FULL MOON OVER MAU'I

YUCKY FULL MOON

Usually the rising and setting of a full moon is breathe taking.

Not tonight!

Cloud cover obscured everything.

This is as good as it got.

==============================================
SURVEY

Everytime a passenger gets in my cab I always ask "where ya'll from?" It's a great "ice breaker".

Here are the results of tonight:

1 - New York, New York, USA

2 - USMC on leave from Iraq

3 - Palm Springs, California, USA

4 - London, United Kingdom

5 - Island of Moloka'i, Mau'i County, Hawai'i, USA

6 - Kama'aina

7 - Phoenix, Arizona, USA

8 - Wales, United Kingdom (He did tell me the city name but it must have been 30 letters long. Welsh must be as hard to understand as Hawai'ian)

9 - Kama'aina

10 - Calgary, Alberta, Canada

11 - Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

12 - Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
and Edmondton, Alberta, Canada
==============================================
NOT A PLEASANT SIGHT

Gas has gone up over the weekend

==============================================
CANCELLED FLIGHT

Air Canada cancelled their "redeye" last night (which kinda skewed the survey). All the night shift drivers but one had logged off. The last remaining driver was headed for the barn when I started getting calls from The Grand. Both PBX operators called at the same time. I needed to pick up three sets of guests from the airport and return them to The Grand. I advised the other driver that I needed his assistance and we both "high-tailed it" to OGG. We had a 2-pax, a 3-pax and a 4-pax waiting for us.

Then the phone really started ringing as the other 280 passengers also wanted a cab. Geez!

I called La Bella, the 24/7 cab company in central Mau'i, and advised them of what had happened and they sent their 2 night cabs to the airport. They also started calling in dayshift drivers early.

Eventually everyone was accommodated. And a mediocre night was rescued.
==============================================
WAITING

What you can't see is that her gentleman companion is "passed out" on the grass perimeter of the Foodland parking in front of "one-nine". Spread-eagled and supine. She is patiently waiting for a friend to pick them up, literally true for "sleepyhead".


That's Royal Cab #18 in the background.
==============================================
BTW

Kama'aina (kah-mah-eye-nah) is the term to describe residents of Hawai'i who are not of Hawai'ian blood.

If you live in Texas you can call yourself "Texan".
If you live in California you can call yourself "Californian".
But only native Hawai'ians can call themselves "Hawai'ian" in Hawai'i.
==============================================

Later.....

Wil
=8^))
"Let's all be careful out there!"

PROUD GRANDPA

This is a pic, taken today, of my 15 year old grandson, Zac, doing a back flip at Dodge Ridge, a ski resort in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California.

As his father, my son Rob, stated in the e-mail:
"Ah to be young and fearless again." I concur.

I have four grandsons aged 21, 15, 12 (almost 13) and 2 (the surprise package). I am unabashedly proud of all of them.
==============================================

Later.....

Wil
=8^))
"Let's all be careful out there!"

"TIPS" AND "SKIPS" AND "OBSERVATIONS"

Q: What's the difference between a Canadian and a canoe?

A: A canoe will definately tip.
==============================================
TIPS

I'll probably piss a lot of people off with this. Oh, well. Feces occurs.

==============================================

Canadians are famous here for being poor tippers and always complaining about the currency exchange rate. That's funny, since the exchange rate for visitors from New Zealand and Australia is usually in the same ballpark, and those folks always seem to be generous. I should note though, over the years there has been a shift in Canadian tipping habits. Those from Alberta and British Columbia are good tippers. Those from Ontario and east aren't. Those from Manitoba and Saskatchewan are a "toss up."

The French don't tip. Ever. Period.

Germans and Suise (Swiss) always tip exactly 10%.

Japanese usually tip 15-20% and then ask if that is enough.

Visitors from London never tip, but those from the rest of the UK are very thoughtful.

Same with Dublin (bad) and Ireland (good).

Kiwis and Aussies are generous.

Polynesians, both domestic and foreign, never tip.

With the exception of Mexico, people from Latin American are usually very good about tipping.

Those visitors from the "middle east" never tip and usually want to negotiate the final fare. The idea that meter rates are fixed and nonnegotiable is alien to their thought process or cultural precepts.

The only guests that I've had from Africa were from South Africa and were the same as those from the UK.

On the domestic front, locals and kama'ainas (non-native Hawai'i residents) tip in the 10-15% range, except for those folks who live in the multi-million dollar homes. Those asses usually just let you keep the coins.

==============================================
SKIPS

When I first started driving I was hit with a lot of "skips" or "fare beaters."

Usually it was teenage boys who would leap out of the cab at the stated destination and run off into their local neighborhood. Never to be seen again.

Short haul "skips" were an irritant but long haul "skips" were a major loss of income.

Today, I collect what I estimate to be the fare, plus a little more, before I do any long hauls out of town.

I have become pretty adept at spotting the local run "skippers" and just as we are arriving at the destination I hit the "door lock" button on my control panel. I've also removed the little door lock knobs on the rear doors so that they can't be "pulled up" from the interior of the vehicle. After I get paid, I release the locks. Crude but effective.

