Transportation

The roads here are organized chaos, yet we've not seen one car accident or one episode of road rage yet. There are no stop signs, stop lights, or road signs of any kind, and to a passer-by who's unfamiliar to Nairobi, the roads would look like one big grid lock. The roads are thin, and crowded with car, pedestrian, bike and matatu traffic. Matatus are the main form of public transportation in Nairobi. They are 12-14 person vans, which are usually decorated with bright writing and pictures of various American celebrities (Mariah Cary, Barack Obama, Lil Wayne). They are the vehicles on the road! Often you see them driving half on the side walk, in order to pass people or get through traffic quicker, and they are always jammed back with passengers. Tomorrow we are going on our first matatu ride, when we go with Mary, our housekeeper, to get our hair done in one of the slums of Lavington (the area we are living in).
Everyone is always walking, and not just from block to block. I've decided it may be why the people here all look so fit and healthy. Here, walking is a social thing, as well as the most widespread form of transportation. Noxy and I walk to work, and it is one of the most relaxing parts of my day. The exhaust from the old buses takes away from some of the beauty of our walk, but the produce stands lining the roads make up for it. Fresh mangoes, bananas, pineapples, avocados and flowers decorate the bustling side walks when we leave for work at 7:45 in the morning, and when we return at 2:45. I am working up the nerves to take a picture of these produce stands and vendors. I have even learned how to say "May I take your picture?" in Swahili, but sometimes I feel like I'm disrespecting their lifestyle by taking pictures. I think tomorrow I'll bring some shillings to buy a piece of fruit for breakfast and maybe then it will be alright if I take a picture of them, once I've spoken to them and bought something!