Manila

[QUOTE=Hutsori;1684153]Watch out for this scam with some metered taxis at NAIA. The driver hands you an official-looking-but-not, laminated fare list and he wants to play make believe with you and your wallet. "Stop, please. Yes, really, stop. Turn on the meter or let me out." Before getting in the taxi make sure you ask whether or not he'll use the meter; he may ask for an extra 50 pesos, which isn't unreasonable. If he has your luggage in the boot already then your exit is just a bigger hassle. BTW, this was a moving taxi that had just dropped off a passenger at NAIA terminal 1.[/QUOTE]Yeah. I had that happen. The fare list form seems to give authenticity to the whole thing. I get out or insist on putting on the meter. However, if you strike some deal with the driver in advance, then he will try to get there as quickly as he can. If he uses the meter, he won't be too concerned if he gets stuck in traffic or takes longer since the meter is still clicking. So you may save time if you agree to his offer for a fare without using the meter. Better yet, make a lower counter offer.

My last 3 arrivals into T3 I used the fixed price alternatives. From T3 to Ascott Makati I have been quoted the following prices: 700,1150 and 1650 php. In every case they proudly did show me laminated (probably homemade)"official" pricelists. I did never ask to see one as time is everything and when I see huge lines for the metered transportation I just want to get out of there no matter what as quickly as possible without any hazzles. They show me the pricelist anyway so they show they are "legit". Allways have to prepay ofcourse. I have found if there is huge lines at the arrival level also same will apply at departure level.

But I get a feel the fixed price taxies / transportation use different prices based on how long the lines are for I e metered taxies. I recall to notice when beeing quoted 700 php there was not many people around and I picked the fixed one as I allways compare against how much a hotelcar would costs to pick me up (1800 php)so in short not to bad.

[QUOTE=Skogis;1685472]My last 3 arrivals into T3 I used the fixed price alternatives. From T3 to Ascott Makati I have been quoted the following prices: 700,1150 and 1650 php. In every case they proudly did show me laminated (probably homemade)"official" pricelists. I did never ask to see one as time is everything and when I see huge lines for the metered transportation I just want to get out of there no matter what as quickly as possible without any

But I get a feel the fixed price taxies / transportation use different prices based on how long the lines are for I e metered taxies. I recall to notice when beeing quoted 700 php there was not many people around.[/QUOTE]You are overpaying regardless of whether there is a line. First of all, I never had issues with long lines. It moves very quickly because there's always a lot of taxis.

Also I stayed in Makati condos, and it has only cost be about 130-200 pesos with meter. I insist on using the skyway (I pay the 20 pesos toll). Big time saver.

If you enjoy paying more for the same goods and service, by all means do it.

[QUOTE=Pompetus;1685120]Good post! Forgive my ignorance. I have never heard of Exclusiv and ZZyzyx. Expatiate on these please. The girl that you met there, She must have been a freelancer? How much did you pay her? What do you mean by a "Thermae cafe?" Thank you and I again apologize for my lack of knowledge.[/QUOTE]Google is your friend. As for prices, it really depends on how slow the night is and how much they like you. If they are letting you grind them and touch them everywhere. Also kissing a little, then they would have no problems making a little less than with someone they are absolutely not attracted to. Also it depends on how late it is. Towards the end of the night, they are more desperate as they don't want to take a taxi ride back to their provincial home without some cash for baby [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord131][CodeWord131][/url].

It is a kinda scam "fixed price" service. If you turn right and follow, you will come to a big board which is the "legit" fixed price service. Going up further you end up a the meter service.

Last time I returned from overseas they hit me up as I came out. P1150 quoted to Greenbelt. Walked away and the price became p700. They followed me to the fixed price taxi station where the price became p500. Too late. If they would have given me the p500 price when I first came out, I might have used them. Good luck and enjoy the Philippines, AsianRain.

