Travel

Most Tanzanians take a bus when they travel, especially between cities.  There are different kinds, and the best choice depends on distance and cost.

Dala-dalas are vans that are used primarily for short distances, often within cities.  There is a saying here, "There's always room for one more in a dala-dala."  They are usually crammed full, to the point of discomfort.  When the seats are full, people stand, cheek to cheek, so to speak.  The conductor often hangs out the sliding door of the van as it moves down the road, so that he can spot even more potential passengers waiting for a ride.  They are cheap, though.  The standard fare within Morogoro is 300 shillingi, about 20 cents.

Coasters are small buses.  They are often somewhat overcrowded, but not to the same extent as dala-dalas.  They can travel between cities, but aren't the travel mode of choice for really long trips.

Full-size express buses come in come in a number of grades of quality.  "Luxury" is far better than "semi-luxury" in terms of comfort and roominess.  They also make fewer stops to pick up passengers.  They may cost a few shillingi more, but I think they are worth it, for those who can afford the expense.

What coasters and buses have in common is that they are surrounded by venders whenever they stop, even for a few moments.  At the bus stations, people carry trays of items in strange assortment:  sunglasses, socks, nail clippers, and chewing gum may be on display from one vendor, while another may have wallets, jewelry, and lollypops. When riders are sitting on the bus, people appear at the windows, hawking their wares.  I find that it's best not to even look at them, or they will continue to insist for several minutes that I really do need something from the tray. 

When the bus is on the road, the vendors are usually of a different sort.  At any stop, road construction, or police checkpoint, young men run up to the bus holding such things as bags of oranges, loaves of bread, roasted corn on the cob, or grilled meat on a stick.  There are also people with the ubiquitous trays offering sodas, water, candy, dry and tasteless baked goods, or bags of nuts.    Sometimes, and this surprised me, the tray people are allowed on the bus, and walk up and down the aisles, offering their snacks.  If the bus starts up before they get off, they simply ride to the next stop, where they (presumably) get off and catch another bus back to where they started.  I think the bus driver must get a percentage of all of this commerce.

The most unusual offering I observed in my recent travels was when a man thrust a live chicken, held by the feet, in the door of the coaster I was on.  I guess he thought one of us might want a chicken dinner that night.  Much to my relief, he got no takers on my bus.