There’s nothing like a 10-hour Tanzanian bus ride to
mentally prepare you leave the country. In previous posts I’ve mentioned my
severe dislike of transportation here, and today was certainly no exception.
First, we didn’t leave until almost 7:30, when we should have left at 6:30.
Second, it didn’t appear as if there was any room underneath the bus, so I put my giant backpack in my seat with me and they put my smaller suitcase in the row in front of me.
Third, with my backpack in my seat with me, I literally had no room for my feet and sat curled up for the entire trip practically.
Fourth, it was blistering hot and the sun was shining on me so I now have a very pronounced tshirt tan on my left arm only.
Fifth, we stopped way too many times to pick up way too many people who all ended up smashed in the aisle.
Sixth, there were two men in normal clothes carrying very large guns sitting across the aisle from me. When they got off, actually cops with bigger guns got on. While this is a normal occurrence here, it’s something I’ll never get used to.
Seventh, we stopped about an hour into the ride, and I looked to the front to check my small suitcase, and it most certainly was not there. So instead of panicking (since I was actually completely unable to move), I asked the woman next to me if she could see it. She said no, but got off to check underneath. Thankfully we found it, however it was on the opposite side of the bus so it could have easily been taken at any point on the journey and I would have never known. And considering this was the bag with my laptop and camera and clean clothes for the next leg of my journey and nearly everything actually important, it was hard to not worry for the entire rest of the way.
Eighth, I try to avoid making myself more of a target than I already am while travelling, which meant no Kindle or Ipod. Try sitting on a hot, smelly bus without eating or drinking with your legs all jammed up for way too many consecutive hours.
Ninth, a tire blew out at one point and I certainly thought I was actually shot, but a brief pit stop on the side of the road had us patched up in no time.
Tenth, we finally got to Lake Victoria to cross via ferry to Mwanza by 4pm. At least at this point I could stand and enjoy the beauty of crossing the world’s largest lake! Until the man next to me really wanted to talk, and then come to America with me, and then asked 3 different times for my phone number. And this whole conversation was him speaking mumble-jumble Swahili, so I’m surprised I understood as much as I did.
And lately, eleventh, we finally arrived 10 hours later (should have been about a six or seven hour journey). But good news, both my bags survived the journey, the woman sitting next to me helped me get a taxi, and I easily got a very nice, cheap hotel room. Dinner next door of chips mayai and Fanta passion soda was a lovely last meal in Tanzania.
First, we didn’t leave until almost 7:30, when we should have left at 6:30.
Second, it didn’t appear as if there was any room underneath the bus, so I put my giant backpack in my seat with me and they put my smaller suitcase in the row in front of me.
Third, with my backpack in my seat with me, I literally had no room for my feet and sat curled up for the entire trip practically.
Fourth, it was blistering hot and the sun was shining on me so I now have a very pronounced tshirt tan on my left arm only.
Fifth, we stopped way too many times to pick up way too many people who all ended up smashed in the aisle.
Sixth, there were two men in normal clothes carrying very large guns sitting across the aisle from me. When they got off, actually cops with bigger guns got on. While this is a normal occurrence here, it’s something I’ll never get used to.
Seventh, we stopped about an hour into the ride, and I looked to the front to check my small suitcase, and it most certainly was not there. So instead of panicking (since I was actually completely unable to move), I asked the woman next to me if she could see it. She said no, but got off to check underneath. Thankfully we found it, however it was on the opposite side of the bus so it could have easily been taken at any point on the journey and I would have never known. And considering this was the bag with my laptop and camera and clean clothes for the next leg of my journey and nearly everything actually important, it was hard to not worry for the entire rest of the way.
Eighth, I try to avoid making myself more of a target than I already am while travelling, which meant no Kindle or Ipod. Try sitting on a hot, smelly bus without eating or drinking with your legs all jammed up for way too many consecutive hours.
Ninth, a tire blew out at one point and I certainly thought I was actually shot, but a brief pit stop on the side of the road had us patched up in no time.
Tenth, we finally got to Lake Victoria to cross via ferry to Mwanza by 4pm. At least at this point I could stand and enjoy the beauty of crossing the world’s largest lake! Until the man next to me really wanted to talk, and then come to America with me, and then asked 3 different times for my phone number. And this whole conversation was him speaking mumble-jumble Swahili, so I’m surprised I understood as much as I did.
And lately, eleventh, we finally arrived 10 hours later (should have been about a six or seven hour journey). But good news, both my bags survived the journey, the woman sitting next to me helped me get a taxi, and I easily got a very nice, cheap hotel room. Dinner next door of chips mayai and Fanta passion soda was a lovely last meal in Tanzania.
And while the prospect of boarding 5 planes within the next
two days is daunting, the fact that my longest flight is 10 hours, I’ll be fed
and watered, I have bathroom access that’s not the side of the road, and I can
do whatever I please, whether reading, listening to music, journaling, watching
a movie, or sleeping. Sounds heavenly to me! Not gonna lie, while I’m leaving
part of my heart here in Tanzania, it’s certainly in the bush and not on the
bus! So peace out TZ! See ya soon America! Don’t be surprised when I freak out
to be in a normal vehicle again…
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