Our good friend Forsty sent in the following picture of a “climatised” bus he took in Mopti, Mali the other day:
While it may not be the perfect example of an AfriGadget, it still helps to illustrate how people make do with what is available.
For some folks this may just be an unroadworthy vehicle, for others it’s a comfortable bus that will take you from A to B. Hey, and did we mention it’s air-conditioned? 
Tags: air-condition, bus, mali
Padded seats in the back instead of just a bench? That’s a comfortable bus indeed.
A few years ago I was in Kenya to do some volunteering and we traveled a lot with public transport.
You really do not want to be in a bus with no windows. Sand will get everywhere and people will try and pull your belongings out of the window when the bus is standing still or driving slowly.
Also, you do not want to sit in the back of a bus on those kinds of roads. I regularly hit my head on the ceiling of the bus when it went through a pothole…
I had a great time though and this photo brings back memories.
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Hey.. never underestimate the power of an air conditioned trotro!
I hope the exhaust pipe is out the side. In the US, too many people drive with the rear window down– it sucks the CO and exhaust fumes into the vehicle and makes the driver and any passengers sick.
In Alaska, the tailpipes on buses are extended above the vehicle’s roof. In winter this keeps the exhaust from becoming ice fog to blind the vehicle behind. Might be worthwhile for open seating in warm climes?
5 May 2009 - 10:23 pm - :
When given a choice I will take the bus with no windows. Air conditioning is very important.