Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
er big pothole, you roar with laughter. There's nothing like local humour to change an otherwise miserable trip into a
tolerable, even enjoyable, experience.
BUSH TAXI TRICKS
Early customers can choose where to sit. Latecomers get no choice and are assigned to the least comfortable seats
- usually at the back, where the seating is cramped and stuffy, seat springs work their way into any orifice and
window-winders jam into knees. If you have a choice, the best seats are those in the front, near the window. Some
travellers prefer the very front, though you're first in line if there's a collision. Better is the row behind the driver,
near a window (ideally one that works), and preferably on the side with more shade during the journey.
If a group of passengers has been waiting a long time, and there are only two or three seats to fill, they may
club together and pay extra so as to get moving. If you do this, don't expect a discount because you're saving the
driver the hassle of looking for other passengers - time ain't money in Africa. If you pick up someone along the
way, however, the fare they pay goes to the passengers who bought the seats, not to the driver.
By far the best time to catch bush taxis is early in the morning; after that, you may have difficulty finding
vehicles on many routes. Sometimes, however, departures are determined by market days, in which case after-
noon may be best.
If a bush taxi looks like it's going to get uncomfortably full, you can always buy two seats for yourself - it's
simply double the price. Likewise, if you want to charter the whole car, take the price of one seat and multiply it
by the number available. You can either hire a city taxi or a bush taxi (although in most places, city taxis won't
have the necessary paperwork for long-distance routes), or ask around at your hotel and arrange something
privately.
The price you pay will have to be worth the driver taking it out of public service for the day. If you want a deal
including petrol, he'll reduce the speed to a slow trot and complain every time you take a detour. A fixed daily
rate for the car, while you pay extra for fuel, is easier to arrange. Finding a car with a working petrol gauge may
be tricky, but you can work on the theory that the tank will be empty when you start and, if you allow for 10km
per litre on reasonable roads (more on bad roads), you should be OK.
Car & Motorcycle
Hire
There are car-rental agencies in most capital cities and tourist areas. Most international companies (Hertz, Avis, etc) are
represented, plus smaller independent operators, but renting is invariably expensive - you can easily spend in one day
what you'd pay for a week's rental in Europe or the USA. If the small operators charge less, it's usually because the
vehicles are older and sometimes not well maintained, and corners can be cut on insurance, but it can also simply be be-
cause their costs are lower and they can do a better deal. If you have the time, check around for bargains. You will need
to put down a large deposit (credit cards are usually, but not always, good for this). Prices in Morocco tend to be a little
cheaper than elsewhere in the region.
It's very unlikely you'll be allowed to take a rental car across a border but, if you are (for example, from The Gambia
into Senegal), make sure the paperwork is valid. If you're uncertain about driving, most companies provide a chauffeur
at very little extra cost and, with many, a chauffeur is mandatory. In many cases it's cheaper to go with a chauffeur as
you will pay less for insurance. It's also prudent, as getting stuck on your own is no fun and chauffeurs generally know
the intricacies of checkpoint etiquette.
In tourist areas, such as The Gambia, Morocco and Senegal, and in some parts of Burkina Faso, it's possible to hire
mopeds and motorbikes. In most other countries there is no formal rental available, but if you want to hire a motorbike
