Spider Video Coach is an international bus providing service between Tanzania and Kenya. It's vaguely Spiderman themed (not to worry intellectual property rights hawks - it's only blue and red with spiderweb patterns and spider decorations). We highly don't recommend it - they drove off while Cindy was using the toilet (with poor Greg left on the bus frantically flipping through a Swahili dictionary for the words "wife" and "shitter") and then stuffed her in a taxi with four others to meet the bus beyond the police check point since we were over the legal weight limit. Here's an open letter to the driver who tried to abandon us around midnight at the Kenyan border:
Dear Driver of the Spider Video Coach,
What were you thinking?
We did everything right. We obediently lined up at customs on the Tanzanian side, we filled out the those little blue forms, we helped those without the writing skills to complete their paperwork, we walked through the leaches lurking in the shadows between the two borders who tried to take our money and steal our passports, we filled out identical paperwork on the Kenyan side, we paid money for visas, we bought snacks and sodas, and we smoked cigarettes while leaning against dim light poles. In short, we did everything that a busload of border-crossers should do. We asked only that you complete your duty, as our coach driver, to pick us back up on the Kenyan side and finish this long journey.
But instead, you turned off the lights in the coach, tilted your seat back as far as it would go, and took a nap! When we finally went back to get you, you said that we wouldn't go until morning! You made us bring you to the police station as if we were an angry mob! We were not angry, we were only tired, but we played our roles impeccably. The angry fat woman was loud. The bulky intimidator had toothpick in his mouth. The incredulous young woman shook her head and laughed. Mr. Rational gesticulated vigorously. The token muzungus were mute and observant.
When you finally put the coach in gear and creeped through the dim border crossing, we could only wonder, what is going on in your head?
Sincerely,
The 6:30 am from Dar es Salaam to Nairobi, Feb 20, 2009
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