1. Keep Calm: Whether you are driving into the Dar bus station with people banging on the windows and jumping in the car; in a crowd of strange people screaming at eachother in a language you don't understand; being dragged into a dala; have five different people screaming in your face "Mzungu, where are you going?"; or are watching a literal fist fight break out over which bus you will get on, it is best to keep a clear head. You will need your wits about you.
2. Find the Right Bus: Since there are often no signs, or the signs are incorrect, you need to rely on others to tell you where you need to go. This can be a problem since whether they know or not, Africans seem to have trouble not helping you. When I was trying to find the Rwandan embassy in Kampala, I had five people in a row literally tell me five different ways to go. I find it is best to go with consensus, so always double and triple check.
3. Know your price: There are honest people, and not everyone is trying to swindle you, but the only way to know for sure that you are paying the right price is to know the price going in. Whether you ask your hotel; someone at a restaurant or store; or a random person on the bus, you should always have an objective answer on what price you are supposed to be paying or you will often be paying more. On the dala, the bus, or the boda, remember mzungu prices are more than just a myth.
4. Beware of extra fees: Be skeptical and just make sure a charge is legitimate before shelling out 40,000 Tsh for baggage security. Always ask a local.
5. Watch your luggage: a local friend from Tanzania once told me that he jumped out the window of a bus to get to his bag in order to keep people from taking it. This isn't the west, people steal more than just iPhones. People can sell anything here. They lock those baggage compartments for a reason.
6. Don't make eye contact: While they are entirely harmless, the crowds of aggressive sales people that crowd around the bus can definitely get annoying. Often, even when you are looking that way and clearly are not interested, they will still bang on your window and point to you to open it so they can tell you to buy something. I made the mistake of giving someone some crackers once and then had two other guys tapping on my window for about 15 minutes. The most effective strategy is to just ignore them.
7. Beware of street meat: You are taking a risk no matter what you buy through the bus window, because you never know where that food came from. However, I have seen multiple times people trying to buy meat on a stick and the sellers, in their haste for a sale, literally smearing the meat all over the side of the dirty bus. You know they are still going to sell that. Meat is risky enough to begin with.
8. Know your stop: Sometimes you can rely on a thoughtful conductor to make sure you are getting off at the right place, but the only way to be certain you won't miss your stop is to make friends with a neighbour who knows the way. Best case scenario is someone getting off at the same place.
9. Be Flexible: Whether you are getting a ride on the beer truck, taking an insane boat ride to Mafia Island, or just getting a ride with a friend of a friend, if your flexible and creative you can save money and have a lot more fun.
2. Find the Right Bus: Since there are often no signs, or the signs are incorrect, you need to rely on others to tell you where you need to go. This can be a problem since whether they know or not, Africans seem to have trouble not helping you. When I was trying to find the Rwandan embassy in Kampala, I had five people in a row literally tell me five different ways to go. I find it is best to go with consensus, so always double and triple check.
3. Know your price: There are honest people, and not everyone is trying to swindle you, but the only way to know for sure that you are paying the right price is to know the price going in. Whether you ask your hotel; someone at a restaurant or store; or a random person on the bus, you should always have an objective answer on what price you are supposed to be paying or you will often be paying more. On the dala, the bus, or the boda, remember mzungu prices are more than just a myth.
4. Beware of extra fees: Be skeptical and just make sure a charge is legitimate before shelling out 40,000 Tsh for baggage security. Always ask a local.
5. Watch your luggage: a local friend from Tanzania once told me that he jumped out the window of a bus to get to his bag in order to keep people from taking it. This isn't the west, people steal more than just iPhones. People can sell anything here. They lock those baggage compartments for a reason.
6. Don't make eye contact: While they are entirely harmless, the crowds of aggressive sales people that crowd around the bus can definitely get annoying. Often, even when you are looking that way and clearly are not interested, they will still bang on your window and point to you to open it so they can tell you to buy something. I made the mistake of giving someone some crackers once and then had two other guys tapping on my window for about 15 minutes. The most effective strategy is to just ignore them.
7. Beware of street meat: You are taking a risk no matter what you buy through the bus window, because you never know where that food came from. However, I have seen multiple times people trying to buy meat on a stick and the sellers, in their haste for a sale, literally smearing the meat all over the side of the dirty bus. You know they are still going to sell that. Meat is risky enough to begin with.
8. Know your stop: Sometimes you can rely on a thoughtful conductor to make sure you are getting off at the right place, but the only way to be certain you won't miss your stop is to make friends with a neighbour who knows the way. Best case scenario is someone getting off at the same place.
9. Be Flexible: Whether you are getting a ride on the beer truck, taking an insane boat ride to Mafia Island, or just getting a ride with a friend of a friend, if your flexible and creative you can save money and have a lot more fun.
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