How to Reduce Extortion Fees, for Dummies.

While our maniac of a driver disagreed, I thought paying 10 000 USh ($6.50 USD) was pretty good for taking out a boda-boda driver. Minutes earlier while stopped beside the Standard Charter bank, I opened the door by 10cm without checking. I didn't check because I was right beside the sidewalk but that didn't stop me from clipping a reckless boda-boda driver. Of course, I got out immediately to check that he hadn't been hurt too badly and that there wasn't too much damage.I was relieved to see he only had some minor scrapes and cuts and that the boda-boda was pretty much fine. This was especially important since our driver ran over his front wheels when he was down in order to unblock traffic. I asked if he was okay and took out my first aid kit. I gave him anti-septic and bandages. It took 3 minutes before the expected "demand" came.

"I need hospital", he said.
I chuckled a bit. Some minor cuts and a scrape, plus it was his own recklessness that caused the accident. Our driver came over and started talking to him in Ugandan dismissively. Meanwhile, the injured boda driver was motioning at his slightly scraped arm.
This was when Thomas asked, "Do you have 5000 USh?"
That's $5 USD, pocketchange I thought. I handed it to him but it wasn't enough to satisfy him though 10 000 USh was. Though I'm sure we could've stayed and dismissed his claims, $6.50 USD okay to pay and less hassle since I had to get to the airport to catch a flight to Kilimanjaro.

Humourously, Thomas told me that a man once swerved his truck to avoid hitting a reckless boda-boda, injuring himself badly in the course of the action. The policeman later told him he shoudl've hit the reckless driver instead of going through so much pain!

Yesterday, Thomas, the driver and I got back from Mbarra where we had spent the night at his aunt's house. The car ride was very scenic and I got some great shots in the safari-like scenery and another video of me walking left to right of the frame. I look forward to stitching all the walking scenes together.

Of course, when we pulled over, thjere was a man beside the road holding up a live chicken and trying to sell it to us. By the time Thomas and I finished taking photos, the chicken was sitting in the trunk and had laid an egg! By the time we got to Kampala, we had 4 giant chains of plantains (to make matoke), guava, mangos, tomatoes, 3 bags of freshly cleaved pork and a disgruntled chicken.

Now, as I sit in the shuttle provided by Air Tanzania between Kilimanjaro Airport to Arusha, I admire the beautiful land and mountains of Tanzania.

some children notice me looking out and wave while yelling, "Jambo!"
I smile and wave back.
Sijambo Tanzania!