Backpacking Through Africa 8: Matatu

 Matatu is an African cross between a van, taxi, and city bus. It runs on a certain route, but the "conductor" jumps out all the way to collect passengers. The concept of when the vehicle is full is relative and varies worldwide. 

A matatu is full when three or four passengers sit on each of the double seats, five on triple seats; three stand bent over the seated, two hang on the doors. Where there is still space, children are squeezed in. At that time, there were about twenty-five of us in a van registered for eight people.

Janin Klemenčič (to be continued)