How I get from here to there...

Today’s nam milestones –

            received my third bee sting
            saw a second dog be hit by a car
            coaxed my fifty-seventh baby into thinking white people are cool
            was hit on obnoxiously for the millionth time

Pretty full day, huh?

And now, I’d like to delve into a topic I’ve been saving for a rainy day…. transportation.

Transportation in Namibia can be…challenging.

First, everything happens on African time. Not that it’s always a bad thing. If you can get yourself adjusted to it, African time can really work in your favor. But to the stereo-typical American brain, it’s inconceivable that a 65 km trip should take 2.5 hours. And yes, sometimes that happens.

Next, there aren’t that many people in Namibia. About 2 million, actually. And not many of them have cars. Unlike some other volunteer organizations, Peace Corps does not allow volunteers to drive vehicles. So, sometimes we have to creative…

Here are our options – public transport (usually a combi, a van-type vehicle) or hitch-hiking (or, as we refer to it here – hiking). Now, both have their merits. As this is a public blog, I will refrain from supporting either whole-heartedly…rather I will attempt to amuse you with anecdotal tales of both types.

How I get to Rundu (my shopping town) from my village: 

- Walk to the road

- Find a shady spot, and watch the horizon for matua (cars)

- Whenever one meanders by, flag it down using a variety of moves (my personal go-to is the "dribbling the basketball")
- When a car/combi does pull over, discuss where I'm going, and how much money I have

- Hop in and go! 

But, as simple as that sounds, there are always complications. To sort some of those things out…here is the glorious first edition of my Rules for Nam Transport!

Rule # 1: Leave early. You never know what’s going to happen between point A and point B. Examples: your combi/public transport car may take anywhere between 30 minutes and 2 hours to fill up. You may receive a ride from a friendly man who needs to make a “quick stop” and end up chatting with his wife over tea for a few hours. There are always stops to be made, errands to be run, and plenty of cows, goats, and donkeys on the road. As an estimate, take the number of kilometers, multiply it by one million, and you should be pretty close.

Rule # 2: Always bring a book, an ipod, or some other form of amusement. When hiking, you never know how long you’ll be on the side of the road. If possible, bring a friend and invent new dance routines to help get the attention of passing cars. Also, always wear sunscreen (that’s for you, Amanda!). Especially if you’re as pale as I am.

 Rule # 3: Pay attention to your surroundings. This rule is especially important when you; a) live in a village, b) have no sense of direction, or c) both. I’m not too proud to admit that I have, on three occasions, accidentally passed my village. But really, let me break it down. In the 65 km between my shopping town and my village, here’s what you will find – cows. goats. donkeys. small children. huts. trees. and the occasional shebeen (bar). After a while, it all starts to look the same. So rule 3.1 – don’t get too engrossed in your book, 3.2 – don’t have such awesome conversations you forget to look for your landmarks, and 3.3 – don’t SMS excessively. :)

Rule # 4: There is always more space. I’m not sure if this counts as a rule, or more of a principle… but either way, when you’re traveling in Namibia, it’s very true! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in a vehicle and thought to myself “there is no possible way another person could fit in here,” and less than two minutes later the driver has decided to prove me wrong. I usually end up making a game out of it and keeping a running total as we pick up/drop off passengers. I think my personal record is 24 on one bakkie (pick up truck), cab and bed included. Obviously, I was abiding by PC rules and riding in the cab. But yes, it happened.

Rule # 5: Enjoy yourself. It can be difficult. Sometimes you’ve spent all day walking around grocery shopping and sweating constantly and you just want to be done. But while transportation is a challenge, it’s also an adventure. Greet the people in your vehicle. Try to impress them with your language skills. Play with the small children. Count the cows. And if all else fails, conjure up some super sweet background music and imagine that you’re in a movie.

So there you have it... five simple rules to keep you sane while you get around in Namibia. Now come visit me and try them out! :)