Lessons for Survival by Chloe Rew
Lessons For Survival in East African Public Transportation
by Chloe Rew
Overland travel in Uganda is not for the weak - a tragic fact of life that I discovered first hand. I was lied to, cheated out of my hard-earned shillings and lured into a vehicle with only vague intentions of departure. My emotional state changed by the minute as my hopes of a pleasant ride were cold-heartedly crushed by the realities of East African travel. Travel in East Africa is all about survival, and I would not have survived my journey from Mbarara, Uganda to Kigali, Rwanda and back again had it not been for the valuable lessons I learned.
Lesson number 1: Western society’s definition of the term “public transportation” is in no way related to that in Uganda. While we simply define the term as transportation for everyone, in Uganda - a region with distorted yet creative definitions of personal space - public transportation means mobility for everyone... as in everyone in the same vehicle at the same time. I left all notions of “maximum passengers” at the sliding matatu door the moment I stepped in. My van had reached capacity 15 passengers ago.
Lesson number 2: Safety standards are not universal, and in many countries not even recognized. The qualifications and sobriety of my driver were questionable, and my choice of seat-belts was between malfunctioning or nonexistent. On the bright side, all of those nagging questions that kept me up at night regarding where recalled vehicles go have been answered.
Lesson number 3: If you are a solo female traveler like myself, you are the potential wife of every man (single or otherwise) in the country, and any gentleman within eye-shot is dying to trade you for a few of his prized goats. The only reason I even agreed to get in the Kigali-bound van was to escape the persistent tout hovering over me in the taxi park saying "Under 18 and just my size. I'm taking you home."
Lesson number 4: No matatu in the history of mankind has ever left “right away.” This phrase is used by conniving touts to lure backpackers into empty vehicles where they spend hours waiting for the matatu to fill with passengers. My matatu wasn’t going anywhere near Kigali until there were people on top of me, underneath me and I had someone else’s baby in my arms.
Lesson number 5: No matter how many times your intelligence is undermined with lies, your dignity compromised by overzealous men and your itinerary rescheduled when your mid-morning arrival is delayed to midnight, you will inevitably be overcome with the illusion that you should do it again. This is how I felt three days later when it was time for me to go back to Uganda. The first five minutes of smooth road fooled me into thinking that this ride would be different, but my luck turned sour when the roads deteriorated and the rain came down. My window was sealed just tight enough to prevent any airflow, but not quite tight enough to keep the floods from pouring in all over me. For the next 12 hours I was the object of every mama’s “pole pole. Sorry sorry.”
Lesson number 6: Laughter is the key to survival. Laughing at my own misfortune was what allowed me to arrive back in Kampala in one piece (mentally, that is.) While eating dinner - a dried bun I found at the bottom of my purse - I asked myself: "Chloe, is this really what you pictured when you imagined your exotic escape to Africa?" And as the sawdust accumulated in my mouth each time my jaw closed in on the bread, I realized that yes. Yes it was. And I had a good laugh at my own expense as the rain poured down on me.
Kigali is a calm place compared to other cities in East Africa, and considerably safer. The streets are well secured with armed police officers at any hour, and foreigners experience few hassles. Police officers in Rwanda are not known for corruption as they are in neighbouring countries. Laws are strictly followed - all motorcycle taxis are equipped with helmets for passengers, being asked for bribes is uncommon and plastic bags are illegal. As a female traveling alone, I had no problems walking in central Kigali alone at night. There are no banks in Kigali that take Mastercard, so bring cash if you don’t have a Visa card. Wire transfers are available and there is a Western Union. The visa for Rwanda is free, but if you are coming from Uganda or Tanzania, entering Rwanda cancels those visas. If you want to return to either of those countries, you will need to pay again. If you are hit with the sudden urge to use the toilet while crossing the Uganda/Rwanda border, use the toilet on the Ugandan side. It’s significantly nicer than on the Rwandan side. Avoid the border currency exchange. They will rip you off.
Kampala Coach connects Kigali to various cities throughout Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Burundi. For a good night’s rest and a filling breakfast, Auberge La Caverne is central and comfortable. A double room with breakfast goes for US$20. Just up the road from Auberge is a coffee shop called Bourbon Coffee House, which is one of the few places in Rwanda where you can drink a good cup of coffee, as most beans are exported. They also have delicious sandwiches and pastries. The Kigali Memorial Center is a must for anyone visiting the city, and there are a few memorials within an hour’s motorcycle taxi ride outside of the city. The memorial at Nyatama, set in a church where a mass act of genocide occurred, makes the tragedy real in a way that museums cannot. You can find information about the Kigali Memorial Center and other memorials at http://www.kigalimemorialcentre.org
Chloe is a recently graduated history student from Canada. Growing up in the jump-seat of her father's cockpit, she spent the first 20 years of her travels with the comforts of family, room service and air conditioned tour buses. In 2008, she came down with an incurable case of wanderlust, abandoning luxury and family for the life of a vagrant backpacker. She has since embraced over-crowded buses, fictional departure times and unwanted marriage proposals in over 20 countries.
http://www.ontheroadwithchloe.blogspot.com/
http://www.welcometourbanhouse.blogspot.com/