Getting around in Uganda

By Sara:

How do Ugandans get from place to place, within their communities and from town to town?  Here are some of the ways:

The least expensive method is on foot.

For those who have to go a longer distance, a bicycle is very useful.  Here is a "bicycle parking lot" at a high school:

It is amazing how much one can carry on a bicycle:

Not only can a bicycle carry objects, it can also carry people.  This is called a bicycle boda.  You pay a small amount of money for someone to carry you on the back of their bike.

If you have a little more money, you can hire a motorcycle boda (especially when your bike is broken...)

Of course, no one really wants to ride on the back of a motorcycle for hours, so there's always the option of taking a taxi, at least if you're willing to share a 14-passenger van with 20 other people:

There's so much going on in this next picture, it's hard to know what to focus on: the guy pushing the taxi down a busy city road? The two guys sitting on fancy chairs in the back of a pickup, chatting with each other? Or the boda weaving in and out between traffic?

If you want your own seat on a long journey, a bus is a better option than a taxi.

 

Let's not forget boats (on which you can carry your motorcycle...) and cars, though most people can't afford a personal car.

Remember to drive on the left side of the road.  Blinkers on the right and windshield wipers on the left...

You can always catch a ride on top of a truck packed with stuff (not safe at all).

And then everyone needs to share the road.