==============================================
OBSERVATIONS

Generally, most people are pretty honest. When I get a passenger in the cab who is down on their luck and are just trying to get home, they will honestly state up front that they have only so much money and would I take them as far as that amount would cover. With very rare exceptions, I will take them the entire distance and "eat" the difference. About 90% of the time I will have future contact at a later date and they pay the full fare with a generous tip and a truly heartfelt thanks for the kindness that I had shown them on the prior occassion. "IT PAYS TO BE NICE."

The worst fare beaters are the folks who live in the 10-30 million dollar homes in Wailea. They usually are slovernly drunk and when you arrive at their home, within one of the "gated" communities, they have no cash. Only plastic. No cab company on Mau'i accepts plastic. I could call the cops but this is a low priority matter for them and the response time would most likely be over a hour. Just not worth the effort. Nowadays, when I get one of those destinations, I always ask if we need to stop at a "magic money machine" to get cash for the fare.

==============================================

The best fares are people who work in the service end of the tourist industry. They know how expensive it is to live here and how hard all of us who work with tourists have to hustle to earn a buck. For these regulars I usually give them a free ride about once a month just to say thanks. I do run and record the meter, since the owner isn't quite as philanthropic as I am.

==============================================

Later.....

Wil
=8^))
"Let's all be careful out there!"

And so tomorrow arrives

Take the high ground!

Most interesting run of the night were the two ladies I took "up the hill" to Makawao (mah-kah-wow) and Pukalani (poo-kah-lah-nee) from The Grand.

Thats a looong run. 31 miles out.

Makawao and Pukalani are located about 2,000 feet (610 meters) up the slope of Mt. Haleakala, our 10,023 foot (3 km) dormant volcano.

They were both intoxicated but not offensively so. They were having their annual "girls nite out". One was extremely talkative and the other was not.

The "chatty" one followed the normal pattern for the genre.

1. Have to always touch you when speaking.

2. Start their sentences in a loud voice , rapidly tapering to an inaudible murmur. Usually punctuated at the end with either a loud "what do you think?' or a "don't you agree?". And you have no idea of what she said. My generic response is "I agree with you".

3. Asks a question, answers that question and then tells you why your answer is wrong. And you haven't said a word.

4. Near the end of the run, lady drunks begin to act a "little friskie". I deflect their intentions by telling them:
"how disappointed my wife would be with me if I were to accept your offer. And I really do love and respect my wife and would never do anything to hurt her. But, please, don't get me wrong. You have made my night. Its been a long time since such a beautiful lady as yourself has shown any interest in this old, worn out fart." It always works, and she doesn't feel insulted or snubbed.

BTW - I am NOT married. Not for the last 18 years. :)


Here's a pic of Kahului Town from Pukalani.


==============================================
Yesterday

Yesterday I said "Lets see what tomorrow brings."

Well, it brought the same number of runs but a hell of a lot more money.

And the dispatching was not as overwhelming as it can be at times.

All-in-all, a pretty good night.
==============================================

ME

This was taken this morning. Me, "Maggie" and "one-nine." Hmmm. It doesn't show my "pony-tail" which goes about halfway down my back. Forehead is getting longer too. Sigh.


Well, Its Sunday morning again. Two days off.

To bed. To sleep. Perchance to dream.
==============================================

Later.....

Wil
=8^))
"Let's all be careful out there!"

My calendar said it was Friday

But it was dead slow, Only had 13 runs. Some of the other drivers had an even rougher night. Sad. Not one interesting event the entire night.

============================================
Joel, a fellow driver, offered me the use of his photo:

What can I say? Its Mau'i.
============================================
Lets see what tomorrow brings.
============================================

Later.....

Wil
=8^))
"Let's all be careful out there!"

DRUNKS

Pretty average night but the best part was that two drivers came in early at 5:00am and I was able to get off early. :)

Sorry, nothing of interest to take a pic of.

==============================================

Around 1:00am I was dispatched down to Mulligans, 4 miles away, to take two people to the Kea Lani, a total distance of 4/10ths of a mile. The walkway down the hill from Mulligans to their parking lot is a wide (easily handles 3 abreast), gentle stairway with rails on both sides. These two guys come down, bouncing off one rail and then the next. Thank God they weren't driving!

They had a running conversation the entire distance, none of which could be called intelligible, though they seemed to understand each other. They were speaking in American, drunk American.

Got to the Kea Lani and drunk #1 hands me a twenty and says "make sure my buddy gets to the Four Seasons okay."

Sweet!

Get the second drunk to the Four Seasons, total fare = $6.20, and he looks at the meter and hands me a ten.

"The other gentleman already paid the fare, sir."

"Naw, he just paid for his ride. This is for my ride."

Kewl!

$30 on a $6.20 run. Like I've said before, "pupu runs" are usually very profitable in Wailea.

