Man vs. Matatu

My name is Alli Davis. I’ve served in the US Peace Corps, I’ve climbed to the summit of my service and crossed the lion-infested savannas of East Africa. Now my challenge is to navigate the cacophony of the Kenyan matatu stage. Millions of Kenyans and wazungu come to the stage each year, but what they don’t know is how quickly things can become deadly. I’m going to tell you the skills that you need to survive out here.

I’ve just arrived at the generic Kenyan matatu stage, I’m going to put myself in the position of someone lost out here to show you how to stay sane in one of Kenya’s most frustrating situations. All I’ve got with me is a water bottle, a mobile phone, the exact matatu fare, a novel and my flashing sign reading ‘WHITE PERSON, COME AND GET IT’. The last time I was in this position, I was serenaded by a conductor high on miraa, asked for my phone number three times and proposed to, so this is not going to be easy.

Here goes. I tell you what, I’m right at the bottom of the food chain here as conductors volley for my patronage even after I’ve told them I’m not going where they’re going, tuktuks honk, stop, ask where they can take me, motorbikes honk, stop, ask where they can take me… It’s important for me to elaborate on the forms of transportation so you can make informed decisions in this harsh environment. The matatu is a 14 passenger van that comes in varying states of disrepair and seats anywhere from 15 to 25 people, goats, chickens, sheep and fish. It’s the most common form of transport for short to medium distances. It is also what I take most often. Buses are also a popular form of transport for medium and long distances. I usually take buses to and from Nairobi, but also can catch ‘mini-buses’ coming from the interior to Malindi.

Hey! Check it out. Piki Piki (motorbike) tracks! These are average-sized tracks and this is ideal traveling territory for them. These are extremely popular and most commonly used for travel in the more remote areas. However, they are extremely dangerous and banned for use by PCVs, so we’ll want to steer clear of these. Their less common cousin, the bicycle taxi is approved travel as long as you bring your own helmet. Let’s get out of here.

The last mode of transportation, which happens to be my favorite, is the tuktuk. Originating in South East Asia, this three-wheeled, motorized rickshaw putters around larger towns. It’s commonly used to get from one side of town to another and while capable of traveling long distances, may not be the most efficient nor comfortable nor economical, etc.

If you’re lost out here the first thing you need to do is to pick a destination and always aim for it. Wandering aimlessly will always get you in trouble. When walking around a stage, you are likely to be mobbed by touts asking where you’re going. In my experience, on Coast anyway, relying on these frequently overly-friendly, maroon-clad men to guide you in the right direction is often a good way to find the correct vehicle as they usually get ‘a little something’ for filling a seat. However, they may also want something from you – most often a phone number and occasionally just a plane ticket to the US.

Once you’ve arrived at the correct vehicle, it’s important to remember not to hop in any seat. It’s vital to your comfort and sanity to survey your immediate surroundings, find your bearing and choose a good seat. A good seat consists of several, sometimes conflicting, elements: control of the window, away from the engine, your destination (whether or not you’ll be one of the first or last to alight), the quality of the road you’re traveling (paved or not, dusty or not) and of course the seats in which you more or less are likely to be sharing with one or more living things.

Your seat chosen, what you need now is a place to stay cool while the vehicle fills – as you will certainly not be going anywhere until the vehicle is full or beyond full. Find the nearest patch of shade and pull out your book (that you MUST always carry) and get comfortable. Always keep an eye on the vehicle as you may or may not have to defend your territory (seat). Once the vehicle is near full, re-board and be on your bumping, sweating, jostling, personal-space invading, merry way.

“I think what I’ve learned about Africa is that it’s a place that’s full of life that’s locked in the struggle for survival. And for some creatures to live, others must die but the key to staying alive out here is to understand the animals and, like our common ancestors, use our brains to keep us on top of the food chain.”

Thanks to Bear Grylls, who inspired this post, as well as many of my adventures and who filmed an episode in Northern Kenya from which I pulled this quote and other ideas. In many ways, travel in Kenya is a possible struggle for survival mostly mentally, but physically, too. If you approach these situations unprepared, potentially dangerous, hilarious or aggravating dilemmas can present themselves.  The beauty of in all of this insanity is that it is perfectly, wonderfully easy to get around in Kenya without a personal vehicle.  I’m going to miss that when I am back in the “first world”.  It’s important to view these scenarios with patience and a sense of humor or most PCVs in Kenya, and probably throughout the world, would be finding themselves as Bear’s next cautionary tale.

 

Mpaka badaaye, Alli.