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Journal of African trips

Africa, spring 1999 part III

Agelasto
2004-05-21 18:12:22

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the persons responsible for the chops
never seemed to be around. As it developed its market economy, China for the sake of
efficiency then developed systems where the individual did not hold so much control over
procedures. I guess the post office in Labe has not reach this stage of development.

Friday. I bring my rucksack to the gare routiere and find the bush taxi which is heading to
Kankan. I have several travel options and I choose Kankan because there is a bus that
leaves there every Monday morning which can get me into the Cote d?Ivoire. I also like
the name Kankan. I am the first person who is interested in taking this taxi; I put my
rucksack on the roof and continue Faulkner. By 5 p.m., I am still the only person
interested in Kankan. In the next spot there is a van going to Nzerekore, which is in the
very southeast corner of Guinea, and it needs only one more person so it can take off.
The nine passengers in the van (they have been waiting all day, also) try to convince me
why I should choose Nzerekore over Kankan (it?s farther, it?s cheaper for the distance, it?s
a nicer city, the road?s better, the vehicle is newer - all of which turn out to be true). I
check the guidebook. Nzerekore seems as good a place as any, so I remove my bag from
the first taxi (I had not yet bought a ticket), buy a ticket for this new taxi and we take off.
The fare amounts to about US $19, which indicates this trip will take nineteen hours. One
dollar per transport hour is a good rule of thumb in West Africa. This is going to be
another all night ride, with a lot of rest stops for the two drivers who take turns at the
wheel every few hours. Around dusk, we stop on the side of the road for evening prayers.
Only two of us are non-Muslims.

It is not unusual for long distance taxis to travel at night. As in today?s case taxis can
often ...