Our last ride on a matatu was the most interesting of them all. It started in the small town of Banana where we had to change from our previous matatu to one that would take us back to Nazareth Hospital. Immediately after exiting to change a thief/ beggar began to harass us and insisted on "helping" us find our way to our taxi. After continuing to beg for "10 bob" for a up of tea, he did not leave until the conductor pushed him away and they pushed our taxi on our way.
I could not exactly see how many people were in the taxi once we finally left the stop because of the woman who was semi-standing in front of me just inside the door, but I believe I correctly estimated at 22 in the 14 passenger van. As we stopped for gas across the street I could feel with my shoulder that the door was not quite shut. The conductor began to try to shut the door, but i was clear to me that it most likely would not. It was the lady standing over me who stopped it from shutting; her butt was simply too big! A man outside came up to the door and I thought he was going to help shut the door when the unthinkable happened. They opened the door fully and crammed another woman inside the door!! We were now rolling 23 in the 14 passenger van. I've never been so close to a complete stranger. At times I thought I could put my arms around her and give her a big hug and she wouldn't really notice any change from the way we already were.
I wore a smile practically the whole ride and tried not to laugh aloud. Amazingly I was able to get my video camera out for Evan to film, but it was dark and does it no justice anyway! As we pulled up to the hospital another matatu passed us going the other way with green florescent lights inside. It was basically a night club on wheels. Maybe that's the only way that ride could've been crazier...
T
No comments:
Post a Comment