Nick: Were you born in Carvoeiro?

Paulo: No, I was born near Portimão in Parchal

Nick: When did you first come to Carvoeiro?

P: Well Parchal is very near to Carvoeiro, about 11 kilometres, I know Carvoeiro many years already.

N: What made you move to Carvoeiro?

P: I still live in Parchal but I work with the taxi in Carvoeiro

N: Do you work on the main rank in Carvoeiro?

P: Ya ya ya.

N: What do you like about Carvoeiro?

P: I like Carvoeiro because where-ever you go you don't have those high buildings like you have in Albufeira and Praia da Rocha for example. The construction...... the way they build the houses I think the locals here and the people who work for the Camara in Lagoa have a lot of....errr.... careful with that and.... err.... it makes Carvoeiro nice. Still many buildings here, but I believe it is well here.

N: If you could change anything in Carvoeiro what would you change?

P: We need a bigger parking area for cars. Its too bad and in the evenings all the people come down to Carvoeiro to the restaurants for dinner.

N: Maybe some kind of parking area further out with a bus service to the centre?

P: No, I don´t think so because the people like to leave their cars near the restaurant. I think that's a problem here and everywhere, you know.

N: So how many taxis are there based more or less in Carvoeiro?

P: In an area from Lagoa there are 17. That includes Carvoeiro and Lagoa.

N: Do you take people from Carvoeiro to Faro airport?

P: Yes normally yes.... ahhh.... normally the clients book in Carvoeiro and we take them to the airport and we collect them from the airport. People normally send a fax, or e-mail or phone us. That is the only way we can go to the airport - there is no other way. We cannot go to the airport and wait for clients because for that, there are taxis from Faro. Like when people want to go from Carvoeiro the taxis from Faro cannot pick them up.

N: Do the people use the booking office in Carvoeiro on the Estrada do Farol?

P: Yes.

N: Is there a taxi association?

P: We are together now with the taxis from Portimao, Silves and very soon, I believe, it will be with Lagos as well.... all with one radio service.

N: Is that good?

P: Yes for the client it is always good and for us also because it is 24 hours service so the taxis never stop. In case there are no taxis available in Carvoeiro more taxis will come from Portimao. This is better service for the client - the client is always winning.

N: How much does a taxi cost from Carvoeiro to Restaurant Roma and back?

P: The price is around seven or eight hundred Escudos around that.

N: And that is a return trip?

P: No that is one way - if the clients want us to wait one or two minutes then we will take the clients back for nothing more - the Taxis in Portugal are not expensive.

N: Well the taxis in South Africa are very very cheap but then they have a different taxi set-up. They have minibuses and black drivers shooting each other... very different set up here. So from Faro to Carvoeiro it is about 10,000 Escudos?

P: No, no it is 9,000 Escudos and that is from Monday to Friday. At night or on weekends it is 10,500 Escudos. I think - I am not sure about this 10,000 or 10,500.

N: When people are looking at Carvoeiro.com do they just phone you?

P: Normally people just ring me, people I know already, people who have houses in Carvoeiro and through that I know more people. Especially if you make a good job or you are professional in what you are doing. You could be a taxi-driver, a fireman or an engineer, if you are not a good professional... you know... there is no work coming. Make the first one and after that you don´t make any more.

N: And the Internet? We have seen you on the message board, do you use the Internet quite a lot?

P: Yes I use the Internet quite a lot, I have it at home and umm...

N: What sites do you look for?

P: I look for a little bit of everything you know different things - I also play games with my friends.

N: Which games?

P: Rogue Spear, a strategic multiplayer game... things like that

N: Now the Internet access in Portugal is difficult, I spend 15,000 Escudos a month on telephone calls.

P: Yeah, that is the same as I pay. I pay about 12,000 a month.

N: Have you heard about NetCabo?

P: Yeah NetCabo, but we don´t have them yet in the Algarve - I think very soon but we are going to have another one, ADSL. That will be a good one - they say that will come at the end of the year.

N: That technology requires you to be situated within 5 kilometres of the ADSL servers. Is there going to a Point of Presence in Carvoeiro.

P: No no just Portimao.

N: Who is doing that?

P: Telepac

N: Ahh I see the monopoly.

P: <Laughs>

N: I´m interested in NetCabo because that uses Satellite technology and you can get it anywhere.

P: Yes well I have a friend in Lisbon, I was speaking with him and last week he had some problems because there are many people connected at the same time....

N: So, its not too fast?

P: I work better with the analogue line, I don't even have a digital line, just a normal line and I am just waiting for NetCabo or ADSL. In Portugal you will pay the minimum of 9,000, 18,000 and 25,000.

N: 18,000 a month?

P: Yup, but that is for 24 hours a day and no telephone calls.

N: But then you will have to pay for the hardware as well. Do you know how much that is?

P: It all depends on what hardware you have already. I´m not sure but go to http://www.telepac.pt

N: Well, Paulo, thank you very much for the interview.

P: No, its okay, you´re welcome.