==============================================

As a cop I developed a working theory about drunks and being a cabbie has only reenforced it.

The average IQ for a human is 100. The consumption of alcohol reduces that number by 10 points per drink.

In both occupations, I always seem to have contact with them when they've reached some point below 60. "Blithering idiot" status.

==============================================

Later.....

Wil
=8^))
"Let's all be careful out there!"

TRAGIC NIGHT

We had a plane crash near the airport yesterday evening. It was a Cessna 414 air ambulance and all three persons aboard were killed. A lot of stories about it here.

And here are "on scene" stories from the Maui News.

One of the Honolulu papers posted a quicktime video from a cell phone at the scene.

I was by the area twice during the shift.

==============================================
Six Month Anniversary


These are my friends Jason and Heather. They were out celebrating their 6th month wedding anniversary last night. Congratulations!

==============================================
KALAMA PARK FOLLOW UP

To be fair, I need to state that in the daylight and early evening, Kalama park is a great place to visit. Fantastic playground for the keiki (little kids). A very challenging skateboard area. Baseball diamonds, basketball courts and a soccer (football to the rest of the world) field. Also a volleyball area, BBQs and picnic tables, both sheltered and open. There is no beach there, just a seawall. A nice place to sit and watch the sunset and try to catch a glimpse of that elusive green flash when the last of the sun drops below the horizon.

Kalama Park at sunset.


A soccer (football) practice at Kalama Park.

==============================================
KRISPY KREME


Krispy Kreme had to be evacuated due to the crash and fire last night. It is maybe 100 yards from the crash site.

When Krispy Kreme opened about two years ago, it sold 85,000 doughnuts in the first 24 hours. It was over three months before there was not a one-hour wait at both the drive-thru and walk-in. This location was the first mainland style doughnut store in the state. No Dunkin Donuts, no Winchells, nothing. And if you've ever been here, and tried to eat a local doughnut, you understand why this place is so popular.

And please, no "Cops and Doughnuts" jokes. I've heard them all before. ;)

==============================================

Later.....

Wil
=8^))
"Let's all be careful out there!"

KALAMA PARK

(aka "needle park")

As I am approaching the "triangle" last night, a really scruffy looking guy dashes out of Kalama Park across the street in front of me. Damn near hit him. As I pass him, I yell out the window "That's a good way to end up dead."

After turning into the "Triangle" and parking, my passenger door is jerked open by this dude. My first thought is trouble! He is standing there, out of breathe, panting "I got money! I got money!" While showing me his wallet choked with American "Greenbacks".

"Quick! Get me outta here!"

"No problem. Where do you want to go?"

He gave me an address at the south end of town.

"No problem. Hop in. What happened back there? A drug deal gone bad?"

"Some 'loca' punks tried to rob me!"

"Wow!, Really? Are you okay?" (True meaning of the question was "please don't bleed on my velour seats")

"Yeah, I got away from them."

Kalama Park, after dark, is bad news. Everyone who lives here knows that is where the "nightcrawlers" do their business.

When we drop tourists at the "triangle" we always tell them NOT to go for a walk in the park. No matter how romantic it may seem. We have had a couple of murders there, all drug related, over the past couple of years.

About two years ago, the members of MPD's SWAT team were having a family picnic at the park. Two scumbags came up to them and wanted to buy some drugs. The officers told them to "fuck off". Ten minutes later, these "Lex Luthors" come back with a gun and start shooting at the cops. BAD MOVE!! There was a ten minute running gun fight. The bad guys were captured a few hours later and, luckily, no one was injured.

Like most police agencies, the "nighthawks" can't be everywhere all the time. So the "nightcrawlers" just keep plying their wares.

Different faces and places but nothing ever changes. Sigh.

================================================


Everything Looks Different In The Daylight!


Sunrise begins to kiss the West Mau'i Mountains.

"Top Of The House" at the Grand Wailea.

The waterfall along the main entry driveway at the Grand Wailea.

The view from the east side walk to the restrooms.

The view from the west side walkway to the restrooms.

============================================

Moonset Over Maalaea Bay

This was taken about 0150hrs. Kinda crappy shot, but in reality it was beautiful.

==============================================

Later.....

Wil
=8^))
"Let's all be careful out there!"

Do something BRAVE today

(and then run like HELL!)




==============================================

Later.....

Wil
=8^))
"Let's all be careful out there!"

"BROKEBACK" JOKE

COWBOY FROM BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, WYOMING

A rugged cowboy from Brokeback Mountain, Wyoming, goes into the doctor's office and has some tests run.

The doctor comes back and says, "I am not going to beat around the bush, You have AIDS."

The cowboy tugs at his Stetson and sets his jaw and says, "Doc, what can I do?"

The doctor says,

"I want you to go home and eat

5 pounds of spicy sausage,

a head of cabbage,

20 un-peeled carrots drenched in hot sauce,

10 Jalapeno peppers,

40 walnuts and 40 peanuts,

1/2 box of Grapenuts cereal,

and top it off with a gallon of prune juice."

