In Reply to: Are all drivers rich? posted by Helping Hands on Monday, 30. January 2006 at 19:02 Bali Time:
5 days would be a long time to be in an old bone rattler with dripping airconditioning that didn't work anyway and a driver who's English isn't what you were told to expect. We booked a highly recommended driver off this forum last year (BTW - listed in this thread) with reassurances that that his van and english were wonderful - and were most disappointed. I kept looking at all the tourists passing us in lovely vans with the windows up obviously enjoying cool air conditioning while I was bracing myself for the next bump in the road which is easily spotted when your hanging out the window to dry off from the intense heat inside the van.
I'm turned off booking ahead, I'd rather see the vehicle for myself and chat to the drivers. Drivers are everywhere, you wont be able to take 10 steps without getting an offer. Why not give one of them some work. I personally don't see any advantage in pre booking given the experience we had ... and as we had booked him for multiple trips we felt obliged to use him.
So my advice is to think about this one.