MATATU !

Oh yes... matatus. They deserve a blog all to themselves. Matatus are the main form of transportation in and around Nairobi. They are small, beat-up vans that hold 15 people. The seats are very small - about half the size of my "behind", and the aisle between the seats is about 6-8 inches in width. We are crammed in like sardines and most of the windows stay closed to keep the dust from the roads out. At daily temperatures of 30 - 35 C, the matatu is like a sauna on wheels: filled with the strong odor of sweat - you get off just drenched!

Now, there may be 15 seats, but if 20+ people need to take this matatu...well everyone squeezes in. Just this week, we experienced this. Unfortunately, this is when the pickpockets make a killing because everyone is sitting on top of eachother, so you have no idea what's happening, or who's hands are on you. I lost 500 shillings - of course!!  :o(
I wanted to get a picture of a really crowded matatu to show you, but we have learned that a lot of Kenyans don't like getting their picture taken (So different from Zambia!). We were told that there's so much "corruption" (something we hear so often), that people think you will sell that picture to make money. There was one day in the slum that Louise asked me to take a picture of a building covered in laundry, and I got yelled at...thanks Louise!
The fare on the matatus ranges from 10 to 30 Kenyan shillings (Ksh) ($1 USD = 75 shillings). We need to take 2 matatus to get to the Korogocho slums. Depending on the time of day (i.e. whether it's rush hour or not) will determine the price. The runners of the matatus usually take advantage of us mzungus ("white people") and try and charge more. We have quickly learned to insist on 10-20 shillings for fare, which they will concede to if you're determined. When you think of it, we are only talking about 12-40 cents per ride, but it's the principle!

The most stressful part of the day for me is CROSSING THE STREET!!

Ok...so you're looking at the pictures and thinking - she's a wimp!! But honestly, it looks so much better in the pictures - even Louise & Kevin said: "Hey... that doesn't look that bad"... But it is!! The dust makes seeing across the street almost impossible...and we have to cross at least 4 lanes of traffic - sometimes twice!!
In the time here, and the traveling we have done back-and-forth to the slums and into the city, we have seen only 2 traffic lights and one stop sign!
The cars travel at at least 80 km/h; 2 inches apart from each other; honk non-stop; oh! and on top of all that - they drive on the opposite side of the street!!! I swear it is the most stressfull experience of the day.We try and stay close to the locals and cross with them. Otherwise, I look right, and then left; then right-left, left-right, right-left, RUN and yell AAAAAGHH!!! (well, I do so in my head - don't want the locals to think I'm some crazy mzungu!)


Lots of people wondered how I could do the 30-40 minute commute from Acton to work twice a day, but now we walk 30 minutes from home (Mama Lydia's) to get to the matatus; cross 4 lanes of traffic (yikes!); take 2 matatus to get to the outskirts of Korogocho; and then walk 20-30 minutes through the slum to get either to the UMaY office, or MAKWK (the clinic) - in total, about a 60-90 minute commute!! On the way back from work, the only thing that keeps me going on that last 30 minute walk; on rocky, dusty, dirt roads and in the blazing heat of the sun; is that there is a cold Tusker beer waiting for me at home!!  :o)

BIG hugs to all,

Yvonne