Modes of Transportation

I finally figured out that bus #19 goes "direct" (in as much as we don't have to get off) from Asko to Addis Ababa Piazza, from where we can easily walk to the feeding center on Churchill Street. It should cost us 1 birr each (6¢) but because we're white, we're sometimes charged double. The big city buses are the cheapest form of transportation and while this bus looks fairly comfy and empty, I don't think we've ever actually been able to sit in our own seat ... maybe for part of a trip. I've sat on Robin's lap, but I don't think that should count :-). In all modes of public transportation, it's common practice to jam as many people in as possible and standing is typical.

We've only caught the smaller bus once and that one broke down about 5 minutes into the ride and we had to walk to the next town. They didn't charge us so I don't know what it's supposed to cost. Took us 1.75 hours to get from the Home to the feeding center ... 5.5 miles.

The mini bus is our most frequented form of transportation to and around town. There are 7 seats behind the driver. The front seat has been modified into a bench so that the driver and 2 others can sit up front (despite the middle person having to straddle the gearshift). We've counted as many as 17 people plus the driver in one load. And a rooster. This means is more direct (fewer stops) than the bus, a bit more comfortable (yes), but we have to unload half way and catch another mini bus. Total trip costs 5.10 birr or 29¢. 

Eyob (right) took the mini bus with us for part of a trip. The man handing him money I refer to as the "caller"; he hangs  out the window to tell people waiting at the bus stops the detonation of the mini bus. Overall, there seem to be more mini buses than any other form of public transportation.

This is a badaj, a 3-wheeled contraption from India. It's more expensive than the buses and the mini bus, but more fun and  more private. It doesn't have a lot of power so you can't take them very far. They're more expensive and you must arrange a price before you commit.

When our first small bus ride was aborted due to mechanical failure, "Benjamin", who spoke pretty good English, babysat us from the borken down bus to the badaj ride … he rode for free to get to his work at the bank inside the Hilton in Addis Ababa. 

Our favorite form of transport is the cab, but it's by far the most expensive. On Fridays, though, when we're going to spend the weekend at a hotel, we have a backpack, which isn't terribly heavy, but isn't safe to drag into the city with us. So we call Gurma, who drives from we don't know where and picks us up right at the home, a luxury. His car is held together with clothes hangers and duct tape, but it's gotten us where we need to go every time. Robin established a price of 200 birr ($11.37) to go from the home, stop at the hotel to check in (even at 10 a.m.) and unload our belongings, and then drop us off in front of the feeding center. It's a deal by American standards, but it's outrageous by Ethiopian standards ... we definitely make it worth his time to come from wherever he is.

It's also perfectly common for people to ride in vehicles, although they don't refer to it as hitchhiking and somehow it's "arranged." because towns are so far apart and transportation challenging, I guess it's pretty common for there to be couriers and runners on any given day. If you can latch into these routes, you can ride along. Here we rode for over 2 hours to a remote town in a cushy Landcruiser for a measly 250 birr ($14.22) for three of us, by far our best deal but it took the negotiations of an Ethiopian to score and there was some argument that ensued because we were white, which he apparently hadn't told the middleman. 

This thing is super cool but we didn't get to ride in it because there were too many of us. I've only seen them in rural town, but I want one.

Favorite mode of transport so far!!! Cost 150 birr (for the donkey) + 50 birr "tip" for the guy walking = the best $11.37 I ever spent. :-)