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Many weeks ago I planned to drive out of Baguio into the flower gardens and rose fields for extended photo sessions. Most of these flower fields are several dozen km out of Baguio City in different directions from Baguio and some in very mountainous areas with narrow and very steep dirt roads.
The first taxi driver i asked "do you know where the rose fields are?" - the taxi driver looked like a question-mark and said "NO".. only a few tourists drive outside of Baguio and hence only a few taxi drivers know such places. However the next taxi driver I stopped also said NO to my question but immediately added "but I will find". I liked that positive attitude very much! needless to say that we found all the rose fields and flower fields I wanted to shoot my pictures. we found all my destinations without ever getting lost! So I called the same taxi driver again and again for every trip to the various flower fields during my several photo sessions.
During the trips we talked about many things - and I was wondering why he felt comfortable driving dirt roads, steep roads and mountains. The solution is simple - experience. Arnel was driving a long time to the remote rice terraces of Sagada and other remote tourist destinations for a major tour operator before starting his own business with his taxi ...
Taxi are abundant in Baguio city - while most cities in the Philippines have no taxi at all and public transportation is either limited to small provincial bus operations, Jeepneys, tricycles or even "motorcycle-taxi" ( one passenger in front of the driver on the fuel tank, two passengers behind the driver on the extended back seat ... ! ) However many of the taxi driver say yes when you ask for a destination even if they have no idea at all where that destination is ... once these taxi drivers have you loaded - you pay and pay and they search and search without knowing where. hours may pass ... it happened so often in past years that I had to find the destination on my own because the taxi driver missed the right direction or road.
My Baguio taxi driver - his name is Arnel - thus is very special to me and that for a reason. His skills of driving mountain roads and dirt roads come from his 2 years or so of professional driving for a major tour operator going to the remote rice terraces in Sagada - the deepest northern Luzon province. 2 years of mainly dirt road, crossing 3000+ mtrs above sea level - a 6-8 hrs one way drive. that of course results in extensive mountain driving experience. Now Arnel owns his own new taxi car and is his own boss. Besides his local taxi driving in Baguio City, Arnel still drives to Sagada with tourists in his taxi as well as any other taxi tour you like, down to La Union, to Angeles or even to the Airport in Manila. In the mean time Arnel also knows most of the flower fields and rose gardens from his driving me around. Soon we may go on another trip to rose gardens for more pictures.
Hence If you have any special trip and no particular driver in mind from earlier experiences - call Arnel - he will drive you safely and comfortably to any destination that can be reached by car on Luzon Island.
Call Arnel's mobile phone day and night - except when out of coverage area and except on Tuesday - his number coding day - see chapter just below:
Call a taxi - call Arnel - 0917 250 55 43 (mobile)
Arnel usually works from noon until around 3-4 AM - but you can get a taxi ride to any special destination any other time upon prior arrangement.
In Baguio City as well as Manila City there is a so called number coding for all vehicles - taxis as well. to reduce traffic - each vehicle has to stay one day out of town. the number coding for taxi is as follows.
the ending digit of the license plate is important - plates ending with:
From my picture of Arnel's taxi you see his license plate is AYN 264 - his number ends with a 4 and he is OFF the road in Baguio on Tuesday all day! Arnel would be allowed to drive out of town - for example on a tour to Manila or Sagada - but no driving in Baguio city at all!
Related pages about Baguio City and the tropical beauty of the Philippine islands:
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