Bill is in Arusha this weekend, and won't be back until Tuesday. When Bill has to travel, I like to take the kids out for an outing at least once while he's gone. So, today, being Saturday, I decided to brave Nairobi on my own with the kids.
I called a taxi's whose number I got from a friend but he didn't show up, so I walked out to the compound's gate and had the guard get a taxi for me. When he said 1,000 shillings, I agreed and we got it. Half-way there, I realized my mistake, I was thinking in Tanzanian shillings-- 1,000 is about $1.20, and in Kenya 1,000 shillings is about $15. A friend told me that one way should be no more than 300 shillings ($3.75). He quickly told me that the 1,000 covered the trip there and back, AND waiting for me while I shopped. Ok, that would be fair.
So, we get to the shopping center, that has a small resturant, playground and a grocery store. Our usual Saturday afternoon outing. I take the kids in and we order lunch. As we are finishing, and heading to the playground area, the taxi driver approaches me. He starts going on about how he's been looking for me, and how he can't be waiting for me for hours. It's been 20 minutes.
I tell him, "Fine, I'll pay you for your trip here and I'll find another taxi for my trip home." When I offer him 600 shillings ($7.50) for his one way trip, he refuses, saying he'll take nothing less than 700 shillings. I've already offered him more than half our original price for half of the original trip. I'm getting upset. So, I pay him the 600 shillings, which I think is more than fair and walk away from him. He follows me. I start yelling, "Leave me ALONE! GET AWAY FROM ME!!"
By now, a crowd is gathering. I approach a security guard and tell him that that man is harrassing me. Now, with several security guards and a crowd of on-lookers the taxi driver starts to say to everyone that I have cheated him out of his money, bla bla bla. Everyone starts taking HIS side, telling me just to pay him the 100 shillings. I am irate by this point and shout, "I'M NOT GIVING HIM ANY MONEY!!"
At this point, the store manager comes out and pays him 100 shillings just to go away and to end the disturbance in the front of his store. Fine by me. At least I wasn't the one who had to give him the money.
I walk around aimlessly in the store for awhile trying to cool off, and then call Bill to tell him what happened. That's when I notice the taxi guy is following me in the store! I say as much loudly to Bill in the phone and he leaves. I look around the store but didn't see him after that. What nerve to follow me into the store!!
I let the kids play on the playground for another hour until I have cooled off enough to try to get another taxi home. I approach the guard who I had gone to earlier and tell him I need a taxi. He comes right away, and this taxi driver asks for 600 shillings for the trip home, which proves I was paying the other one a fair price...
Anyway, home now and SO glad to be here. Ugh... wasn't worth the effort to go out today, should have stayed home.