The cowboy squares his rugged shoulders and asks, "Will that cure me, Doc?"

"No, but it should leave you with a better understanding of what your ass is for."


==============================================

Later.....

Wil
=8^))
"Let's all be careful out there!"

DINING OUT

Today is my day off, so I thought that I would share some of my favorite restaurants on Mau'i.
--------------------------------------------
SARENTO'S
Sarento's on the Beach is one of the few restaurants on the island that is actually "on the beach". One of two restaurants on the island (and one of eleven in the state) that received "Triple A's '4-Diamond' Award".

Not including alcohol, it typically runs about $55 per diner. Pretty reasonable for a "5-STAR" establishment. The food is excellent and the service impeccable. You get the feeling that everyone in Sarento's is there for your pleasure.

Sarento's is my favorite.
--------------------------------------------
MAMA'S
Mama's Fish House is the best seafood restaurant in the entire world. That's not just my opinion, it has been proclaimed as such by Bon Appetite, Conde Nast and Gourmet magazines. The fish is so fresh that they indicate the name of the boat and it's captain's name that caught that fish that day for each menu entre. The only way to get your fish any fresher than at "Mama's" would be to "hitch a ride" on one of the boats and bring your own hibachi with you.

While it sits right on the beach, on the east side of the island, there isn't much of a view after dark. But if you go there in the afternoon you can watch sail-boarders and kite-surfers having fun. Mama's is located just up the road from Ho'okipa beach, the windsurfing capital of the world.
--------------------------------------------
HALI'IMAILE GENERAL STORE
Hali'imaile General Store was actually a "general store" back in the plantation era. Now it is a world class restaurant. Don't bother looking out the windows, there is nothing to see but warehouses and cane fields. But with food like this, you'll be too busy savoring the cuisine to notice.
--------------------------------------------
SANSEI
Sansei has two locations on Mau'i. One in Kihei and the other in Kahana, on the "westside" of the island. If you like sushi, there is no better place on the globe than this. They also have karaoke, after 10pm, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Have some sushi, drink some saki and have fun!
--------------------------------------------
MULLIGAN'S ON THE BLUE
ERIN GO BRAUGH. Yup, we have our own "Irish pub" here on Mau'i. Mulligan's is the 19th "puka" (hole) at the Wailea "Blue" Course. A great place for drinks and "pupu's" after a round of golf or an Irish dinner anytime. They have one hell of a "to-do" for "St. Paddy's Day" (March 17th) and "Cinco De Mayo" (May 5th).
--------------------------------------------
MAU'I TACOS
Do you like authentic mexican food? Want an inexpensive meal? Then Mau'i Tacos is the place. As a former cop from California, I loved eating at the "taco trucks". This was authentic Mexican food. Well, Mau'i Tacos is exactly the same. Located in little "hole-in-the-wall" store fronts around the island, you can't beat it for "comfort food". This is not TACO 'HELL' crap.

***W A R N I N G*** -

If you go here, be careful about the "Sergio's Revenge" salsa from the condiment bar. Not for the"faint hearted". I eat jalapeno peppers like candy with no problems. "Sergio's Revenge" was even more than I could handle. Learned the hard way to just use it very, very sparingly, not ladle it on. It only took a couple of days for my eyes to stop "watering" and I had feeling back in my tongue/mouth/lips within a month or so. ;-)

As one of Clint Eastwood's characters said, "A man has got to know his limits." I learned mine.

I see from their web site that they are expanding across the "mainland". Check it out and see if there is one near you.
--------------------------------------------
ROY'S
Roy Yamaguchi started "Roy's" in Kahana years ago and has expanded nationwide. Besides the original, we have a second location in Kihei. Whatever you do, do not forget to order their "Roy's Melting Hot Chocolate Soufflé" for dessert when you order your entre. You'll regret it if you don't.
--------------------------------------------
OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE
Yes, I know that "Outback" is just another national "chain" restaurant, but it is a fun and inexpensive place to go. Around here it is hard to find places that serve shrimp or lobster at a reasonable price. They feature Foster's Beer from Australia (a product that makes most Australians grimace and Americans seem to love). Our local Outback even features "Australian Rules" football from a satellite fed TV. This sport makes rugby seem tame.

==============================================

Later.....

Wil
=8^))
"Let's all be careful out there!"

QUEEN MARY 2

Had a visitor last week that I forgot to mention.

The Queen Mary 2 made a brief stop over at Lahaina. She is on her maiden Pacific voyage.

The pics are from the Mau'i News.

Here is a link to the article.
============================================

The Queen Mary 2 anchors off Lahaina on Thursday on a one-day port call to the Valley Isle as part of its maiden Pacific voyage. The Cunard liner is the largest, fastest, tallest and widest passenger ship in the world.

The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
============================================

With West Maui in the background, one of the Queen Mary 2’s five pools includes a dramatic vista. The ship also boasts eight whirlpools.

The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
============================================

The ship’s main dining room, the Britannia Restaurant, is three decks high and spans the full width of the ship.

