African Bus Rides

Public transportation is always an adventure. I was “booked” on the 9:00 bus from Kalomo to Lusaka but because the company gets more money from a person leaving from farther south they didn’t hold my spot. I couldn’t get on a bus until 12:30. At 7:30 we finally arrived and I got onto a taxi and headed for the guest house. In the morning my taxi driver didn’t come. I have no idea why. Thankfully, I have several numbers for taxi drivers in Lusaka and within 10 minutes was loading up a cab to head back to the bus station. I picked the first bus I found and then I waited for the bus to fill up. Four buses were all going to Solowezi at 6 but really none of them leave until later. I picked the slowest bus and it didn’t leave until 12:30 and I didn’t arrive until 8. I got in another taxi and I stayed the night which was nice to have one more night in Zambia. The next morning I got in another taxi and headed for the border between Zambia and Congo, After I crossed the border I entered yet another taxi that took me the 60 miles to Lubumbashi, the capital of Katanga province. After that I got on yet another bus and headed 75 miles to Likasi where I live. I then took my final taxi to Kampumpi where my house is and was greeted by lots of friends.
So there are a few things you have to understand about African bus rides. The seats make airplane seats seem roomy. You are literally scrunched up against the person next to you the entire time. It’s bumpy and the drivers may or may not be any good. You make a lot of stops but it’s just to let people off and other people on. There is actually only one break for people to get off and buy food or use the bathroom. This creates a problem because now 50 people want to use the disgusting bathroom and there is a line. My solution is to drink less. I usually drink 500 milliliters in the morning and 500 in the afternoon. By the end of the afternoon though I get a slight dull headache, a dehydration headache. The headache is dull and for me a much better choice than the alternative.
Another thing to remember is the smells. Its dry season now so it’s burning time in Africa. This is the time of year when people begin to burn everywhere. They burn the fields with the maize husks and they burn the elephant grass and they burn and burn. Some say the burning leads to erosion and the nutritious top soil being blown away but others say it adds nutrients to the soil. I’m no agricultural expert so I don’t know if it does any good or not but they do it. Especially by the road side so the entire 2 days I smelled smoke. The other thing is there are lots of babies on the buses. These babies leave plenty of smelly surprises that their parents change. The changing part is the smelliest but they don’t have ziplock bags and they don’t use disposable diapers so the smell lingers the rest of the trip. These smells are coupled with plenty of BO and whatever food people happen to be eating.
I realize that I have way too much to say so I’ll break it up into sections. I’m back in Congo and after just one day’s normal work am sore. I know I’ll get used to it soon. Thanks for your prayers they helped me get here safely.