Mini-Buses

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In Tanzania they are called Dalla Dalla’s. For getting around cities, they are by far the cheapest method of transport. It costs 15 to 25 cents for a ride, but would cost between $1 and $5 dollars for a taxi ride. Originally the buses were probably meant to hold around 10 people, but they have been modified to have seating for 18, and then railings attached to the roof in some fashion (welding, bolts, screws, nails hammered through and bent over, wire, string, bubble gum) for a few people standing. On busy routes they will often have 24 (or more) plus the driver and a conductor crammed in, the limit seems to be when the conductor can no longer bodily force people up into it and no more people are willing to hang off the outside. It makes for very interesting stops. If a person somewhere in the middle needs to get out, everyone in front of them has to clamber out and then back in. Nobody complains about this as long as the bus continues to move from stop to stop, speed is of no concern. The real fun begins when the bus starts to actively fall apart while driving. I had the sliding door drop off one. I’ve been on a bunch that ran out of gas, this results in the conductor jumping out and running off to buy more while the people in the bus yell and taunt. I’ve seen ones that stall every time they stop, so the driver keeps rolling and revving the engine while the conductor jumps out and gets people on and off as fast as possible. Most of the time I am the only Mzungu (white person) on the bus, so people often start conversations with me. I have received invitations to churches, weddings, homes, schools, and orphanages, been offered extra wives, peoples sisters/cousins/friends as brides, and propositioned by hookers. Good times good times.

One of my favorite rides was where I had to hook the toes of my sandals over the running board and then lean across three people and hold onto a railing on the far side… and two of the three people had chickens on their laps which took a liking to my shirt and belt and decided to peck at them… and I had to stay like that for about 20 minutes. Made me whish I had done a lot more rock climbing to strengthen up my arms and legs before I came.

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