First thing on my plan today was to get my camera fixed. When I was in Singapore I found a large dust spot on the sensor and thought maybe I could clean it off myself. I knew better and in the end I just made it worse. So much that I could see 20 large spots every time I looked through the view finder on my camera. I wanted to get it cleaned in Singapore but it was the weekend.
So today after I got up and showered I found a service center online and asked the hostel worker what was the best way to get there. He said I would have to use a taxi and that I should go across the street to get one at the mall. Here in Malaysia you don’t flag taxi’s like you would think. You must first get a coupon, pay, then they will take you. Is kind of weird but sometimes I could see it way better then say BKK where they try and screw you over at the end.
I did as Rudy (hostel worker said) and got my coupon and paid, ticket was 30RM ($8.55 USD). When the taxi pulled up the cab driver didn’t know where the address was so he called the phone# I had for the place. The guy said there was a closer place and so the taxi driver asked if I wanted to go to that one instead. Didn’t make a difference to me and said “Sure.” The taxi driver drove about 5min (I was told that it was going to be like 45min to get to this place originally) but the driver did walk us into the building until we found the place. Come to find out that the Canon place didn’t service equipment and that I would have to go to the headquarters to get the sensor cleaned.
I walked out of the building now with a new plan and had a legit address confirmation. I’m standing there trying to figure out where I am and all of a sudden it hit me…the bastard taxi driver drove me to the other side of the street and I paid for a full fare that should have lasted 30-45min long!! I was pissed but what ya going to do? He basically drove around the block and dropped me off the opposite side of the street a little further down from where he had picked me up.
That being said, I still had to get another taxi from the same stand and told the lady what happened. She just kind of looked at me with this dumb expression and said “30RM please for another fare.” So I paid without choice again. At least the Canon people at the service center were helpful and quick. They had my camera and lens cleaned in about 20min and even called me a cab to take me back, all free of charge.
Below is a picture of Mohammed, my taxi driver. Nice guy and he really took care of me. I was wanting to get a new lens and the Canon people found a shop that carried it. On the way back Mohammed let me go inside and check it out while waiting for me. I ended up not getting the lens because they couldn’t get my credit card to go through (both of them). Not sure why as I have never had problems with them before but they weren’t much helpful with calling the Credit Card Company and said screw it and left. There loss on a $1,500 USD sale, not mine.
Going to go shoot some night shots of the twin towers here and plan my trip from KL to the ocean.
Forget Obligation Go Global…its my odyssey!
T-roy
