Public Transport

I just felt that this was necessarily the next blog that I write, due to the number of ridiculous rides that I've had in Uganda in the last couple of weeks. Most of the time here, we get around using public transportation, which consists of "taxis" ---minibuses, "shared taxis" ----sedans usually containing 6-11 people, or buses. Also, let me just say that I am fairly ok with the amount of person-cramming that goes on in african taxis and buses, it's all part of the experience.
However...there are times when I just can't get over the crazy situation that I've found myself in.

In the last two weeks riding in small, 5-person sedans I have:
- sat in the front seat with 2 other people
- bribed the cops (well, not me personally)
- sat in the back with 6 other adults and 1 child
- sat on a man's lap for 45 minutes in the back with my head against the roof with 6 other people
- run out of gas in the night and waited in the dark on side of the road for the driver to return
- pushed the car backward
- pushed the car forward
- and broken down twice
So I'm trying to tone down the number of times that I ride in this type of taxi, it's simply not comfortable to ride in the back of a small car with 6 other people, especially over the potholes. I suppose it's a good cultural learning experience (the first few times). Americans enjoy quite a large bubble of personal space, and it pops as soon as you land in Uganda. In the meantime I think I will use the lesser-crowded minibus taxis, where they (so far) have not made me sit on a strange man's lap.