After settling in my job and a spending a month in NY, my first global assignment begun – On the sunny afternoon of August 17th, 2010 I found myself in Moscow, Russia. For my first day (or half a day) in Moscow I was tied to the hotel, catching up on some sleep, exploring the hotel and mentally preparing myself for “tomorrow” – my first day of work in Moscow!
In the morning the office car was supposed to pick me up. The HR had said that the driver would have a company sign board, but would probably wait outside the hotel as often the authorities don't allow drivers to enter the lobby.
All set for my first day, I went out of the hotel. A car driver saw me walk out of the hotel; put his hand out waving towards me. He was parked on the opposite side of the road, in a jiffy he turned the car around and was in front of me with the door open, pointing in the direction of the office (while coming from the airport, they had showed me the direction in which the office was). I totally thought this was the office driver (the car certainly did not have a taxi board, neither did it look like a taxi), so I sat in. Just as he started driving, I asked him "(company-name), right?"....and he said something in Russian. Immediately it struck me that I was in the wrong car....somehow I conveyed him the message to get me back to hotel...was laughing at myself looking back....but was scared for the moment when I was in the car.
In Moscow, ANY car can be taxi...though they have traditional cabs as well, it is customary for people to give others ride for money in their own car. So if you are at a street and put a hand out to hire a cab, there is a strong possibility that a private car will stop....then you negotiate the fare and he/she drops you off to your destination!
In the morning the office car was supposed to pick me up. The HR had said that the driver would have a company sign board, but would probably wait outside the hotel as often the authorities don't allow drivers to enter the lobby.
All set for my first day, I went out of the hotel. A car driver saw me walk out of the hotel; put his hand out waving towards me. He was parked on the opposite side of the road, in a jiffy he turned the car around and was in front of me with the door open, pointing in the direction of the office (while coming from the airport, they had showed me the direction in which the office was). I totally thought this was the office driver (the car certainly did not have a taxi board, neither did it look like a taxi), so I sat in. Just as he started driving, I asked him "(company-name), right?"....and he said something in Russian. Immediately it struck me that I was in the wrong car....somehow I conveyed him the message to get me back to hotel...was laughing at myself looking back....but was scared for the moment when I was in the car.
In Moscow, ANY car can be taxi...though they have traditional cabs as well, it is customary for people to give others ride for money in their own car. So if you are at a street and put a hand out to hire a cab, there is a strong possibility that a private car will stop....then you negotiate the fare and he/she drops you off to your destination!
Any car can be a taxi...nice...certainly saves fuel...people have told me abt how convenient and cheap shared autos are in hyd...have not used it much though till now.
ReplyDeleteIf you start to drive, this can be your second job on your way home. lol
ReplyDelete