On Driving

I think that it is safe to say that Dar es Salaam is in fact NOT Waverly, Iowa. As we drove through Dar the morning following our arrival in Tanzania, I video taped our little outing. I hope this will paint a somewhat vivid picture of the hustle and bustle of life in Dar.

Unlike Waverly, there are hardly any traffic lights or signs. Vehicles move when they can break through traffic and pedestrians NEVER have the right-away. The streets are littered with yesterdays garbage, crazy chickens, and fearless bikers.

Though we probably only went a total of 10 miles in Dar, it took us nearly an hour to get out of town. Several times there were gasps from the back seat as we came within inches of other cars, people, or livestock. When this happened, the bus driver would just laugh at us- as this is typical Tanzania roadrage etiquette.

This video is actually pretty tame compared to some of the madness we were in. But you'll notice how close to us some of the other vans are. Close enough for my heart to skip a beat, I'll tell yah! Hold onto your socks, friends. This is one crazy ride!

Driving in Dar from Emily Harkins on Vimeo.