The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
============================================

COMMODORE RONALD WARWICK
============================================

The Queen Mary 2’s library provides wireless Internet service among its amenities

The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
==============================================

Later.....

Wil
=8^))
"Let's all be careful out there!"

"PURR-FECT"

From Art Bell's webcam at coasttocoastam.com

============================================

It was one of those nights when I could do no wrong. All the travails of the shift just slid off.

Started at 6:00pm and picked up the phone and reservations from another driver who was covering until my arrival. First reservation was at 7:00pm and there were 6 cabs queued up before me.

The calls came sparingly and then it was 6:45pm and I was first up. For "time calls", we dispatch a cab to the pickup location 15 minutes in advance. At 7:00pm I made my pickup from The Grand to the airport (OGG).

The round trip usually takes about 1 hour.

Queued up again at 8:00pm. The next time call was 9:00pm and at 8:45pm I was again first in line. So off to the Four Seasons and another run to the airport.

As I was entering Kihei, on the return, I received a call from Speedie-Shuttle requesting that we cover a pickup of two pilots at the Mau'i Coast Hotel in Kihei at 10:10pm and take them to the airport. All the rest of the cabs were in Wailea and I was the only "outside" (not in Wailea) cab. So another trip to the airport!!!

I cleared at the airport around 10:45pm and had just passed the car rental agencies when I received a call from a former driver, who now works as a rental agent at Hertz rent-a-car, wondering if I had any cabs in the airport area. He had some guests needing a ride into Kihei. So, 5 minutes later, I have a paid ride back to town.

Not bad.

At the end of the run the meter read $37.10 and, as he handed me a $100 bill, my fare said, "The smallest I have is this. I know you can't break it, so keep the change." My hand snatched that bill out of his hand like a raptor, as I thanked him and "beat feet" out of there before he changed his mind.

A $62.90 TIP!!!!

Did bar runs til 2:00am.

At 2:45am I took a gentleman across the island to see his lady friend, thus having my fifth long run of the night.

A couple of more "pu-pu runs" and then I was at The Grand, compiling the reservations for Sunday. One of their guests walked out at 4:30am wanting a taxi to the airport. So away we went on my sixth long run.

When I got back to the garage, my relief driver, Brian, asked if I had lost a roll of nickles the night before. I told him about the guy who had paid me in rolled nickles (see previous post). Brian opened the glove box and handed me a roll that he had found on the rear floor. Thus I had only lost $1 on that prior run

The perfect ending to a "purr-fect" day.

==============================================



This morning's sunrise over Mt. Haleakala, our dormant volcano.
==============================================



The departure terminal at OGG. I've mentioned before how small our international airport is.
==============================================



Today's gas prices.
==============================================



The fountain at the entrance to the Four Seasons.
==============================================



Brian
==============================================



Anna-Lisa, one of the "Triangles" many patrons
==============================================

Another Sunday morning and the end of another week for me.
==============================================

Later.....

Wil
=8^))
"Let's all be careful out there!"

WHEW

A really busy night.

It started out really slow. I came on at 6:00pm and didn't get my first run until 6:45pm and that was just a $5 "pu-pu".

At 7:00pm the owner turned dispatch over to me (ugh). Stayed slow for the next hour. 8 cabs idle. Boredom.

About 8:00pm the phone started ringing. Zip, that 8 cab cushion is now down to one cab coverage for the entire southside of the island. People were headed to the airport, the harbor, dinner, etc. By 8:30pm I was becoming very selective in the calls I was accepting. With vastly reduced resources I had to husband what was available. By 11:30pm we were caught up on the calls and then were able to give a 10 minute response on request. And they just kept coming in.

The bar close was a madhouse, but by 2:00am, I was able to send the other drivers home.

And the phone still kept ringing, albeit at a slower rate.

Kept moving until my first two dayshift drivers checked in early at 4:30am. Passed over the phone and reservations and "got the hell out of Dodge".

They had two airport runs to start their day. One at 5:00am and the other at 5:15am. Their entire morning was booked solid.

============================================

WEIRD SIGHT

At one point during the night I came to a 4-way stop intersection. Just as I was pulling away, a movement caught my attention and I braked hard. Coming through the intersection was a mini-motorscooter with two riders towing three teenagers on skateboards. Each boarder clinging to the shirt of the one in front and the first one holding the hand of the scooter's passenger. There was no light on the scoot and everyone was dressed in black. I sat there in disbelief until they passed. I broadcast over the radio what I had seen to warn other drivers in the area. About 10 minutes later, one driver advised that the boys had been stopped by MPD on the highway about a mile south of where I had seen them. MPD was conducting field sobriety tests on the entire lot.

Ah, to be a teenager and believe that you are indestuctable. We have all walked that path ourselves. Amazing we have lived this long.
==============================================

"Buddy can you spare a nickle?"

