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A Manila taxi driver scam and other doubts about blogging

I don’t know what to write about.

It happens.

I haven’t written anything on the blog for a couple of weeks now and know that if I leave it for much longer this habit of blogging will become harder and harder. So I’ll write this post.

What to write about when I have nothing to write about?

Idea 1: Lists

Where to start. One good idea for blog posts is coming up with lists.

  • 7 ways to make money with a blog
  • 5 types of people you meet at airports
  • 16 things that are supposed to be cool, but are not
  • 11 reasons FC Barcelona lost to Bayern Munich
  • 27 places I would love to visit this year

Idea 2: Anecdote

Another way to start is a short anecdote about something that happened to me, and a reflection on what it means.

This blogger standing in front of a Phillipine “Jeepeny” bus

Two days ago Raul and I caught a taxi at 6:45am from central Manila to the airport. We told the driver specifically to bring us to Terminal 3. We were in a little bit of a rush and were hoping that the terrible Manila traffic would not cause us to be late for our flight.

The driver made good progress. He informed us that it was a holiday, labour day, in Manila. This was our salvation. No traffic.

The driver sped up into the airport. I saw a sign for Terminal 1, another for Terminal 2.

The driver stops the car and says “We are here”. The fee is 180 php. He has no change (I suspect a “strategy”). I only have a 500 php bill, but Raul has 200 php so at least we are only ripped off by 20 php (about €0.40).

We make our way into the building. As we approach security we tell the guard our destination. He says “wrong terminal”.

This is not a great feeling. We had gone from a downer as we caught the taxi, to elation as we reached the airport on time… and now it is the wrong airport.

Another driver mysteriously appears and says “I can take you to Terminal 3”. He grabs our bags and makes headway for his nearby car.

We are too caught up in the rush to catch our flight to negotiate anything. We just want to know how long it will take.

We reach Terminal 3 in about 20 minutes… to find a massive queue, about 400m long, of people just trying to get into the terminal building.

We rush to the front of the queue and ask in our best polite words to be let in at the front. A kind family and an understanding security guard allow us.

We make the flight.

The question that remains… was driver 2 in an organized scam with driver 1? Raul and myself are still debating.

Idea 3: A photo

Wang WangAs we arrived into Manila and stood in line for immigration control we passed this sign.  “Naia is a no ‘Wang-Wang’ zone.  Please fall in line to avoid embarassment.”  Raul and I debated “what is ‘Wang-Wang’”?

Any ideas on Wang-Wang?  Answers in the comments below!

 

7 responses to “A Manila taxi driver scam and other doubts about blogging”

  1. useful information thank you for sharing
    F&D Taxis Bracknell ………

  2. great post. travel anecdotes are great!

    1. Thank you Andy 😉

  3. Wang wang is just what you did when you rushed to the front of the queue at Terminal 3!

    1. Haha very true! We did our own Wang-Wang (but no sirens)

  4. A personal story humanizes the blog and connects us emotionally to you – the writer. Absolutely loved this post and would love to read more like it…

    As for the cab, I echo your thoughts – scammed.

    And “No Wang-Wang” : Interesting and fair rule…

    ““Wang-wang mentality” and “wang-wang culture” are catch phrases often used by President Aquino in his speeches that reaffirm his commitment to root out abuse of power. Initially, he used the term to attack the powerful who made their way through the streets of the metropolis with sirens blaring. In another speech, he deplored the use of the wang-wang as a symbol of a mind-set of privilege.
    “The posters intend to convey a simple message. And that is to fall in line and follow routine and standard security practices at the airport,” MIAA General Manager Jose Angel Honrado told the Inquirer.
    “This should serve as a warning to passengers not to cut [the] lines and follow airport procedures,” he added.
    Honrado said the message capitalized on the popular street lingo for blaring sirens.”

    Good to have you back in Barcelona safe and sound!

    1. Hehe – yep this post was a little break from the “professional” posts of the last while – need to break the habit of trying too hard on posts – and just write ideas, reflections, anecdotes – engage! thanks (from Doha airport lounge)

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