African massages

So, everytime you venture out in a car in Nairobi, you're absolutely taking your life into your own hands... For one thing, if roads are not paved, be prepared for an African massage (as our driver affectionately referred to unpaved rides) because the pajero (like a land rover) you're riding in will be sailing over speed bumps the size of small busses (no kidding, really, there are massive speed bumps on roads that really, REALLY need no help in slowing people down in the first place and a car my size (honda accord) would have no chance making it over these things, not even one wheel at a time), through potholes the size of small cars (no exaggeration my friends), around thousands of people, goats, chickens, and stopped matatus (public transportation system), avoiding the really deep mud holes, all of which = lots of fun (aka car-sickness inducing entertainment). On paved roads you have a slightly better time of it, although the potholes are frequent and sometimes massive...and you play African chicken pretty often too. African chicken would be when a car is coming directly towards you, fast as it can go...who moves first??? You know how people generally tend to wait to pass others on small highways in the US, at least until the oncoming traffic is far away? Well, no such polite driving in Nairobi, nosirree, passing is a fair option at any time, especially when you're in the midst of speedy oncoming traffic and your line of cars is about a million long (so you won't be able to get back in your lane for quite some time). I think African chicken may have been invented for the sole purpose of terrifying tourists...well, for 2 purposes, terror and getting ahead of the bloody slow pajero (or 10) in front of you. Another roadside attraction (besides pot holes, goats, and people) is the infamous roundabout. Who invented these things and expected them to work? I expect that my american love for traffic lights is a bit too refined since people the world over rely on roundabouts, but really! Mass chaos should be the aka for roundabouts! I asked the missionaries if it was hard to adjust to driving (since I could see no clear driving rules or patterns) and they all said that it wasn't so bad because the traffic around you sort of trained you...which is all well and good, especially if you're in the driver's seat. In the passenger's seat however, I never could tell how you were supposed to know when it was your turn to go or wait, how you merged over 6+ lanes of traffic going around the roundabout in time to make your exit, how you didn't get killed every time...God is good to the drivers of Kenya! All said and done though, I must say that the driving was at least entertaining. I was glad to be a passenger and not a driver! It all makes the driving in america seem so incredibly tame...and smooth. I'll never complain about a bumpy brick road in Lubbock again!