These cars are THE SUV in Africa. They have different types, and upgrades, but they are everywhere here. A favorite of the NGO set, and the government. The Africanized version is truly awesome: standard transmission, a smoke stack on the outside (to keep the engine going in swollen rivers,) spare tires, roof rack, GPS, you name it, it has it...
In my case, I had to rent a car for the week as the car that I bought (a 2002 Mazda pick-up truck) still hadn't cleared all of the necessary paperwork required, even after 6 weeks (don't get me started...) So I called a rental car agency (EuroCar,) and I thought I was getting a RAV4 for the special price my friend had received a few weeks earlier. I thought it would be an older car, and smaller. I arranged for the car to be dropped off at my friends house. Then, a driver shows up in this bad boy...
Y'all, this is the nicest car I have ever driven... It is a rental, so it doesn't have all of the bells and whistles as its cousins. But it drives very, very well. I can see the appeal of this car to the soccer Mom set (No offense to my friends who have kids and drive SUVs and whose kids play hockey or lacrosse, haha!) And when you are behind the wheel, WOW.
But I do have some misgiving about this vehicle. It is a gas-guzzling, monstrosity that is hard to park. Back home, I would scoff at the sight of these vehicles. It goes with the American mantra that bigger is better. And do we, 3 tourists, really need this much vehicle? What really scared me is that I somehow felt powerful driving around in this car. I saw my moto drivers around town, and they were cheering, saying what a powerful car I had. Even my guards were impressed. And folks, the scary thing is that I liked it? That is not me; I don't like to parade around in nice cars or in lavish hotels. I am more modest, I guess. But, I have reconciled with myself that this is the car that I was given to drive around this beautiful country with some of my best friends in life, and to just enjoy it! Believe you me, I will!
Until next time...
Love life, Find meaning, Be happy,
Craiger
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