WE”VE BEEN DRIVING OURSELVES in Rwanda for about a week now.
There are definitely some challenges: driving on the right, the orderly chaos at roundabouts, the smoke blowing snail race as cars and bikes four or five abreast, many with clapped out engines, try to inch past each other up steep hills, with little apparent concern for oncoming traffic.
And a few minibus drivers – time is money – who would have halved the size of the Toyota boot or pushed us into the deep gutter yesterday if we weren’t operating on the idea that anything can happen, and certainly will, if you just give it a few days.
“The absence of aggression is remarkable.”
People get hurt, but the absence of aggression is remarkable. The nearest things to road rage I’ve heard have been: “Eeh! My friend seems uncertain about which lane he prefers.” and “Eh! My friend seems determined to send us all to heaven immediately.”
I think I’ll try this gentler approach back in Melbourne. I’ll entertain myself, if nothing else.
