It’s thursday, the weekend is nearly here! I love this time of the week, it doesn’t feel so hard getting up for work haha. Starting work this morning I could really feel winter is coming, the mornings are darker and the winter chill is in the air.
I picked up my first job of the day from kings cross station, it was a man and lady. The man asked me to take them to london bridge he also said ‘ My life insurance doesn’t cover lady drivers killing me’ then he got in the cab laughing out loud. Straight away the lady he was with apologised and explained how he doesn’t think women can drive and always likes to criticize them. As we made our way to London bridge he was shouting out ‘mind that lorry’, ‘don’t forget to indicate’ and ‘watch that car’. I saw the funny side but he then went on to say ‘women are a hazard on the road and belong behind the kitchen sink’. I then explained to him women aren’t a hazard we just drive safe and stick to the speed limits. Then out of no where a MAN in a white van cut me and another cab up and skidded off down the road nearly causing a crash. I didn’t need to say no more, the man in cab had to hold his hands up and take back what he said. Haha the lady he was with couldn’t stop laughing, it was perfect timing.
From London bridge I picked up three young girls going to their office in the city, we had a right giggle they were asking me about my job. Then one of the girls told a story about how her boyfriend came home rotten drunk the night before and tried eating a frozen pizza, it was so funny I didn’t want them to get out my cab. After dropping off in the city I made my way to kings cross, I was flagged down by a guy who wanted to go kings cross. Lovely Jubbly I love them jobs that take you where you want to be. As I dropped him off at kings cross I went to pull off when a guy came running down the middle of Euston road trying to flag me down, I couldn’t look it was so dangerous I had to close my eyes while he dodged the on coming traffic and passing cars beebing him. I was surprised he made it in my cab safe and in one piece. His mates were just on the side of the road laughing at him, it wouldn’t have been funny if he had been knocked ten feet in the air. I told the guy just to wait on the pavement for a cab next time its a lot safer haha.
From Bayswater I had a small job to Kensington. It was a lady who’s in a jazz band she had all her equipment with her, we talked about the different jazz clubs in london and how its a great night out and good fun. Please see below my 3 recommended jazz clubs to have a great night out in central London. I then joined the taxi rank at the Royal garden hotel, I was only there five minuets when I picked up a couple going to Waterloo. On my way I cut through the mall and caught the last of the changing of the guard, so there was a bit of traffic. The changing of the guard happens every day between 11am and 12pm at Buckingham palace, its great to see and I highly recommend it, it shows a real traditional side to London. Whenever I pass Buckingham palace I always check to see if the queens in or out. You can tell by the flag, she was out today so I couldn’t pop in for afternoon tea with her unfortunately haha.
I waited at the taxi queue at Waterloo for a while when I picked up a man going to Russell square. He asked me if he could make an emergency conference call on loud-speaker in the back of the cab, it was to his office in new york. I told him it wasnt a problem and off we went. As we drove over Waterloo bridge I was admiring the view when I drove down the ramp into the stand underpass that’s when my heart sunk and I realised any second now his going to lose signal on his conference call. I then heard ‘hello’ ‘hello’ ‘is anyone there’ then followed by some swearing. Oooooops Oh no I didn’t know where to look, especially not at him as he didn’t look happy. That was the point I went all hot and red! Lucky for me once I apologised he saw the funny side. My next job was two brothers from kings cross to Highgate, they were really nice and once we got talking it turned out they buy and sell guns (all legal of course.) They were explaining to me the different gun laws in the UK. It was so interesting, I learn something new everyday in this job I love it!
My last job of the day I picked up two sweet elderly ladies going to Waterloo, they told me they only had 16 minuets to get to there before they missed their train or they would have to wait an hour. I hate being under pressure but I really wanted to get them there on time. Lucky enough the traffic was clear and I caught all green lights. I had them there in 14 minuets. I was so happy, I say that was a great bit of driving from a women!!!!
Please see below my 3 recommended jazz clubs to go in London:
Bar Nightjar – 129 City road EC1V 1JB www.barnightjar.com
Ronnie Scotts – 47 Frith street W1D 4HT www.ronniescotts.co.uk
Jazz Cafe Campden – 10 Parkway NW1 www.jazzcafe.co.uk
ladylondonblackcabbie 