[QUOTE=Skogis;1685472]My last 3 arrivals into T3 I used the fixed price alternatives. From T3 to Ascott Makati I have been quoted the following prices: 700,1150 and 1650 php. In every case they proudly did show me laminated (probably homemade)"official" pricelists. I did never ask to see one as time is everything and when I see huge lines for the metered transportation I just want to get out of there no matter what as quickly as possible without any hazzles. They show me the pricelist anyway so they show they are "legit". Allways have to prepay ofcourse. I have found if there is huge lines at the arrival level also same will apply at departure level.

But I get a feel the fixed price taxies / transportation use different prices based on how long the lines are for I e metered taxies. I recall to notice when beeing quoted 700 php there was not many people around and I picked the fixed one as I allways compare against how much a hotelcar would costs to pick me up (1800 php)so in short not to bad.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Simian;1685420]I am not sure this is a scam. There are taxis that are metered and there are taxi / limos that are pay fixed price.

[/QUOTE]In my case it was a scam. It was the regular metered taxi one finds everywhere in Manila streets. This one had just dropped off a passenger at the departures gate.

[QUOTE=AsianRain;1685617]It is a kinda scam "fixed price" service. If you turn right and follow, you will come to a big board which is the "legit" fixed price service. Going up further you end up a the meter service.

Last time I returned from overseas they hit me up as I came out. P1150 quoted to Greenbelt. Walked away and the price became p700. They followed me to the fixed price taxi station where the price became p500. Too late. If they would have given me the p500 price when I first came out, I might have used them. Good luck and enjoy the Philippines, AsianRain.[/QUOTE]I just tell them "is 440 pesos yes?" and hen I gesture to go to he real fixed price area to the right as you leave T3. Same every time but annoys me is that the real white taxi are now in the scam. Not going to he queue but causing supply problem and thus you must ay the inflated prices if you arrive at the wrong time and it is busy.

Arrived on Saturday at Terminal-1 and got into a yellow cab. At destination Makati Palace I had 330 pesos on the clock, it was a smooth and pretty quick ride, so I gave him 400 pesos and all fine with me.

[QUOTE=FastEddie48;1685390]To Old German.

That no saving at all if you get a meter taxi from Terminal 3 to Tune in Malate is should only 120 p why go through all this.

Fast eddie 48.[/QUOTE]He said he first checked the departures area and a long wait line existed. Then he checked the departure area (presumably yellow metered taxis), and the line there was long also. He waited only ten minutes for the bus to depart. Doesn't sound like too much to go through to me. Slow down, Eddie, read more carefully, and take time to smell the coffee.

Somebody else posted that the yellow line often moves quite well. That has been my experience. What looks like a long line has for me never taken more than 20 or so minutes. Of course, YMMV.

[QUOTE=VIPhawaii;1685562]Google is your friend. [/QUOTE]I do not understand that attitude. I remember awhile ago I was in a large city and I asked someone for directions and the guy responded, "What do I look like? An information center. Go buy a map. " That was before smart phones. Today I might get this kind of response. "Google is your friend. " Meaning that I can get an app that will help me with where I am going. You are not the only one on this board with that kind of an attitude. So I won't single you out. Somehow that is part of the culture of this forum. It is regrettable. We also have a RTFF Squad whose members ruthlessly patrol the forum looking for opportunities to hand out RTFF citations to transgressors. What petty horseshit.

You should see the Vietnam board. The regulars there have everyone afraid of sharing any information about where to find girls because places may be raided. But really was it is going on is that a couple of the members are trying to sell their services as guides. Thus they scare contributors into not saying anything specific about where to find girl so that mongers will employ their services.

[QUOTE=Pompetus;1686027]I do not understand that attitude. I remember awhile ago I was in a large city and I asked someone for directions and the guy responded, "What do I look like? An information center. Go buy a map. " That was before smart phones. Today I might get this kind of response. "Google is your friend. " Meaning that I can get an app that will help me with where I am going. [/QUOTE]I think you are reading too much into what VIPhawaii said Pomp. He has 6 posts; hardly enough to draw attention as a board enforcer.

