The Kenyan Nomad

The Kenyan Nomad

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Long way to go

While I'm loving my work, there's one thing I can honestly say that I hate; the traffic that I have to sit through everyday!
For a distance of thirty kilometres or less, I can sometimes take up to two hours to get there.
However, I decided to do what I like to do in such situations; make the best of things. I opened my eyes and realised just how much goes on around my little car that I was previously oblivious to.
Yesterday for example, on Uhuru Highway, I was alongside a van that had www.privatesafaris.co.ke proudly printed on it, and was full of a group of tourists who could not have been more obvious if they tried. Reason? At least three of them kept whipping out cameras as soon as something out of the ordinary happened (which is pretty often mind you), such as matatus driving off the road, and people doing the "Kenyan run" across a busy road not too far from a zebra crossing (crosswalk).
After this chuckle-inspiration, I turned my attention to the left to a 22 wheeler whose truck was emitting noises that made me think a metal eating monster lay in its belly. Of course, the truck's age probably had something to do with it...
It wasn't just the amusing instances that caught my eye, but the sheer number of people on the road. It made me think, just how often do such a large number of people collect anywhere else apart from on the roads? And in spite of all of us suffering through this together, we are all so obviously wrapped up in our own lives, in a little (or big depending on what you're driving) cocoon of steel and glass. Does anyone realise the power of all these people who spend these one or two hours together? I wonder what the reaction would be if I were to roll down my window and strike up a conversation with the person in the car next to me. Ideally, people would catch on and do the same. We would be a community, united, even if just for a short while. Realistically, someone would probably make a snatch for my bag or phone, or in less dire circumstances, recommend me to the nearest mental asylum.
Let's wake up Kenya, to the enormous potential and power that lies within us!

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Haha...you should start this traffic communication as a new trend in Kenya

RRW said...

Man, I gotta say, I'm always impressed by your writing skills! Tap into that talent, and don't let it go waste!

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