The day started early with a 6:45 breakfast meeting. Our transportation woes started around 6:30.
First off, it was raining, which it is not supposed to do since it's dry season. There are two problems with that: we did not have any rain gear (we had tossed it all at the end of rainy season a few months ago) and we had to ride our motorbike. (That's the only vehicle we own.) It wasn't too bad, since the rain was gentle at that point, and I sit behind Mr., which means he catches most of the moisture. I did, however, manage to feel chilled, which is a feat when you live just 11° off of the equator.
After our meeting, our friends wanted to go check out a meeting room. So I jumped into a tuk-tuk with them, while Mr. led the way on the moto. (A tuk-tuk is basically a wagon with a roof that seats 4 comfortably, hooked onto a motorbike, which pulls it.) On our way, the tuk-tuk driver got a call. I heard him tell the person that he was taking guests to street 294 and then he'd come pick them up. We had arranged with him for round trip service, so as he dropped us off he promised to come back in half an hour. We felt sure he would return, since we hadn't yet paid him for his services. So we looked at the potential meeting sight. Then we waited. And waited. After an hour and a half we no longer felt guilty about stiffing the guy and finding alternative transportation.
My friends decided to walk to a few shops nearby, and I caught a motorbike taxi home. I explained where I lived, and although I thought he seemed a little unsure, he assured me he knew where it was. We haggled a price, and agreed on 75 cents. It's a fair price. I travel to and from my house frequently and am pretty familiar with the going rates.
So, as we drove we chatted a bit, always a challenge with helmets on, the wind whipping past our ears, in noisy traffic. But we managed to communicate. I learned he was from the countryside, and had recently moved to the city. He learned I had lived in the country 11 years, and work with the church. He was pleased, because he is a Christian, too, and named a church I know as the one he attends. It was a nice conversation, and I thought I'd give him an even dollar, since we were both country folk and family in Christ.
HOWEVER. When we pulled up to our destination, he turned to me and asked for $1.25. I was surprised and reminded him we had agreed on 75 cents. He whined that it was farther than he expected, and he had misunderstood where I wanted to go (even though he had driven right to it, without me having to give directions). I reminded him that I had asked again and again if he knew the place I was describing, and he had told me he did. Then he said he didn't have change for my dollar, so could I just let him have the dollar. By that time all my charitable feelings had disappeared. I told him to just wait, and I'd go find change. And indeed I did, and sent him on his way 25 cents poorer than he would have been had he not tried all that malarky. Frustrating!!!
I drowned my stress in a decaf mocha coffee, although I am beginning to worry that when I say "decaffeinated" they think it means low-fat. Seriously. I heard the guy say repeatedly to his co-workers, "Be sure to put skim milk in it!" Hmmm. But anyway, I can drink it with no jitters, heart palpitations, or anxiety. So either that means they are indeed doing it decaf, or the coffee that my Mr. makes at home is super-caffeinated. Either way, I am glad I can indulge in that treat without ill effects.
Back home I worked mainly on editing video and preparing a presentation that Mr. and I will do on Wednesday. And wrote a newsletter update. Both are slow jobs, and I feel like I didn't progress as I had wanted to, although Mr. says I got a lot done. I guess he's probably right.
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