Traffic is more dangerous than we thought

Traffic seems to be a way of life around here.  And it's not just your everyday, run-of-the-mill traffic.  It is turn off your car, sit for twenty minutes, turn on the car with a heart full of hope that it is over, move 20 yards, then repeat kind of traffic.  So, and entire industry has grown up around marketing everything from toilet paper to loofah sponges to food to those unlucky souls stuck in the "jam," as they call it here.  This particular night we bought lots of "g-nuts," which are roasted peanuts, since we hadn't eaten, and a map of Africa.  I hope you can see this photo clearly, but it is a very young girl, probably no older than Joe, with a basket of bananas, selling to a very captive and hungry clientele. 

Yesterday after a trip to Jinja (source of the Nile river, post to follow),  and after being pulled over for speeding (are they kidding!), we got to the far side of the city at about 6:45. It is about seven miles from there to our house.  By 9:00 or so, we were still stuck in the jam, and were trying to entertain ourselves by talking about our favorite episodes of our favorite TV shows (Community was widely discussed!) when Sam saw the top of a head outside of Joe's car window.  (Yes, the windows were down--it was hot!).  So, thinking it was one of the kids who frequently sell their wares, he gave a cheerful "Hello!"  Then the child grew into a man, who peered into the car looking to see what he might be able to snatch.  It happened so fast I don't even think Joe and Mary, also in the backseat, were aware of what was happening.  The man seized on Joe's jacket, and if it were not for Sam's quick reflexes, he would have been the proud new owner of a well-worn Gap child's hoodie.  What he didn't realize was that just a few inches away was Mary's iPod, which would have made his day!  All we saw was a very dark figure running into the night.  It all happened so fast.  Needless to say, windows went up.  Joe needed some calming down, as did Sam.  It took a while to process what had ALMOST happened.

We all remarked that it was really the first time that we had felt threatened since we got here.  We will try not to let our guard down again.

Coincidentally, our friend from Rexburg had just jokingly texted us to say that he was sorry we were stuck in traffic but glad that we hadn't been mugged yet!  Nice timing! 

We didn't get home until after 10:00.  Over three hours to go seven miles.  As they tend to say here, TIA (This is Africa!).