Missing iPhone On Board Bus No.35.

Picked up a young couple at Parkway Parade taxi stand around 9.00pm last night and they asked me if there is a bus terminal at Changi Airport and I told them yes. They wanted to go to the airport. The guy told me he must have lost his iphone in the bus they took, No.35 now heading towards the Airport. I asked him to call his mobile, but he said he left it on silent mode. I asked if his iphone was with him when he was on board the bus and he said yes because he remembered he was checking on a message in his phone. As we proceeded towards the airport, I said they could try to locate where his mobile is with his girlfriend's iphone and they quickly did that and discovered his mobile somewhere at St. Parick's Road. I suggested we hurry there to try to catch up with the bus but he said we might as well go to the bus stop near Changi airport police station to wait for the bus with his iphone in it. At the security gate he went to inquire where the nearest bus stop is and was told nearby, we followed the road and it led us to the Budget Terminal and not a bus stop was in sight. We decided to go to Terminal three where they could find out more from airport authorities as to where the bus bay was. I drove towards the basement of T3 where they asked to alight near the front of the long taxi queue to continue their quest to recover the missing iphone. They told me that the bus was only carrying few passengers and they were seated at the rear seats so hopefully his iphone might still be lying there somewhere. The guy and his girlfriend were visibly stressed and very anxious along the whole journey. I wished them all the luck and hope they recover his lost iphone as we departed.

.....enjoyed your company and our chit-chats..........

It is not often that I ferry so many different nationals from foreign countries in one night. It happened again a few evenings ago when I first fetched a tourist from Myanmar at United Square taxi stand to Holiday Inn near Cuppage Plaza, from there I drove to Takashimaya taxi stand where I picked up a young lady from Indonesia going to Gleneagles Hospital to visit a sick family member.
After that, just cruising past the Thai Embassy along Orchard Road, a Phillipina lady hailed me and wanted to go to her condominium along Nathan Road and this trip was particularly slow due to very heavy traffic conjestion at Scotts Road.
From Nathan Road, I went straight to Great World City taxi stand along Kim Seng Road where I fetched a middleaged German woman with her young daughter going home to her condo at Club Street. As I was about to leave the condo, a couple from Belgium asked me to send them to Changi Airport T1 as they were flying off to Bali for a short holiday.
After sending the couple to T1, I drove to T2 taxi stand nearby and was lucky enough to pick up almost immediately (no taxi queue at this time), this lady from Hong Kong who wanted to go to Suisse Hotel, I remembered her because she had a slight cold and coughed a little and I offered her a Fisherman's 'citrus' sweet, a new packet I bought earlier which she gratefully accepted. At the same time she requested for me to lower the air conditioner as she was feeling a bit cold. She told me that she was only going to stay for one night and will be going home the next day.
As soon as she alighted at Suisse Hotel, 2 guys, one from Vietnam and the other from Thailand together with a young lady from Indonesia entered straightaway into my taxi. The lady who sat in the front passenger seat asked me to send them to Robertson Quay Hotel which I did.
After leaving them, I drove straight to Clarke Quay taxi stand nearby where I picked up this very interesting gentleman from Canada who wanted to go to the first condo after turning into Bayshore Road. He told me he is a "coffee" blogger and gave me his website address: http://www.map2cafe.com/ He told me about his travels to as many as 54 countries to do his coffee research. We had a very interesting chit-chat during the journey, yes, all about coffee.
Next, I remembered ferrying 3 passengers, a Malaysian and 2 Singaporeans, I forget from where, but I know I sent them to somewhere... I think maybe Rivervale in Sengkang. It was indeed a very interesting and enjoyable day at work for me, getting to meet and chat with all the  passengers from as many as 10 different countries. Right now, I am still trying to remember from where I picked up my last 3 passengers ........ I think.... maybe, I better have a cup of coffee first.

getting ready for great new adventures......

Premier Taxis will be first to impose a surcharge of $3.00 for trips that begin at the Integrated Resorts (IR) come Jan 18. Most Taxi companies have confirmed that they will be following suit at later dates except for ComfortDelgro, the largest Taxi company with a fleet of about 15,000 taxis. They have not indicated that they will be applying for a surcharge just yet.

