Have you ever sat in public bus and the first thing that greets you is the stench from the bus conductors armpit? Welcome to trenches life.
If there’s one thing I hate so much in my life, it’s public transport. Growing up, I didn’t use to always take a bus to school because my dad drops and picks me up from school. When I got older, I lost all the princess treatment and so , I started to board the bus to school.
Monday mornings in Accra has to be the worst time of the week because no matter how early you wake up, you’d struggle to get a bus. Sometimes people would even push and squeeze you just to get in. Survival of the fittest I guess. As if that wasn’t enough. Just pray that when you get a seat you don’t find yourself by a fat person because you wouldn’t be comfortable. Tell me why we are both paying the same fare yet I get to feel uncomfortable. Sometimes it’s so annoying but what can you say.
A journey that’s supposed to last you at most 30 minutes in a private car will last you 2 hours on a public bus. Drivers want to stop every minute to pick up passengers. Sometimes the bus would be full but they would still try to squeeze the person in. Let me not forget how someone manages to alight at every junction on the journey despite the huge traffic jam. Sometimes you feel you should just alight and walk, that would be better at least.
In Accra, we mostly use buses which we call ‘trotro’ or ‘troski’. But , when I moved to the north it was a different story. I’ve never sat in a bus in the north before except when I’m going for a long journey. The major means of transportation here in the north is mainly tricycles. I think I love tricycles as compared to the buses in the south. These tricycles can pick a maximum of 5 people and it’s mostly open. You get to enjoy the fresh air while taking in the view. The good thing about the north is, there’s no traffic. You can go to heaven and come in a minute but in Accra, you’d need Jesus to come for you.😂
If it wasn’t for poverty, I would be having my own car. But what can a poor man say. Public transportation is the only means of transport for most of us who don’t have cars and what have you.
Public transportation can really piss of you off but here are some tips to make the experience a bit better. First, make sure to carry your AirPods or earpiece along. Even if you’re not listening to anything, just put them on and act like you don’t know what’s going on. And make sure you always sit by the window to help with the heat and stench. Also, never sit behind the driver if you don’t want to suffer throughout the journey. Most of us don’t have a choice when it comes to our means of transportation, the least we can do is find ways and means to make the experience better.
Moral lesson of this story is to find money. T for thanks.😊
all images belong to me.
