Everything you wanted to know about the buses

Well, after over a week back in Eritrea we're feeling happily settled in and ready to begin our second year here. It's been ten days of running around to get the various permits we need, but compared to past experiences, it's been relatively pleasant. It has also given us the time to visit with all our VSO buddies, which has been wonderful.

Simon had a great birthday. As hoped for, he spent it at the bowling alley. Despite the warped boards he managed to get a pretty decent score, though of course Kim was the winner, as usual. We had a pizza supper followed by Eritrean birthday cake (looked better than it tasted, as usual). They managed to write,

"Hppy berthda

y" (ran out of room for the y)

on it in very shaky letters, which we all enjoyed.

Kim's birthday was two days ago. He spent the day getting his residence permit, but celebrated later at the pub with a few jumbo beers and then a taita supper.

Now we have two wind up parties with the other vso volunteers and staff, then we're off to Keren on Sunday. I managed to make two quick trips back to Keren to see friends and to show some of the new volunteers what daily life is like here. The second visit involved a three hour wait at the bus station until we finally decided to hitch-hike up. It turned out to be a great adventure which everyone seemed to enjoy, and it inspired me to write the following bit of advice on riding the busses in Africa.

"Do"s and "don't"s for bus travel in Africa

In South Africa: 1. Do be prepared for a safe, comfortable, slightly expensive trip in a Greyhound style bus. Seats are reserved in advanced and there are videos to watch along the way but it is a fairly boring way to travel compared to travel in the other countries.

In Mozambique: 1. Don't push, shove, scratch or perform other bodily harm to other potential passenges. There are plenty of busses available for all.

2. Do be prepared for heavy duty bargaining. They'll try to ask you double the price owed and ten times extra for your baggage.

3. Don't sit in the front. That's where all the short distance passengers along the route are crammed in, even in the so called "express" busses.

In Eritrea: 1. Do put your bag in the extremely long line of passengers waiting to get on a bus. This line serves absolutely no purpose but at least it makes you feel you're getting somewhere.

2. Do run as fast as you can to any available bus that pulls in and stand by the door, ready to push, shove, and scratch others in your path to a seat.

3. Do try to pry open a window and throw in your jacket to reserve a seat, or better yet, crawl in the window yourself.

4. Don't get frustrated and question the system and the line up process. You won't accomplish anything by asking "why".

That's all for now,

Take care,

Barb