Getting Around

I went to the Kailahun District last week to supervise the launch of the cocoa survey. It takes roughly 3/4 of a day of to get there from Freetown. The route goes like this:

Freetown to Kenema in a share taxi:
This section really isn't too too bad; tar all the way with only minor potholes. The standard seating arrangement in a sedan taxi is 4 in the back seat and 2 passengers in the front seat. 6 passengers total. If you're unlucky enough to be in a hatchback, then it's another 4 passengers in the second back seat, which makes 12 passengers total. Luggage, space is not a big priority, so bags, chickens and children are put on laps. You can get a full seat to yourself if you pay double though. On this recent trip I did that on the way back. I got the whole front seat to myself, and it was glorious. The driver also thanked me because with only one passenger in the front seat he had to make fewer payments at the police check points that liberally dot the road.
Cost: Le 32,000 ($7)
Distance: About 400km
Time: 4-5hrs, God willing. Cars break down quickly and get fixed slowly.

View from the front seat of a taxi.

Kenema to Kailahun Town by okada:
The tar road ends here. At this stage we transfer to motorbike taxis. Car taxis are around, but they take roughly 3 times longer than bikes to navigate the roads. A real time suck if the bike takes 3 hours as it is. There are some really bad patches. Broken down trucks and minibus taxis can be seen quite reliably in certain bad sections of the road. Stuck in the thick red mud.
Cost: Le 70,000 ($16)
Distance: 128km
Time: About 3-4hrs

 

Motorbike taxis, also known as okadas, are by far the most popular form of transport in these parts of the country. Operating an okada I think might be the main form of entrepreneurship for young men. Okadas are generally a little more expensive than taxis, so to make the prices more reasonable the number of passengers is increased. 2 passengers sitting behind the driver is the norm up country, but 3 is not uncommon.

 

At IPA we indulge and pay double to get the whole back half of the seat to ourselves. We also carry our own helmets around. Helmets are rare, and can range from a half decent helmet lacking chin straps to a busted in construction helmet. I've also seen horse riding hats and boxing headgear.

This last picture is of a good looking car in Segbwema, one of the towns on the way to Kailahun Town. I don't think it's a taxi (it's a "musical machine"), and I don't think it's moved for awhile, but its been a brave car driving around on those roads. This car might have been a mail van in Belgium in its previous, quiet life.