Made one pickup a little after 3:30am at the south end of Kihei and took him north. The fare was $20. He handed me 1 - $5 bill and six rolls of nickles (for readers outside the U.S., there are $2 worth of nickles in each roll). Yup, just $17 total. $3 short. It was obvious that that was all he had. The company gets its 60% of the fare and I eat the rest. But it wasn't enough to stress over. Feces occurs and he might tip big the next time. Thats the way it usually seems to work out, more often than not, over the 4+ years I've been doing this.
==============================================

Sorry, no pics tonight.

==============================================

Later.....

Wil
=8^))
"Let's all be careful out there!"

GIRL'S DAY

Today (March 3rd) is "Girl's Day" in Japan. All females celebrate their birthday today.

"Boy's Day" is on May 5th.
============================================
Called off sick last night, so I'll share some links to the resort hotels in Wailea.

Four Seasons

The Grand Wailea

Mau'i Prince Hotel

Renaissance Wailea Beach Resort

Wailea Marriott Resort

The Fairmont Kea Lani Maui

Diamond Hawaii Resort & Spa

============================================

Later.....

Wil =8^))
"Let's all be careful out there!"

STREET / LOCATION NAMES

Some are difficult (why-mah-high-high)



Some just roll off of your tongue (key-hay & kay-oh-nee-kai)



Some don't (kah-lie Wah-ah)



Most fall in the middle (koo-lah-nee hah-coy)



When some tourist wants to be picked up at the "hey-kah-high", you have to find out if they mean the KIHEI AKAHI (ah-kah-he)



Or the WAILEA EKAHI (eh-kah-he)
BTW - EKAHI is Hawai'ian for "one" (1)



ELUA (eh-lou-ah) is "two" (2)



And EKOLU (eh-koh-lou) is "three" (3)


============================================

POLICE LIGHT BARS



I really don't like these "strobe" emergency lights. The flash is very effective when they are in your direct "line of sight" but that flash does not reflect well off the surrounding buildings or ground. The officer has had his "ring of protection" truncated around curves and other areas of limited visibility. The rotating emergency lights were so much better. Also, these "strobe" lights cause your pupils to constrict to pinpoints, destroying your night vision.

Thats my "two cent" opinion.
============================================

WHERE'D EVERYBODY GO?

12 hours = 10 runs.

Earned enough to buy my cat, "Bear", some kitty food and me a couple of packs of cancer sticks.

I've had worse nights.

=============================================

Later.....

Wil =8^))
"Let's all be carefull out there!"

YAWN

MPD checking out some problem at Neptune's, in the Triangle last night.
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So-so night. Made money but never really busy.

After clearing a run at The Grand, I was departing on the exit driveway. Just as I approached the public street, some idiot turned off the street and proceeded to enter via the exit drive. I came to a quick stop and waited. He came to a stop facing me. Ah, a "mexican standoff". We finally worked our way past each other, exchanging mutual signs and words of respect.

Everyone drives here just like they do at home. Unfortunately, "home" is everywhere in the world.

I started thinking about all the drivers I have encountered while cabbing.

Our "left of the road" guests tend to have an initial problem on our "right of the road" island. Granted, these folks are tired. Some have been traveling for over 24 hours to get here.

This is most dangerous on the airport road. Two lanes inbound, two lanes outbound, separated by a double yellow line. It is very disconcerting to have them exit the rental agencies, turn onto the outbound lane and then immediately move to the curbside inbound lane. A lane that you currently occupy. Trust me, that strange sound you hear is your seat cover being sucked up your ass.

This happened to me about two weeks ago. I actually had to go halfway over the curb to avoid being hit headon. I could not read the lips nor hear the words spoken but the female passenger's wild gestures and aggitated manner seemed to indicate her dissatisfaction with the male driver's actions. But he was totally "zoned" and oblivious to her. Probably his natural manner.

The biggest problem about driving in a country that drives on the "opposite" side is when an emergency occurs. You instictively turn towards the nearside curb. That instinctive left or right jerk of the wheel will turn a minor incident into a major tragedy when in an "opposite" country.

Some guests here honk their horn when stopping, starting and turning. Probably while backing up also, but I haven't observed that. I wonder where they are from?

I do know that in NYC the horns on taxis are faster than the speed of light. Nanoseconds prior to the light turning "green", the horns behind you start blaring. Amazing. I wonder if the DoD has looked into this. Could also be useful for Homeland Security. ;)

=============================================
Later.....

Wil =8^))
"Let's all be carefull out there!"

SIGH

TSUNAMI'S AT SUNSET
This is the "Ballroom" or "Group" entrance at the Grand. This is also the entrance to"Tsunami's" on Friday and Saturday night.


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Since it was Saturday, it was again my night to dispatch. Just read the previous post to get an idea of how the night went.

My second fare was a newlywed couple from Stockholm, Sweden. I took them to Delta at OGG where they faced a 26 hour trek home. Mau'i to L.A., to Atlanta, Georgia, to JFK, to Paris, to Stockholm. Whoa, thats building up a lot of frequent flyer miles.

I love newlyweds. Their smiles are so genuine. Their actions towards each other so caring. Shame it won't last.

