Thursday, March 25, 2010

The flow for the fearless

A dinner with a friend in the nice neighborhood of Portalis in Mexico City.

She told that several of her friends have been kidnapped.
An activity frequently occurring in Mexico City.

One friend was kidnapped but returned home safely after one week.
The parents had paid 70.000 Mexican Pesos as ransom: about $ 7,000 or € 4.500.

This is more or less the current rate for kidnapping.
It is stressful, traumatizing and scaring but one cannot say it is very expensive.

A taxi returned the pioneering photographer back from the Portalis area to the Novotel hotel in the Santa Fe area.
A one hour taxi ride.

The taxi had no meter and a price was agreed beforehand of 140 Mexican Pesos.
$ 14.00 or € 9,00

The whole ride a conversation took place.
Taxi driver telling he had two jobs.
Besides driving the taxi, he was also employed in an office for the Government.
All in all working seven days a week and never having holidays.
To make enough money to make his three kids finish university.
He was asked if his children were not most appreciating of Daddy's efforts.
Working his butts off for them to be able to study and to get a decent job later.
No, he said in a rather swamped voice.
They are not appreciating my sacrifices, he admitted: my children take my hard working for granted.

Once arrived at the hotel he was offered a more than generous tip.
Instructed that it was for him and his wife, not for his unthankful kids.

Walking into the lobby of the hotel, the concierge approached with a paper in his hand.
He explained that the taxi ride to the airport the next day would be much cheaper as it would not be billed through the hotel.

This is true traveling.
You give a big tip to one person and another person gives you money back.
Being in the flow.

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