Getting around in taxis

I love taxis. Whether stranded at the office because of a storm or completely exhausted after a long flight, taxis are always there for you when public transportation isn’t the best option. I don't remember the first time I stood on the streets and raised my arms to hail a taxis, but I'm sure it was satisfying.

Everywhere I travel, I try to remember the drive from the airport to my destination. It’s the moment when all my senses are heightened. Just like the time I made it back to the Sahel region more than a decade ago. The second I stepped out of the plane in Bamako, there was something unbelievably calm about the atmosphere. I walked across the dusty ground to be greeted by Baba, my taxi driver who shook my hand and welcomed me to Mali. He smiled and led me towards his old rusty Mercedes, telling me how I’ve arrived at a good time of the year “pendant la saison fraîche” as the climate was mild.

Writing this reminds me of the many drivers I’ve met over the years. From the driver in London's spacious black cabs to the ones in the iconic silver-roofed cars in Hong Kong. The Balinese drivers with fragrance of incense in their blue coloured vehicles and the luxurious water taxis in Venice. The countless auspicious objects on their dashboards resembling either a souvenir shop or a shrine. I've sat mesmerized in a Bangkok taxi by the phuang malai, an elaborate floral garland, that smells of jasmine scent hanging from the rear-view mirror. These flower garlands is to protect vehicles and passengers.

People most familiar with the intricacies of a city are those tasked with spending their days and nights navigating it. In recent years, when entrusted with finding great places for a night out, I would often ask taxi drivers for advice. Even to this day I still talk about great places I was able to enjoy, and I never even got to thank the drivers for it.

I also try to make the most out of my taxi rides. It is often during those long rides that I learn most about the city or the current social or political climate. Some drivers are historians by default and more often than not they may be highly skilled and knowledgeable from careers they may have left behind in their home countries. I was in Kenya when Obama won the presidential elections. Because of the numerous hours I spent stuck in traffic around that time, I managed to strike up plenty of conversations about the pride the country felt for his success. When I lived in Cambodia, I would find myself sitting comfortably on the “red sofa” leather of a traditional tuk-tuk. An elderly man would greet me every morning with a humble smile and drive me to every nook and cranny of the city. His knowledge of the city helped me find my bearings and made me feel safe.

Taking a taxi, especially with a reliable and trusted driver, can be the safest option to get around, especially in high-risk areas. That being said, there are unfortunately unique safety risks that women might face when getting into a taxi. I’ve had my fair share of negative experiences around the world but I still feel that taxis are extremely convenient and no one should feel like they have to avoid them altogether.

Most recently, I met an older taxi driver named John when I landed in Fiji. He struggled to put my heavy luggage into the trunk of his yellow taxi car. I quickly learn that some taxis, especially in cities, don’t have seatbelts on the back passenger seats, as it is not required by law. Sitting quietly in the backseat for roughly forty-five minutes to the country’s capital city, Suva, I was determined to take in everything around me, from the shops lining the roads to the steep mountains in the distance. Despite the humid and rainy climate, we entered the city, past the Grand Pacific Hotel, to an impressive sea port. The driver pointed out all of the street names and landmarks, and managed to get my luggage to the reception of my hotel.