The roads are a circus
Trip Start
Sep 14, 2009
1
27
36
Trip End
Nov 02, 2010
Dar es Salaam,
Dar es Salaam,
Tanzania
Thursday, October 22, 2009
22/10/09
570ks
Toyota mini bus full of people versus 44 tone overloaded Kenworth truck, head on. Say no more.
The mini bus drivers get up early here to start drinking. They must be well pissed before they start the days work. They then fill the buss with as many people as they can cram in and put a few more hanging from doors. A few more beers and a little more whiskey and they are ready for the race. The whole idea is to win at any cost and sometimes the above happens.
The roads here in Tanzania are many things that include a way of transporting goods and people, a farm yard, a public meeting area, a full automotive workshop. (things get fixed where they stop) a training ground for the army, a sports ground, a dance floor and of course a bar for consuming large quantities of booze.
There are cars, trucks, bikes etc.. all smashed up everywhere. And when you are riding a motorbike you are in the middle of it all. You must be sharp or bad thing will happen.
The mini bus driver thing is no joke, speaking with a few people this is exactly what happens.
When traveling down this very steep pass there were about 10 broken down trucks . Three of them had the engines stripped, pistons out, heads of with all of the parts laying neatly in the dirt on the side of the road for re-assembly. Many of the trucks are in such a poor state of repair that I almost fell of the motorbike laughing.
Those were my observations of today ride. And that is exactly how it is.
Of to Zanzibar in 2 days for a few days on the beach.
Cheers Miles.