Meantime, for our company's cabbies, like myself, it will definitely be an exciting boost towards earning a bit more extra when we get started. I am looking forward to picking up my first passenger from the IR, it is going to be another important area to 'queue' up, just like in many other locations including Changi Airport, the Singapore Expo and Seletar Airport as well. It will definitely be a 'jamming' and 'chaotic' affair on day one, and to experience it will be most memorable for me.

Over the past 2 days, taxi drivers were learning to find their way in and out of Resorts World Sentosa and being shown where the drop-off points for visitors are. Many taxis turned up for the orientation, it was orderly and most informative for all who attended.

Beginning of the year has been rather quiet and slow for some and the coming of new entertainment spots in Singapore will be most welcomed by all.

taking unexpected leave from work.........

I started work half an hour late today at about 5.30pm and after picking up my third passenger to Anchorvale Link in Sengkang I had a surprise call on my mobile from a close friend of mine who is a Malaysian but presently residing in Thailand. He had just flew into Singapore and wondered if I was free to meet up with him. We have not been in contact with each other for quite a long time, something like three years and so I was happy to meet him and that's what I did. 
I picked up my friend from Changi Airport Terminal One and we ended up in a 24-hour coffee shop near Mustapha drinking teh tariks. I think three cups each as we chatted about the past and what's been happening during his absence. Time passed us by so quickly and it was already 12.30am when I finally sent him to the hotel that he booked earlier in Joo Chiat Road. 
Thereafter, I decided to head home and so, that was how I spent the rest of Tuesday night with only total earnings of $22.00 which I collected earlier. It is one of those days where you had to forego work, something like taking leave for one day and spend a bit of time with an old friend.

usually with first time visitors

The other day I picked up this Scottish couple from Changi Airport T2 and they were from Germany, first time visitors to Singapore. They were both in their fifties, eager, very excited and as soon as I help them load their 2 big luggages into my cab, they quickly settled down in the back seat, and straightaway a flurry of questions came forth from both of them simultaneously.

Firstly, they kept admiring the greeneries, cleanliness whilst exclaiming how nice and neat the trees are lined up on both sides of the road as we travelled along the ECP heading towards the city to Pan Pacific Hotel. They asked about the population and who's who, about what is this and what is that.

"Oh, its so beautiful, kind of hot and makes me sweaty but I love it" said the lady.

I was like a professional tourist guide, answering all their questions and telling them about all kinds of things, places of interests, shopping and food centres, its people, religions and what they don't know or what to expect. I have very often had the pleasure of welcoming our guests from overseas, especially first timers to Singapore and guided them with pride always. When we reached the hotel, they paid the fare, thanked me and showered praises like, "You speak very good English" and "You are so kind and helpful".. I thanked them, bade farewell, then drove off. This scenario and similar types of airport trips with passengers from overseas are always very satisfying and I enjoy them very much.

Half-hearted sportsman...

Picked up this young man from Changi Airport T2 with a sling bag and carrying a golf set. "Hello, where to?"

"Hi Uncle, please go to West Coast Road near Esso Petrol station"

"Okay. Wow, you must be back from overseas golf competition?"

"No lah, just to Bangkok to play golf for relaxation"

"You must love playing golf very much, and by the way, what would your handicap be?"

"No lah, no handicap, just started learning to play the game.."

"It must be quite boring hitting a small ball and walking at least 400 yards to search for the ball and hitting it again and then walk, search and..."

"You are quite right Uncle, after playing a while I'm now losing a bit of interest because of inconsistencies and the irregular moods of the weather. Just when you are eager and ready to play, heavy rain falls and you get wet and messy and got to walk back quite far to the clubhouse, I am getting fed up and thinking of giving up golf"

"Do you think its a boring and stupid game then?"

"I'm inclined to think so, and its not cheap you know. I think maybe I'll just quit."

Before I could reply, we reached his destination. As I drove away, I was thinking this young man must have chosen a wrong sport, he looks frustrated and from what I gathered he might really quit the game. Not everyone can be a Tiger Woods, and in any sports, you must first love it, enjoy it, be good and try to excel in it and most of all be very passionate to really succeed at all. This young man don't seem to have it in him, I don't blame him, most probably he is more afraid that lightning might strike just like it struck and recently killed a businessman whilst playing golf in Singapore.