Monday, January 26, 2004

Called a taxi the other day from a campus landline:

Before I could say a word I hear:
"For English, press 1, for Mandarin press 2...
"you are located at 1 Ayer Rajah Road, INSEAD campus. You will be picked up in...2 minutes from the main entrance. Your taxi number is 3654. The taxi will be blue. If you wish to listen to this message again, press * otherwise thank you for calling taxi company xyz"
Taxi turned up 1 minute later.

Impressive...Second time I am using this system, first time from a landline...Supplemental charge for a taxi on-call is S$3 or a little less than 1.5 euros.

I have never booked a taxi in Fontainebleau but I can imagine a conversation
"Allooooooo? Les taxis so and so bonjuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuur?"
"Hello, I'd like to book a taxi please"
"Comment?"
"a taxi?"
"quel taxi?"
"Can I book a taxi please?"
"Comment?"
"Reserver un taxi?"
"Ooooooooooouuuuuuuuuiiiiiiiii? A quelle adresse?"
"INSEAD campus"
"pour aller ou?"
"Pardon?"
"la destination?"
"The train station"
"Comment?"
"la gare, les trains?"
"a quelle heure est votre train?"
"Sorry? you want to know the time?"
"comment?"
"anyway, could you come and pick me up now?"
"a quelle heure voulez-vous le taxi?"
"pardon me? vous puvez repeitez please?"
"quelle heure? wat taime?"
"maintenant?"
"ok. C'est a quel nom? wat is ze naim?"
"my name? oh yes..."

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