How the Dala-Dalas of Dar-es Salaam taught me to appreciate Nairobi Matatus

Erol Ozam once said that you can't understand a city without using its public transportation system. This saying proved true when I visited Tanzania’s bustling coastal city of Dar es Salaam.  Dar, as the locals call it, was formerly the capital city of Tanzania. Though it lost this title to Dodoma, Dar es Salaam continues to be one of Tanzania’s most vibrant cities.

While many wealthy residents own personal cars, the common modes of public transportation are buses and vans commonly known as Dala-Dala. Most of the Dala-Dala's are either mini-vans or mini-Buses.