Taxi Ride

{March 22, 2011}

The taxis in Bahir Dar were different than in Addis.  In Addis they are blue vans that get piled up with people.  An 8-passenger van could easily have 20 people in it.  When you get a taxi, it isn’t your private ride until you get to your destination like we are used to in the states.  The driver will pick up and drop off many others, taking lots of detours, before you get to your stop.

In Bahir Dar the taxis were three wheeled scooters with a canopy and  bench in the back.  Often when getting a cab, there would already be passengers inside so we would have to squeeze ourselves in.  Of course, we are like twice the size of most Ethiopians being the “fat Americans” that we are.  This would usually get a knowing laugh from locals when we admitted to this.  It was the elephant in the room, quite literally, and usually broke the ice.  The camera would help, too.  Eric would often take their picture and then show it to them which most people really enjoyed.

On one such trip, a taxi we hailed was pretty full.  I was squeezed in the back with two other adults and someone was up front sharing space with the driver…remember this is a scooter, not a car.  So there was no room left for Eric.  He literally had to hang out sideways, with his head and most of his body on the outside.  We’re sure he made the local papers as the scene was quite comical.  He, with a silly grin on his face, hair blowing in the wind, catching bugs in his teeth, with the scooter practically leaning on one wheel as we put-putted down the road.