Another Hot Day on the Daladala...

...When I got on, there were no open seats and already there were a few people standing. I squeezed my way on, trying (as always) not to look like a complete idiot-foreigner with my big sunglasses, hiking backpack, and increasingly blonde hair. After a few minutes down the road, more people continued to crowd on the already packed, sweltering bus. Somehow, there seems to always be room for a few more passengers. Traffic was at a complete stand-still; there was absolutely no breeze. Our journey was just beginning… I dreadfully realized that I would have to endure this situation for at least an hour more. Other sweaty bodies pressed up against me, and I started to feel really dizzy, light-headed, and claustrophobic. My body starting sweating profusely, desperately trying to pick up any movement of air to cool off my over-heating body. But there was no luck—my vision went all starry and I couldn’t see anything. I almost collapsed right then and there, but I knew that blacking-out just wouldn’t be a smart thing to do. I managed to take control of my panic, and inhaled and exhaled a few slow, deep breaths. I awkwardly managed to take off my heavy backpack, pushed my body through a few others’, and propped as much of my weight as possible against the back of a seat (good thing daladala etiquette allows you to push and shove other people out of the way to fight for your own space!). I kept my eyes closed for a very long time and continued breathing slowly; my light-headedness receded. The daladala starting picking up speed and finally my drenched skin provided me with its inherent purpose: personal air-conditioning. I knew I was going to survive another day on my notorious daladala commute…