Thursday, October 18, 2012

Mark - Manly to Sydney airport, 96 dollars


This is one of the few times I am waiting for the taxi outdoors, I am normally a couple of minutes late, arriving at the kerb meeting a sometimes concerned driver. I squat down and do some facebooking while a dog resists passing me. I guess I look threatening in my squatting pose. Time passes and the phone tells me that it is 5.32. I was supposed to be picked up at 5.30. Should I call them and ask? Just as I finish that thought the taxi is turning around the corner. The man stops and goes out and starts talking. As usual when going from Manly to the airport, this man is born and bred Australian.

We start talking about the weather, an accident in Balgowlah and that news papers normally are so depressing only containing sad news.

"That is what everybody wants. According to my experience, meeting a lot of people during many years, I belive most people are like that. They take joy in other peoples misfortune. They feel good by putting other people down"

"Yes, that is true, many people are like that. I guess they belive they will be happier by doing that... But I think it is the opposite."

"And a lot of people use laws and regulations to put people down. And especially females, haha!

Every law and regulation gives these people an opportunity to put somebody else down. By enforcing the law in any circumstance. There are so many laws everywhere, we cannot follow them all!

I had this woman in the car one time. And she was like that. I almost never use the phone. If I have sent 50 texts during 10 years, that would be a good estimation. But this time it was certain circumstances so I needed to talk to one of the other drivers. He called me on the phone and I picked it up to see what was happening with the car, and the driver and so on. When I had been talking for 10 seconds the woman told me :

- Put that phone down!

I said to the driver: I will call you back, I have one of those in the car... She started going on and on about that it is against the law to use the phone while driving. I said, what about all these other gadgets in the taxi? I tap, I read on the screen, I put in codes. Do you think talking in the phone is worse than that?

She was persistent. It is against the law she said. So I said, there are laws against everything. I bet you have broken 10 laws and regulations every morning before you turned your first corner. Look at this line we are approaching for example. According to the rules we must turn left here instead of going where you want, so let us do that and take a detour.

After that ride she went to the police and made a report on me. Nothing came out of it luckily. "

We are approaching the airport and the queue is long. Mark does not want to fall into the line but passes it on the right side in hope to find a gap and sneak in just before the wall that divides the two lanes. When we approach the dividing wall he realises it cannot be done, and says

"I will stop by the cross over. Is that ok?"
"Yeah, sure. "

We stop at the cross over and I give him my credit card.  When we are about to finish the payment a police car turns up next to us. He gets stressed and pulls my reciept and gives it to me before it finishes printing. Then he gives me the second half containing the actual amount.

"Damn it. Can't he see that how crowded it is this morning? Ok Ok. I gotta move. Just because I stopped at this line. Everybody does that!"

Mark is upset and starts the car and says that we can sneak in the back way just 100 meter in front of us. The police car passes us quickly and puts the car exactly where we intended to go in for dropping me off.

"Look at that guy! I have to make the loop. He is one of those people I told you about! Using laws and regulations to put you down. That was not necessary. This airport is so badly built. Everybody stops there to drop people of. I feel like I should have told him one thing or two. Asked him if he felt good this morning when he got up and got into his little uniform. Asked him if

....

A couple of minutes later we have finished the loop and again Mark passes the queue in hope to sneak in at the end. Once again he fails to shortcut into the line before the dividing wall. This time there are four taxis in a row by the cross over. He stops there again and drops me off.

"Look, everybody does it. Why did he have to pick on me? "

We exit the car and he gives me my luggage.

"Thank you. C ya!"


Thursday, October 11, 2012

Anthony - Circular Quay to World Square, 11 dollars

I arrived to Circular Quay with the Manly Fast Ferries. A beautiful morning ride. The world's best commute. I went to the taxi stand and found a free taxi, sometimes you need to wait for a while, but not today. I opened the door and started talking to the driver.

"Hi, how are you?"
"Good thanks" The driver looked a bit reserved, maybe this is going to be a quiet drive.
"I am going to World Square please."
"Ah ok. A lot of traffic now. The kids are back from holidays and it is a lot of traffic. Slowly getting better now. "
"Good, that sounds good" I said.
"So where are you from?" Anthony asked me, discovering that I am not an Aussie from my accent.
"I am from Sweden. "
"Jag talar svenska " Anthony said.
"So you have been to Sweden? "
"Yes. I was there when I was sailing".
"Wow, so you were sailing! Tell me more about it"
"I was in Uddevalla. I was working on a ship. It was a merchant ship travelling the world. "
"That sounds exciting! What were you doing on the ship? "
"Well, just working you know. All kinds of things. Painting, moving stuff, fixing - just working doing whatever was needed. "
"So how is it working on a ship, is it exciting?"
"You know, it is kind of a sad life. It is only you, the sky and the sea. Nothing else. "
"Oh. But do you not experience marvellous things, fish in the water, something? "
"Not much, it is mostly the same. But in Saudi Arabia there is a lot of fish. A lot of fish. You can put down a rope with nothing on, no bait. And you pull it up and you have like 5 big fish on the rope. Amazing! I used to do soup. Vegetables, onion, fish. And then you boil it a long time until it is creamy. When you eat it, later you fall asleep, ha ha"
"Where are you from? "
"I am from Peru. But I have lived here for 38 years, I am from here now. I have been back to Peru only four times. Four times. It is no good to live there. To dangereous. Last time I was back I was scared. You can loose your money, they will take your car... It is not safe. "
"You like Australia better? "
"Oh yes, this is much better. It is safe here. I can leave my car in one spot for a week, and I come back and it is still there! Australia is a good country. I live a good life here. "
"And you like driving the taxi? "
"Yes, it is a good job. I have been doing it for eight years now. It is free. I start early in the morning at 4 or 5 and finish at 3 pm. It is a good job ."
"Good to hear. You can stop right here please "
"Ok, 11 dollars please"
"There you go."
"Thank you, God bless you"
"God bless you too"
"Thank you"