After spending time overseas I returned to Mumbai early this morning, and ran into a totally different species called the airport taxi drivers.

They are different from the regular guys, you bet.

And you can’t miss them, as you roll your trolley out they are the first people you will run into, all importunating you to hire them. Bandra? Colaba? Walkeshwar, they will heckle you as if you are Sachin Tendulkar and they are avid fans.

I have in the past made the mistake of taking one of them, and the experience left me so wise that I will never get into one even if he was the last taxi before Armageddon.

They are that bad.

Since that experience I either get my driver to wait for me at the airport, or simply take a prepaid taxi. They are slightly expensive than what a normal Sahar airport-home ride will cost you, but much less expensive than what the fleecing tribe outside will have you pay.

This morning, I had my driver waiting for me but as I drove away I couldn’t but wonder how an administration that promises to make this an international city has never looked at the first thing the international traveler runs into, the Sahar airport. It is still a mess, and the taxis outside are its worst feature. After the smelly toilets.