Bush Taxis

A journey from Jos to Abuja. Half way through the engine starts belching out smoke. Drive continues until nearest town, where the Driver assures us he will fix the problem. We coast along in neutral, down through the town, way past the filling station and motor park. Driver remembers the smoke, so we stop. A quick look inside the bonnet confirms that indeed oil is leaking all over the place. The driver hops on a machine back to the motor park to find another car.

We sit under a tree.

Original Driver returns with New Driver (no.1) and car. Drivers argue. New Driver drives off without us. Original Driver hops on another machine back to the motor park.

We eat guava.

Time passes.

New Car arrives. Yes this is the car. We load up. New Driver (no.2) hops on machine to motor park to find Original Driver.

More time passes.

Original Driver, New Driver and Newer Driver return in another car. This is the car. We get in and sit while Drivers and Random-Passer-By argue. Other passengers join in. We sweat, but finally we are off.

We grind to a halt just outside Abuja.

Passengers argue, we get on bus.