First of all I was up at 5am to watch England play, they had another good day.
After the cricket finished I went to Las Pinas for the junior badminton coaching, as always getting a taxi to take you there is always a hassle, I have to offer more money than what's on the meter. It so far outside of their normal zone so I can understand their reluctance, I got a cabbie to agree to 50p over the meter, I have no problem with that as it is simply like giving him a 50p tip.
I had a good day there from 3-6 coaching the kids, but it was SO hot, the summer here has begun and I can really feel it. It was back to my shirt being soaked and having to change into a fresh one asap. At 6pm we went to another sports hall for further coaching and playing, this place is much nearer to Makati, only about 20 mins away.
I played for an hour, had something to eat there then Coach William senior agreed to take me to Alabang, this is the so called 2nd "Makati" to get a taxi. Alabang is very posh, beautiful gated homes with big malls etc. We got to the town centre and the taxi rank, William senior asked them (too nicely) how much to take me to Makati, of course they see a "foreigner" and told him in Tagalog "600 pesos", that is just so greedy, they said that they don't do meter, only "contract" that just means whatever they can get you to agree to pay.
We decided to go outside the town centre to another suburb that borders Alabang, we got there, I told William that I would ask them, this is a really busy place, I went to the rank, I could see them all come over to me like vultures, "Sir, Sir,Sir..taxi"....me "OK I want to go to Makati on the meter( even without meter I know it should be about 200"... drivers.....600 pesos... me getting angry now as an hour has passed and I still haven't found a taxi to take me home and I am tired.... I said " I will give you 50p over meter"... no chance so I told them that they were a bunch of thieves... I have 6 around me at this time... I told them about the 19 drivers that had their licenses suspended for doing the same thing that they are trying to do to me... they are beginning to disperse now to get away from me... I told them I am going to speak to the police that they refuse to take me using the meter.
William senior touches my arm and suggests that we go, he informs me that speaking to the police would be a waste of time as they get their share from the drivers to allow them to do it.
So we decide to go to Paranaque which is where William lives but I am going further and further away from Makati, anyway we get there and wait, eventually we stop a taxi and the driver agrees to take me and puts on the meter... good man. He takes me home no problem, the fare works out to 175 pesos and I give him a 65 pesos tip for being a honest man.
I HATE taxi drivers. If I lived here I would have to drive.
I hope you are having a more relaxing weekend
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4 comments:
Hi Gerard,
Keiths still watching cricket and it is almost 1am.
I have just returned from babysitting for Kelleys sister. The little girl is 2 yrs old and usually a great sleeper until tonight. Half an hour after they all left I heard her crying, I left it a few minutes as her mother told me to just ignore it and she would fall back to sleep, that didnt happen and between 8-12.30 I was playing game after game after game. I am definately passed children.
I shall sleep tonight I thought I was having a quiet evening catching up on my reading but it was not to be.
I dont blame you for getting angry at those cabbies, they dont earn much but they wont get a fare from people like you if they dont pay a certain amount or use the meter.They have a lot to learn. Could coach William Senior not have taken you home and you could even have paid him, after all the driving he did I think he would have been quicker.
Glad you enjoyed the badminton.
Take care
LOL
Anne xxxxxxxxxx
Hi no Blog for Sunday yet, anyway I am answering on Saturdays as you can see. I would be exactly the same as you with the taxi drivers charging me more because I was white. Could you imagine charging extra because youre black in Britain. In answer to your question we are renting Ians house but have bought a very very run down house in Skegness, we have been knocking walls down and rebuilding walls etc since Christmas, well Maurice has I am just the Labourer and wallpaper stripper. Love Janxxxxxxxx
Afternoon Gerry - thought it's time to send a message again. It's wet, cold and windy outside - just think only a few days before the first day of spring and not too long before the start of the cricket season.
Glad to hear you're feeling better. Been a bit hectic at St Andys over the past few weeks, what with Ofsted calling, curriculum week and all the usual sort of things.
Hopefully, England might win the cricket, much better now than the first test. Sian should be in a good mood this week after a grand slam for Wales in the 6 nations.We won't mention the England Scotland game!!
Glad you like the taxi drivers - wonder if they are as 'good' as the ones in Bangkok - I kept my eyes closed most of the time!!
Have fun, all the best Paul W
Hi Anne, the children thing is more dfficult after you have done your bit in the past but when Leigh and Kevin have theirs you will be the doting granny !!
William taking me home would have been quicker but we had his wife and 3 kids in the back so they needed to get home.
Hi Jan, no blog for Sunday yet, I'm going to do it now (7am Monday..11pm Sunday UK time) normally Anne is the first visitor at around midnight. If I had known that you were visiting at that time every day then I would do it earlier.
It's not rally because I'm white, it's because I'm a foreigner, I could be an arab, an Indian or anyone from any other country.
Isn't Maurice getting a bit too old for all this knocking down walls etc with you doing the labouring, you always were a good stripper !!
Hi Paul W, Yes I'm just watching England finishing off the kiwis now, it's 307 for 8 now.
Ofsted... glad I wasn't there, hopefully Paul managed OK. Yes Sian will be happy and can you please remind me... what was the result of England V Scotland match.
Yes taxi drivers are the bane of my live.. they are a law unto themselves.... traffic lights etc are just suggestions to stop if you feel like it...not commands.
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