Paradise Driver: 04/26/07

Thursday, April 26, 2007

I MAY NOT BE WINNING THE RENT RACE

BUT I AM SURE AS HELL GIVING IT MY BEST EFFORT

4 shifts to go. Its gonna be very tight.

Sunset

The Shops At Wailea

Wailea Lookout

My first fare of the night was at 7:22pm. A couple of very nice guys that I picked up from the Kea Lani and took to the Maui Coast Hotel. They were my passengers twice more through the shift. I was advised that I had another run pending as soon as I cleared.

A nice couple from Minnesota, Took them from Sansei to the Kea Lani. A paid round trip! Or, in this case, a "bounce back".

My third run, an hour later, was another couple running Sansei to the Kea Lani. Each of those trips were exactly $17. Odd how that can happen.

Half an hour later, the guys at The Coast called and wanted to go a bar across the island, in Kahului. A private party was being held in the Manana Garage.

Things really got busy about 90 minutes later. #27 (TMR) and #11 ("Crazy" Brian) were just returning from dropping in Lahaina when when I started my night. About 11:00pm, they got called for the return. That left just #22 (Kimo) and myself on the southside. I got a pupu "flag" and Kimo made a pick up from the "Triangle" to Wailuku, across the island. I was now the only cab in south Mau'i.

I "ping-ponged" up and down south Kihei Road until 1:00am.

At 1:30am, the two guys called from The Coast. Somehow they had returned without the need of my service. Damn! Anyway, they were hungry so I took them to Denny's. It was closed. In fact the entire parking area was roped off. Who knows? Ended up going by Minit-Stop. A "stop'n'rob" with some halfway decent munchies.

Met Kimo back at The Coast and took the phone.

Had my last fare of the night at 1:58am, taking one of LAB's baristas home.

Did some paperwork for today's reservations and refueled ONE-NINE. Prim (#22) came on board at 3:44am. Wally (#05) was next at 3:47am and Flor wished me a "Good Morning" at 4:12am.

Mrs. Kyle didn't raise a dumb kid.

I was home by 4:30am.

Made some decent money. For a change.

***

The Seawatch Restaurant. Located at the clubhouse for the Wailea Emerald and Wailea Gold golf courses had something going last night. A nice 10 minute display of fireworks about 9:00pm.

Here are some shots I captured from the parking lot of the Wailea Blue golf course, which is about 1 mile north.