kaiti n' haiti: Driving

I can not describe driving in Haiti.

I will never forget the feelings and emotions I had jumping off the plane at Port-Au-Prince airport, getting in a pickup truck and driving through the streets of Haiti. Like nothing I have ever seen before. People crammed on top of cars, into cars, hanging out of cars. And these are roads? I call these hiking trails! To call them 'dirt roads' would imply that they resemble any notion one may have of a road.

Pot holes the size of a Honda Fiat. Rocks, Boulders, Rubble obstructing. People crowding streets. Diesel inhalation. Black pollution covering your pores. Children running up to wash your windows. Traffic laws non existent.

And the cars here- Not one car here would be even CLOSE to passing ANY inspection in the United States. I think the cars here have failed Americans so we shipped them off to Mexico where they were driven into the ground and died. Buried in Mexico and magically, ta-dah! resurrected in Haiti.

We own three trucks at the orphanage- One massive big truck with a CAGE in the back of it. A literal CAGE that we use to transport all fifty kids if needed- quite comical. It reminds me of one those old movies where the bad guy collects little children in it. And we own two other trucks- we get a daily report of the condition of each - which truck is working today? Cracks down the windshield. Overheating. Door handles that come off in your hand. Doors that don't work. And many other mechanical terms that mean nothing to me breaking.

Please don't get me wrong. I am not being critical. This is the beauty, quirkiness and excitement of Haiti. It is things like this that make this place fascinating.

Sunday I was invited to a little outing. And obvi I jumped right on that option- seeing as I don't get out much! We drove about 45 mins to our pastors house for lunch. Wonderful time. On the way home, the car started overheating. Brittany and Rod had borrowed this car from the local Christian school- a fairly good car in Haitian standards. Pickup truck with cab, A/C that worked intermittently, a starter that works after 9 tries- $9,000! Cars are expensive, just like everything else here.

So our drive home consisted of drive two minutes- pull over for ten minutes. Drive two minutes- pull over for ten minutes. Amongst the giggles and adventure Rod decided that it would be easier to put the car in neutral on the hills. So there we are boggling and rumbling down the rocky "roads" on neutral. Rod, in his authentic Aussie accent finally admits, "I don't have much in the way of breaks right now". Classic. Classic Haiti. We finally skidded safe and sound to a stop in front of the orphanage. Disney world should name a rollercoaster- Princess Rumble Ride in Haiti.