Picked up a very tired lady, out of Chicago, from the hospital last night and brought her back to the 4 Seasons. Her husband had gone diving and miscalculated his assent rate/time and was suffering from the "bends". He was to be transported today to Honolulu, where they have a pressure chamber.

She was pensive but calm. They were here celebrating their 30th anniversary. They were "empty-nesters", their 26 year old daughter now living in London. We talked about life and marriage and grandkids (she didn't have any). You could tell that she still loved her husband, in a "comfortable shirt" fashion, but was bored by 30 years of "sameness."

When we arrived at her hotel the fare was $59.60. She handed $60 and apologised for no tip. I told her not to worry about it. She insisted that I wait while she went to her room to get more money. I told her that I really had to leave since we were "backed up" about 10 runs. She still insisted, so I suggested that if she really wanted to give me a tip, that she put the money in an envelope and give it to the night doorman (I know the guy) and that he would call me to pick it up. About 30 minutes later I got the call from him. As I picked up the envelope I handed him $2, without even looking inside to see how much it was. Thanked him for his kindness. Opened to find $20 inside. I hope her husband gets better and that some novelty comes into her life.

Not all marriages here end nicely.

About two years back, I picked up a newlywed couple from the Seawatch restaurant, about 11:00pm, after their wedding dinner. Took them to the Wailea Marriott. At 3:30am the Marriott called requesting a cab. It was the groom. Took him to OGG, the airport. The entire 30 minute ride he was on the phone with his attorney in L.A., where it was 5:30am. I wonder if the attorney charged double his normal hourly rate for this call?

He wanted his attorney to get a locksmith to immediately re-key his house, have the alarm company re-set all access codes, etc., and immediately file annullment/divorce papers, whichever was best.

He called his new wife many names. "Loving bride" was not among them. Sad.

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This is my friend Robert. He used to drive for Royal but has moved to the "competition". I think he got tired of being a "nite owl" and dealing with drunks. Works "days" now. I think he made the face so that I wouldn't use his picture. He was wrong. :)

============================================
I classify the people out at night, after "bar close", into 3 catagories.

"NIGHTHAWKS" - Police, Fire, Ambulance

"NIGHTOWLS" - All of us who work the single digit hours of the morning

"NIGHTCRAWLERS" - The vermin of that crawl out of the shadows

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Ah! It's Sunday morning. Off til Tuesday night :)



Later.....
Wil =8^))
"Let's all be careful out there"

DISPATCHING

Ring.
Ring

"Good evening, Royal Cab. This is Wil."

""Is this a taxi company?"

"Yes, This is Royal Cab."

"Is this a taxi company?"

"Yes it is. How may I assist you?"

"I need a taxi."

"Okay. Where are you at?"

"Kihei."

"Could you be a little more specific."

"South Kihei."

"Where in south Kihei?"

"South Kihei road."

"Sir, south Kihei road is 7 miles long. Where are you at right now?"

"I want to go to the 'Triangle'."

"Fantastic. We are more than happy to take you to the 'Triangle', we just need to know where to pick you up at."

"Oh yeah. I am in Kihei."
--------------------------------
Ring.
Ring.

"Good evening. Royal Cab. This is Wil."

"How long to get a cab?"

"Where are you at?"

"Kihei. How long to get a cab?"

"Ma'am, where in Kihei are you?"

"Cassorole Dunes."

"Do you mean Kamaole Sands?"

"Yeah, that's it."

Which building are you staying in?"

"I don't know."

Well, ma'am. Kam Sands has ten buildings and I need to know which one to send the cab to."

"Can I call you back?"

"Sure. Aloha."

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And thats how it goes for the next 12 hours.

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Apparently there is also a Royal Cab in Honolulu. I am always getting calls from tourists who dialed 4-1-1 from there and were routed to me. Honolulu is 100 miles and 3 islands northwest of Mau'i.

About a year ago, I got a call from someone wanting to confirm their limo reservations for the "Oscars". Apparently there is a "Royal Limo Service" somewhere in southern California.

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"Aloha, where are we headed to tonight?"

"Take me to a 'tittie bar!'"

"Uh, sir. We don't have 'tittie bars' on Mau'i."

"WHAT???"

Yes sir. The only 'tittie bars' in Hawai'i are in Honolulu."

"Okay. Take me to Honolulu."

"Sir, Honolulu is 100 miles away..."

"I don't care. Take me there."

"... and there are no bridges between the islands. To get to Honolulu, you have to fly."

"What do you mean there are no bridges. What a fucked up place this is. Okay, take me to the airport."

"Sir, the airport is closed and the next flight to Honolulu isn't until 6:25 in the morning."

"This place is really fucked up. You come here and you're trapped. Take me to my hotel."

"Okay, which hotel are you staying at sir?"

"I don't know."
-----------------------------

Another Friday night.

OUCH!

