Adventures in Transit

When I first arrived I wrote a little bit about public transportation, but since it has been such an essential part of my life and experience here, I wanted to elaborate more on how I get around from place to place in Morogoro.  In Tanzania, where very few people have cars, using public transportation is a major part of life here.  Whenever I’ve told people that where I’m from there are more cars then people, it’s funny to see their jaws drop in disbelief.  Using local transportation in Tanzania can be quite an experience itself; one that can be fun, frustrating, peaceful, funny, easy, difficult, physically demanding, scary, and culturally rewarding all at the same time.  Some of the best and worst moments of life here have come from dealing with transportation, but it’s all just another amazing and adventurous dimension of life in Tanzania.

A Daladala- The typical mode of local transport

The main modes of transport that I use to get from Mzumbe to Morogoro Town are the local mini-buses, called “Daladalas.” These are basically mini-vans that are refitted to be used as passenger transport.  It’s an inexpensive form of transportation (a trip to town costs 900 Shillings, which is about 60 cents), and it’s an easy way to travel a long way for a little money.  Inside the van there are usually enough benches and seats to hold about 14-15 people comfortably, and there’s also some room in the back for any baggage or goods that need to be transported.  Some daladalas are nicer than others, depending on how much the owners want to put into the van.  You can find yourself on one that’s clean and comfortable or on one that might just have a bunch of 2x4 wood slats as seats and has you eating gas fumes for the entire trip (not to mention the mechanical problems).  Each daladala has a driver, and a “conductor” (called a Konda, in Kiswahili) who collects bus fees and gathers passengers along the ride.  The Konda will ride with his head out the window and when he sees a passenger that wants to be picked up, or someone wants to get off (just yell out “shoosha!” when it’s your stop), he’ll signal the driver to stop by pounding on the side of the bus.  Not the most sophisticated system, but it works. 

Riding the daladala gets interesting when the bus starts to fill up.  Since the kondas want to have as many passengers and bus fares as possible, they will often fill the van up with as many as 30 people… in a van meant to fit 15, max.  You may wonder how this is possible, but with some physical ingenuity that would make a clown car jealous and what would be a severe violation of public safety codes in the U.S., it gets done.  When the benches and seats are crammed to capacity, passengers will stand.  Clearly, there is no understanding of the term “personal space” on a daladala.  This is one aspect that I have found to be the most baffling, infuriating, uncomfortable and also hilarious parts of riding a daladala.  If I have a comfortable seat, it can be pretty amazing to see how many people are willing to contort their bodies and put up with a sore back and stiff neck just to get into town (and in some circumstances, have put up with myself).  It’s kinda like watching (and in some cases, playing!) a game of Twister on a 15 person capacity mini-van filled with 30 people (and a live chicken or two, for good measure) going 45 mph.  Just don’t try that at home, kids!

The dala-dala stand in Morogoro Town

Catching the bus from Mzumbe to town is pretty easy, since Mzumbe is the end of the line for one of the major routes of the Morogoro daladalas.  I walk down to the main gate and just wait for one to come by (which is usually every 10-15 minutes).  Luckily, since it is the end of the line, they are usually pretty empty going into town, so it’s easy to get a seat.  The trip to and from town is incredibly scenic, and if I can be comfortable, it’s a really enjoyable and peaceful trip.  Riding the daladala can also be very culturally rewarding, not only because it’s a great time to observe Tanzanians in their daily routines, but also because it’s not uncommon to find yourself deep in conversation with the passenger next to you.  I’ve gotten some of the best Kiswahili and cultural lessons just from riding the bus!  It’s a really cool moment when you can exchange your culture and get to know Tanzanians on a more personal level just from a 30-minute bus ride into town.  When I come back from town I get on an empty daladala headed for Mzumbe at the daladala station in the middle of Morogoro town.  The stand is basically a parking lot full of daladalas headed to parts all over Morogoro.  Since the buses won’t take off until they’re full, you can often find yourself waiting anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour until the bus takes off.  Just remember to bring a newspaper for the wait!  From there I enjoy another scenic ride back to Mzumbe.

I probably have too many stories about riding on daladalas to count, but it certainly has provided me with some of my most vivid and interesting memories.  It often takes an incredible amount of patience to deal with the transportation here (always “Pole-Pole” in Tanzania), but if you have an open-mind you can really discover a lot about Tanzanian life and understand the culture on a true first-hand level.  It is one of those cultural aspects you have to experience yourself to get a full understanding of what it’s really like, but if you do it’s a Tanzanian experience you won’t forget.  Just remember to stretch first!