Here We Go!

Today I had my first taste of what life might be like in Senegal. I arrived at Washington International Airport (Reagan) and found my friend without any hassle. Planning to share a cab was a great way to avoid lugging heavy suitcases around, but it got interesting when I found her surrounded by a few others with more than just a little baggage. It wasn't a problem, as the airport offers a shuttle service.

The problem was the shuttle service!

The individual running the booth seemed a little too laissez-faire about the obviously exorbitant amount of luggage we had and despite his many attempt to
convince me there was ample room in the back of the passenger van, I was not sold. I doubted even the available space for the seven of us; yet I was out-voted.

The driver of the shuttle was French-African and even used some French with his counterpart. I think I was the only one of us who was able to understand his conversations with his co worker. So onward he proceeded to cram our luggage into the back of the van like a bad game of tetris as we stared on in amazement of how all but two bags fit!

All went according to plan until we came to a red light and then, upon the light turning green, and the driver pushing the peddle, the van failed to move forward. In fact, it rolled backwards; much to the horror of the Cadillac behind us. It took a minute but the group finally came to a consensus: The tranny dropped.

Despite time being short, the driver said we could wait for another van to come, but after being told quite profusely that the hotel was only a block away, we decided to hoof it.

Bad idea.

I figured we could just take cabs the rest of the way but no, it was not so. Someone made the point that life in Senegal may be full of very similar situations and after a moment pondering this point, no one wanted to be "that person" who suggests alternative transportation.

The van was in the left turn lane and traffic was thick. We had one person directing traffic, another standing guard on the curve, and 5 people unloading the van like a free-for-all ant party on a carcus. And the hotel wasn't a block away. It wasn't 2, it wasn't 3, not even 4. It was a grand total of 6 blocks up hill in the summer heat.

I was hot an tired and needed my lunch. What a start!