The Penisula Hotel in Philippines, charges 1800 Philippines pesos for a journey to/from the airport, equivalent to $40 US.
A licenced taxi costs around 300.
To catch a taxi from the airport, you get a voucher from the taxi controller stating the destination and give it to the driver. I asked approximately how much it would cost for my destination and was told, it is metered.
I have a dialog with the taxi driver but watch the meter as it increases. As we round the Mikati block to the hotel I see the driver turn off the clock and when I ask how much, he says 500.
I blow a fuse and tell him in uncertain language that I know what the meter just read and know what he has done. I then tell him that since meter is reading nothing, I don't need to pay him anything ! He panicked muttered something about a misunderstanding, apologized etc but since I was tired and wanted to get to the hotel room, I could no longer be bothered with this so I paid what I last saw.
Left alone, I probably would have given him a 500 note and said keep the change.
Ah, Caveat Emptor since I don't know Latin for 'Greedy bastard'.
Phileas Fogg,
Manila,
26th July 2008.
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