BTW - All photos can be enlarged for easier viewing by just "left clicking" on them. :)
This happened sometime on Tuesday night's shift. The day driver found it on Wednesday morning. I called the owner Wednesday night after the day driver called me. He told me not to worry about it. We'll fix it if the hotel complains. No big deal. All I can figure is someone scraped me when I was away from the vehicle.

TAMMY


This is my friend Tammy. She is a bartender at Neptune's, one of the clubs in the "bar-muda triangle". Tammy is one of the most positive people I've ever met. I don't think anything will ever give her the "blues". Luv ya, sweetheart.

LAST NIGHT

Last night was the busiest that I have seen since the new meter rates went into effect on January 6th. I started an hour later than usual. Just needed that extra hour off to "recharge the batteries". One of my last trips from the previous shift were 3 ladies going to the airport, at 4:30am, for a day-trip to Honolulu and Pearl Harbor to see the USS ARIZONA, USS MISSOURI and Waikiki. I had given them my card and told them if they needed to be picked up on their return to just give us a call. And golly-gee, they actually called and wanted me to meet them at the airport at 7:30pm. The owner called me at home around 6:30pm, just as I was getting out of the shower (good omen - I wasn't IN the shower when he called) and told me about this "special request". I boogied down to the garage and me and ONE-NINE headed for Mau'i International Airport (I won't say our airport is small, but both the departure and arrival terminals could fit comfortably inside an average Wisconson milking barn). Greeted them at the bottom of the escalator and took them back to Kihei. They had had a great day and were exhausted.

They are departing the island on monday (my day off), so I made arrangements for another driver to pick them up and take them to the airport.

The more ambitious drivers in the company do that to help each other out. Also, they really do need a van. Three ladies, here for two weeks, do tend to bring a lot of luggage.

And even though my Soprano's car can hold four dead bodies in the trunk, it ain't big enough for that much luggage.

As the shift progressed, I was to make 4 more trips to the airport. Add that to 11 long in-town runs and the night ended very profitablely. GRIN

LONG vs SHORT RUNS

In most of the U.S., cab drivers pay a fee to lease their vehicle for a specific period of time. Once they earn back that fee during their shift they start making a profit from thereon. This makes the business very "cutthroat" for the drivers. Out of their profits for the shift they must also buy their own gas, usually from the "company store", since the cab must have a full tank at the beginning and end of their shift.

On Mau'i, very few companies operate that way. Here the drivers total up the trip dollars at the end of the shift and pay the company 60% of that amount, keeping 40% and their tips for themselves. Any monies expended for gas/oil/etc. are deducted from the company's share of the proceeds. This is actually a pretty good deal for both sides. The busier you are means both the company and driver share the shift's profits. Conversely, the driver doesn't get "the shaft" if the shift is slow.

Long runs mean a higher total meter but a lower tip percent for the driver. Short runs earn less on the meter but people are more generous with their tip percentage. A run from The Grand to the airport takes about 1 hour for the round trip. The fare is $53.30 and most people give you $60 "and keep the change". During that same hour, a driver staying in Wailea could do 5 hotel-to-hotel runs, for an average of $6 per trip. The passenger usually gives them $10 and "keep the change". Thus the driver who went to the airport earned $28.02 for the hour and the driver who stayed in Wailea earned $32. The company earned $31.98 off of the airport driver and $18 from the driver who stayed back.

Unlike New York, where a driver who makes a run to one of the airports will then queue up at the taxi terminal there for a run out of the airport, thus earning money in both directions, we have to "deadhead" back from the airport.

The State of Hawai'i, Department of Transportation, has an exclusive contract with Mau'i Airport Taxi for all non-scheduled taxi departures. Any other cab company and/or driver trying to poach in their domain will lose their airport usage permits. Outside companies and drivers are only authorized and permitted to make pre-arranged pickups from OGG (Mau'i's FAA designation).

Most drivers at Royal Cab do a blend of both types of runs during their shift.

Night shift drivers do have one advantage, and disadvantage, over the day shift drivers. We deal with drunks most of the night. Drunks can be a real pain in the ass but generally tend to be very gregarious when tipping. Obnoxious drunks are the main reason most drivers hate to work at night. Those of us who do, are very adept at making a legal profit from them.

Day shift driver have the ability to take tourists on tours of the island. Before the rate change, we charged $50 per hour (2 hour minimum) to do this. I think the rate is now $75 per hour. This isn't really as expensive as it sounds. The tour bus companies charge $200 per person for the same service. A typical tour is about 10 hours long.

A family of 5 would spend $1,000 if they went on the tour bus or $750 dollars with us. And we will stop anywhere you want on the tour rather than only at designated venues. Our drivers (Jim and Susan) who specialize in this service are really knowledgeable and personnable.

BTW - If, perchance, you are headed this way and this sounds interesting to you. Just call us at 808-874-6900 and ask for Jim or Susan to call you back. We'll need your name and telephone number to do this.


And as the Moon and Venus watch, the sun begins to creep up on Mt. Haleakala ("house of the sun") and brings another of my shifts to a close.

Aloha!