Paradise Driver

Friday, August 25, 2006

SPEEDI-SHUTTLE

YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR

Most metropolitan and tourist areas in America have a shuttle service that will transport you from the airport to your hotel/condo, on arrival, and back to the airport, on your departure. The fare for this service is very cheap.

On Mau'i, this company is Speedi-Shuttle. Speedi-Shuttle is a "cash cow" for taxis on Mau'i. Even though they have very modern vehicles, the latest in GPS tracking and two-way radios that cover the entire island, they just can't seem to cover those returns to the airport. It is at least a weekly event for Royal to get a call requesting that we pick up people they have left stranded.

I was having a very dull night. At 4:00am I had handled 11 runs but was barely over $100 on the meter. Then Steve, the night valet at The Grand, called. Speedi-Shuttle had failed to show for a 4:00am airport transfer. I was sitting right next door, at The Shops Of Wailea, and 5 minutes later, we were on our way to OGG. The first time I had been out of Kihei all shift. This windfall brought the meter to about $175 and made the shift one where I would actually go home with some decent cash in my pocket.

The fates seem to like toying with me this way.

Thunderstorm in Kahului

Two panoramic views of Honolulu

Honolulu
from Diamond Head

Diamond Head
from Waikiki

Luau

Palapa & Beer

And so ends another day of "Sun, Sand and Surf"

Later.....

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

Thursday, August 24, 2006

MY WORST SHIFT EVER

WASN'T LAST NIGHT

It was September, 2002. The summer tourist season had ended. On Mau'i we eagerly awaited the first reports of snow in North America. Thats the first sign the "snowbirds" will be arriving soon. However, between that moment and the Labor Day Holiday which proceeds it, Mau'i is a "ghost town". A great time to visit. Every hotel and condo offer steeply discounted rates. Activities also sharply cut their fees. And, most importantly, airlines fares are very, very cheap. That is also when we have our best weather of the year.

Back then, my shift started at 6:00pm and I was working 7 days a week. I finally "packed it in" about 11:00pm with just one $4.25 run.

Compared to that night, this past shift was "gold" (always look on the positive side). From 7:00pm to 2:00am I had three runs. Thankfully, two were decent and the third was a pickup from OGG back to The Grand. The first two tipped me $6.90 and $5.70. The OGG to Grand run tipped exactly $20.00. That really helped a whole bunch.

Three more runs from 2:00am and 5:00am put me over $100, finally, on the meter.

Tuesday, I woke up, still exhausted, with a major migraine. So bad the my cat, walking across the carpet, didn't know how close he came to being executed. Took some aspirin and waited for the pain to subside as I sat in my dark house, whincing with each breathe I drew. I wanted to "google" some cures but there was no way to look at the monitor. It was too skull crushingly bright. The damn street light, dimly filtering through the blinds, was also too searing.

Just existing was torture.

Woke up Wednesday, feeling as "fine" as my body gets now-a-days.

I didn't get a pic of the fare from OGG. She was a nice break from routine. It was a solo female from Palm Springs, California, USA. I would guesstimate her age as 40-ish but she looked like she was in her very early 30's. Tall, blonde, very "chesty". She was about 5' 6" (167.64 cm) tall, but towered over me in her 4" (10.1 cm) stiletto sandals. Educated. Dressed in very chic denims, a longsleeve, softly western, blouse. Topped with a figure enhancing leather vest, adorned with Navahoe silver & turquoise. She is on the island as a guest/friend to one of the oldest and richest families in Hawai'i. The cab fare was billed to her room, which was in the very expensive section of The Grand, the cost being borne by her hosts. A walking definition of "classy". She gave me $20, cash, as my tip.

ENJOY