On Dala Dalas (again...)

Mambo!

So it's been more than two weeks since I came here and I yet there hasn't been a single day in which I wouldn't be amazed by a completely new thing.

Dala dalas (mini buses --> public transport in Dar es Salaam) really are one of the coolest things in this city.

This is how they work:

These mini buses are old and dirty, but so is the city - perfect match. Nobody cries if you hit it, scratch it or whatever else. As long as you can transport people from one place to another - it's all good. Imported from Japan, many of them still have some Japanese signs all over, but back to the main point. When I first saw them I was surprised that none of them have any route numbers displayed. I asked the taxi driver about it and with a smile meaning something like - oh, those Europeans... - he answered my question. Each bus has the first and the final stop written on the front along with an adequate colour - this is because of the relatively high percentage of illiteracy in the country. So one bus can only be used on one particular route (unless you repaint it). It kind of works like an underground, but overground and instead of trains there are buses... The final stops are usually main junctions, which give you a general idea of where the bus is heading.

But how do we know which direction it is going? Responsible for this is a person that I will refer to as 'THE GUY'. The guy is a person wearing an oversized navy blue shirt, who is responsible for all the things that countries considered as developed have replaced with machines.

Therefore, the guy is:
1. Ticket validator - collects money as you enter, leave or during the journey
2. Route number/station announcer - as the bus approaches a station, the guy yells the name of the station for people on the bus and the direction for people at the bus stop.
3. Security - in case anything happens, he's always there to bring law and order back onboard.

Bus stops are also a contractual thing. You can just wave in the middle of the road and the bus will stop to let you onboard. If you want to get off all you need to do is tap the bus so that the guy can hear it.

Another interested thing I've noticed is that although doors usually don't close, seats have holes, forget about airconditioning etc., there is one thing that always works - speakers. People here really can't survive without music. It is the only thing that makes the whole Dala Dala journey bearable.

Overall, really impressed with public transport here. I have never waited any longer than 5 minutes for my bus. And I believe that that's what counts. Buses are packed and dirty, people inside smell, but so what? Think of being on the tube during rush hour in London or on a summery day on public transport in Poland - SAME THING. And neither of the places are considered any close to Dar es Salaam.

P.S. By now I know how to say hello, goodbye, order food, ask for the price, count and name various animals in swahili!

P.S. 2 Promise I won't write about dala dalas again! Check the blog tomorrow as I've got another few things to talk about!