Commemorative Park, like we did back in 2019.

Then in the afternoon, buy a couple of bento box lunches and picnic near the waterfall located in the cool Minoh river canyon, like we did back in 2022.

After an early breakfast, we picked up the rental car at 8:30 am and headed for Osaka.

The previous renter had left the gas tank almost empty, so we had to stop at a gas station to fill-up.

I pulled up to the pumps, got out of the car, and started filling the tank.

But I wasn't paying attention, and after 22 liters had been pumped into the car, I was shocked to realize I was using the wrong nozzle - the green-handled one - diesel fuel!.

SHIT!

I shut down the pump and immediately notified the station attendants, hoping they might have a quick fix. (Siphon the tank?) The first thing they all anxiously asked was whether I had started the engine.

I knew that could cause damage to the fuel system and engine, so no, I hadn't.

Soon, there was a long, serious discussion (in Japanese) between Akemi, the gas station manager, and the car-rental company (on the phone) about what to do with the car.

It was decided it should not be moved, but left at the pumps while the rental company hired a tow truck to pick up the car and take it someplace where the gas tank could be flushed-out.

By this time it was already 9:00 am and the rental company estimated it would take about an hour to get a tow truck to our location.

The station manager was unusually friendly and didn’t seem to mind that our rental car was blocking one of his pumps. He even offered us the use of an air-conditioned room where we could sit and wait.

At 10:30 am the car rental company finally called back and told us it would be at least another 3 hours before a tow truck would be available. Apparently the hot weather was causing many breakdowns.

The friendly station manager suggested a coffee shop down the street might be a better place for us to wait.

After a half km trudge along a hot, busy road we reached the coffee shop.

It WAS a much better place to wait.

After explaining the situation to the friendly coffee shop manager, she told us we could stay as long as we wanted.

So, I had a lot of time to reflect on the stupidity of what I had done.

And, there was plenty to eat and drink.

Somehow, Akemi stayed calm and spent her time happily texting with friends on her iPad.

When I asked why she didn't seem more angry she said, “I’m used to it.”

At 1:15 pm, we finally got a call from the tow truck driver telling us he would be at the gas station in about 15 minutes.

We gathered our things and trudged back to the station. (It was much hotter by then.)

Even though the station was extremely busy, and the car was blocking one of the gas pumps, the manager didn't seem to mind and remained friendly.

The flat-bed tow truck arrived at 1:30 pm.

Even the tow-truck driver was friendly. (I love this country.)

After a short discussion between the driver and the gas station manager, the truck was re-positioned and the car was pushed onto it by several station attendants.

Finally, at 2:15 pm, the Hustler was taken away for urgent gas tank maintenance.

The gas station manager tried calling for a taxi to take us home, but due to the extremely hot weather none were available. (Who wants to walk in that heat?)

We ended up slogging about 1 km in the brutal heat to the closest train line, and after a one-stop ride got off at our station.

We arrived home at around 3:30 pm, the same time we had planned to return from our refreshing "Escape the Heat" outing to Osaka.

That day was not a "Stroll in the Park"

One week later.

Yeah, that was bad when I "dieseled" the Hustler.

But, it could have been a lot worse if I hadn't noticed my mistake, drove off, and had the car break down in the middle of a busy highway or on a bridge!

That would have been a nightmare by comparison.

Anyway, a week later we tried again.

After another early breakfast we picked up the rental car, (a Nissan Note), at 8:30 am, again, and headed for Osaka.

We made it to the Lotus Pond in the Japanese Garden at Osaka Expo '70 Commemorative Park while it was early and still relatively cool.

We even strolled around other parts of the Garden.

Later, we picked up a couple of bento box lunches on our way to Minoh Falls.

And, after lunch, we enjoyed the cool canyon air and refreshing waters of the Minoh river.

Ah, there's nothing like the cooling mists of a nearby waterfall on a hot summer's day.

That day was a "Stroll in the Park".

Update: November, 2025

My "dieseling" of the rental car ended up being expensive, and it took a while before I received all the final bills.

¥20,000 - Loss of usage
¥27,500 - Road service fee (tow truck)
¥36,600 - Flushing of gas tank and other work

So, the total cost was ¥84,100, or about $572.00 US, (using the exchange rate at the time).

Oh, almost forgot, an additional ¥3,400 for 22 liters of diesel fuel.

NEVER AGAIN!