Everyone here talks about the traffic alot, don't they..................

Yes we do simply because we spend so much time sitting in it! If you don’t want to sit in the traffic you drive to work at 0500 and go home about 2200 - anytime in between you can be guaranteed a slow trip home.. or to the shops.. or that meeting that you just can’t be late for.

The comment came from the relative of a friend, visiting from UK. There were several of us sitting in the bar at the Aero Club watching the line of traffic on Langatta Road come to a standstill, the only solution really was to have a gin and tonic and wait for the worse to pass.

It is not all bad, being stuck in the traffic. Especially on Langatta Rd, the route most people take home. The shopping for instance. Kenyans are nothing if not opportunistic and they take full advantage of three of four kilometers of potential customers.

The Langatta Road sellers offer a multitude of wares that any bored driver will find irresistible.

The fruit and vegetable sellers come out in force – oranges, tangerines (Jim’s favourite), peas (as hard as bullets and already sprouting), tomatoes, passionfruit, grapes from Egypt and anything else that happens to be in season.
The boys with bottles water do a brisk trade especially in the hot weather, 50/= will get you an ice cold bottle. Or warm if you prefer as many Kenyans do.
The sugar cane seller will peel and cut you a bag of chunks to chew on – it looks as if it has been snowing as everyone spits the remains out onto the road.

After refreshing yourself you can move onto the hard core offerings – maps of Africa; posters teaching you the alphabet and how to count; hats; scarves; CDs and DVDs, all the latest releases; loofahs;  baskets; national flags; covers for your passport or drivers license; towels and children’s toys; kitchen utensils; newspapers and telephone credit.

Wares get passed in the drivers’ window, everyone in the car has a look and then it gets passed back out whilst the haggling goes on. If the traffic starts to move the vendors run along side rather than risk losing a sale. Their sales pitch is well practiced and often the only way to avoid it is to wind up the window. 

The one I have not quite worked out yet is the man who appeared last week with a metal hat stand – no hats attached – I mean, it is not exactly a spur of the moment buy.

 

As 7pm approaches and it is still just light outside, Tara and I decide to brave the road. Better to be on the way home than sitting around.
I get out onto the road without even having to give way to any approaching traffic and even manage to get into third gear. Three minutes and I am past the turnoff to Uchumi supermarket; still moving steadily I pass the half constructed by-pass at 7 minutes, and come to a standstill. But not for long, we continue at a steady crawl in first gear. I make it to our major landmark, the Army Barracks in 16 minutes (my all time records are 5 mins to over one hour). I text Jim to let him know my progress. His answer comes just as I am approaching the park gate ‘great, I am leaving now’.

Now on a single lane things slow down but keep moving. I reach the corner and turn into Magardi Road and surprisingly, I get up into 4^th gear. I clock myself as I reach the barrier on our road – 58 minutes! Pretty good doing in anyone’s language.

 I text Jim again to let him know I am home. His reply ‘Well I was leaving half an hour ago but now I really am.’ He makes it home in 52 minutes!