I understood from his response that he was referring to Google as the quickest easiest way for the poster asking the question to find out what "Thermae" meant. Nobody needs fancy apps or anything except a basic smartphone to access Google. Insert Thermae Cafe into Google and you get everything you need to know, even down to "how to negotiate with a hooker".

The reality is that Google IS your quickest way to try to find out anything for which you need at least some sketchy information. If it doesn't work, go to Plan B, which might be to ask a question on ISG.

Arrived T3 Sat evening. I had booked the Oxford Suites pick-up at 1,200 P. They sent me a map of where to meet the driver in Arrivals. So, I waited at the appointed spot, and waited. Decide to go look for him and found him at the opposite end of Arrivals. Showed him the map of where I'd been told to meet him. Blank look. He goes and gets the car and we're at the OS in 25 mins. "Tip for me? Sorry, no change fella.

Checked out Mon 09:00. Meter cab from outside hotel to NAIA T3 30 mins and 152 P, plus a tip.

Getting through NAIA on arrival wasn't a problem, just a hell of a long walk through T3. Departing was a pain with the long queue to get bags scanned before getting into the terminal, hopeless PAL check-in (sloooow) and baggage 1 kg in excess of the 10 kg limit to be paid then the long walk again to the domestic departure gates. Saying that, been through worse airports.

[QUOTE=FastEddie48;1685390]To Old German.

That no saving at all if you get a meter taxi from Terminal 3 to Tune in Malate is should only 120 p why go through all this.

Fast eddie 48.[/QUOTE]Maybe I was misunderstood. I don't look after a few or less peso more to pay for a metered taxi. I only wanted point out, that its a fast way to drive to a hotel, when the waiting time for metered taxis is very long. And in my case after 10 pm it was really long. The taxis arrived very seldom, so I estimated the big crowd and the arriving taxis for one minute. In the end my result was, that my waiting time would surely last more than one hour. So I took a Airport bus and later a taxi at EDSA. Thats all.

[QUOTE=RedKilt;1686041]I think you are reading too much into what VIPhawaii said Pomp. He has 6 posts; hardly enough to draw attention as a board enforcer.

I understood from his response that he was referring to Google as the quickest easiest way for the poster asking the question to find out what "Thermae" meant. Nobody needs fancy apps or anything except a basic smartphone to access Google. Insert Thermae Cafe into Google and you get everything you need to know, even down to "how to negotiate with a hooker".

The reality is that Google IS your quickest way to try to find out anything for which you need at least some sketchy information. If it doesn't work, go to Plan B, which might be to ask a question on ISG.[/QUOTE]Board enforcer. I like the turn of the words you use here. I am always amazed at the literary sophistication of most of our members. Keeping in mind that we prostitution seekers are characterized as abnormal paraphiliacs by the DSM 5.

But I cannot agree with the opinion you expressed. The number of posts is irrelevant. I googled "Thermae Club" and I got no generic description. Perhaps I had to know already what it is in advance in order to hit the nail on the head. On the other hand, German FKK clubs are explained in Wikipedia.

My point is that collegiality on the forum is best served by being helpful. That is plan A. Of course, that may not be possible. After all, The DSM 5 calls us a bunch of freaks.

[QUOTE=Simmer;1683683]I don't think I've ever waited more than a minute or two after taxiing to take off, or done more than one loop in the hold to land! I guess there are busier times of day than others and I just have been lucky mostly. The thing is, it's not a busy airport at all. There are plenty of *single* runway airports that are far busier. But then of course they have the equipment to handle it. I did recently notice all the inbounds circling (on a radar app) while an emergency came in. I think it delayed all the inbounds by the time it took to do one lap of the hold! When I say all the inbounds. There was just one within 50 miles of the airport![/QUOTE]Totally off the mongering topic. But. Ayala Avenue and Makati Avenue actually used to be Manila airport runways.

Think back in the days of Pan Am, BOAC (who?) and others.

The cute little building called Nilsen Tower, that's now an ok restaurant with high prices, was actually the control tower and the terminal.