I've just spent a few days in Nairobi, also aptly nicknamed Nairobbery.
I saw a few friends, did some shopping like bicycle parts (the bike shop
in Arusha is utterly hopeless), enjoyed more diversity in food, and in
everything else by the way. So as usual I like to walk in a city, even
if the Nairobi sidewalks are meant to break legs or twist ankles. In turn
I was in awe to see Kenyan girls with high heels or even stiletto!
I've been ranting a lot about the "dala-dala" in Arusha, I know, but
there are some major differences with the ones in Kenya, called here
"matatu". But similarities are numerous too, unfortunately...I was
walking near a commercial center when I felt as if I had been transposed
all of a sudden in a disco, techno type music blaring, the pavement nearly
vibrating! As if the noise was not obvious enough, some horn melody came on
top! I looked for the source and spotted this thing, displayed below, arriving
fast and screeching tyres to stop. I came closer for the picture, saw the
windows shaking. Indeed a matatu, people coming in and out but
only youngsters, who else. After this monster of ugliness and poor taste
I decided to look closer for the other matatus. This one has been awarded
the gold medal in my opinion. Different wheels at the back, sometimes
bigger than the front ones, the rear of the beast jacked up for this
dragster look, flashy painting (and forget the matching colors), added chrome
gitzmo like the exhaust pipe or bumper, blackened windows...
Men tend to be men all over the world when it comes to cars. Just the style,
the taste that change...
extra bumper, skulls, sport rims...I also wonder what the driver still sees
through such a clustered windshield... Because like in Arusha, they drive like
crazy...here is the clown hanging out of the vehicle, looking for passengers.
My worst enemy when I'm cycling. He ignores me and tells the driver to stop,
pull over or start by banging his hand on the roof. And the driver just obeys in a
flash, not paying much attention either. But I've learnt that by now.
another model of sobriety...the amount of money and time wasted in this!
Notice as well the white rim on the tyres, like on the old US cars.
sober painting but maybe the worst is to be come. Again, the rear is higher, back
wheels are bigger. It doesn't look very comfortable for the passengers, specially
when the drivers pile on the brakes, which they love to. One must keep sliding
towards the front. Notice the basket ball stuff on the back! I'll show later the
full picture.
slowly getting there...step by step. I still wonder why they've put
all-terrain tyres on the back wheels...
rap is very popular too, like this 'singer' painted on the side.
100$ bills all over. Very tasty and stylish too, though the head on the notes
are not Franklin's portrait but a rapper's.
a clean one! Just the American flag (since Obama's election)
under project, orange paint as a base. I'm sure the rest is coming soon.
as I've said they stop anywhere on request, specially where they're
not supposed to.
African optimism...a matatu racing with a sport car. The guy hanging out
was yelling and encouraging his fellow driver...?! I wonder if the
Toyota and Nissan designers knew what would happen to their creation
when they thought of a minibus strong enough for the African roads and
other rough conditions... This matatu here looks like a standard
Tanzanian one. No decoration. Not that the Tanzanian drivers
are any smarter, just lack of money or the fashion hasn't hit here yet...
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