A common question in our busy everyday lives is “How will you get there?” Usually the answer in the States, or at least in Vermont, was to drive. Sure, some people walk, run or bike, but not necessarily to work, to run simple errands, or go grocery shopping. If people live in a larger city then they can take the subway or bus, but most people are used to what here is the luxury and simplicity of driving a car wherever they need to go.
Khartoum, being the capital city of the largest country in Africa, has a variety of transportation options that are similar in theory – but not reality – to public transportation in the States.
Starting at the most basic and cheapest way to get around is the possibility of walking. However due to poor road conditions and horrendous traffic, walking is slow and hot, especially in 115 degree weather. Jogging is faster than walking and still free, but you will drip in sweat within minutes after leaving your apartment’s fans and air conditioning units.
A few bikes can be seen around town, but they are only ridden by locals who know how to dodge the pot holes, vehicles, and many sharp objects (glass, nails, metal pieces etc.) along the side of the roads, and brave the bumpy, dusty and gravel filled terrain.
Next up the scale is the donkey cart, carrying people and goods without the need for gasoline. All you need for a cart are wheels, a few wood planks, a strong whip and a donkey. These carts are ridden around the city by locals, and I am sure are even more popular outside the city, where there are not as many transportation options.
Moving up into petroleum powered vehicles there are mopeds and motorcycles, which are kamikaze / suicide machines here. No one wears helmets and they often have their heads down to increase their kilometers per liter (kpl) and decrease the dust in their face. Most vehicles here do not follow any logical traffic rules, including signaling, so a motorcycle rider is very likely to be caught in a – possibly fatal – accident.
With the next three vehicles (rickshaw, amjab, yellow taxi) keep in mind that these are comparable to taxis in the States. All prices are negotiable and must be decided on before getting into a vehicle. This requires communication between the passenger and the driver, usually a guessing game with broken Arabic, English and hand signals. First you need to describe your destination, and then haggle for a price. Often times the driver will start by asking for a price that is two or three more than you will actually end up paying.
One step up from the motorcycle is the rickshaw or tuk-tuk, described by a local guide book as a “Vespa with a love seat couch on the back,” and referred to the by other drivers as the mosquitoes on the road. They are flimsy and cheap, but will send your endorphins racing just like a roller coaster due to the apparent dexterity and fearlessness of the driver. These are pretty much the same as the ones we rode in when I visited Thailand with my Dad and our friends the Pfisters.
A safer alternative to the rickshaw is the amjab, similar to a minivan taxi. They all have a very distinctive shape – like no other car – and are usually decorated with popular curtains, fake flowers and rear view mirror “bling.” . Slightly more expensive than the rickshaw, they are significantly safer and faster. In addition, they fit seven people comfortably, whereas the rickshaw only fits three people (snugly) on its love couch seat.
Even here in Africa, we do have the stereotypical yellow taxi, but they tend to be over-priced and the drivers not actually knowledgeable of the area. This makes them a less popular choice for a person with limited Arabic because it is so hard to give directions and describe locations.
Buses…every city has buses, but all have their own system for routes, schedules and fare collection. Here, many locals take the buses, but very few foreigners. For example on my many bus trips, I have not seen any other light-skinned foreigners.
The secret to taking a bus is figuring out how the system works. The buses don’t appear the have any sort of schedule, and just leave the main stations when the bus fills up with passengers. To know which bus to take, you look at the colors painted on the sides indicating the route. If you don’t recognize the colors, then listen to the conductor leaning out the door and calling the destinations of the bus in a fast Arabic patois.
When walking down the road, you can flag down a bus with the simple flick of your wrist; the conductor will recognize this, signal to the bus driver and they will stop for you. As you board the bus, you have to find a seat or fold one down into the aisle because you are required to have a seat or get off and wait for another bus.
Once the bus is underway, the conductor will snap his finger at you requesting 40 dinars, equivalent to 20 cents. The bus is silent except for this snapping of fingers, with the conductor requesting his fare and passengers indicating their stop. There is no cord or strip on the wall of the bus, or button to push; instead riders just snap their fingers. The conductor then sort of hisses to the bus driver, and the bus pulls over to drop off the passenger.
Many foreigners either don’t have the time to take public transportation or aren’t allowed to by their employer, out of safety concerns. Therefore, many people have their own cars and navigate through the pot-holed, sandy and inconsistent roads around the city with a God-willing I will survive attitude. Several teachers at school have cars, and usually I am luckily enough to get rides with them to school during the week.
I still, however, enjoy immersing myself in the culture whenever I can, and often take public transportation on the weekends for my various outings.
That’s it! Tonight I am flying to Kenya for 10 days. Be prepared for a full report on this famous East African country when I return.
Hope all is well!!
