Talking Combi

Combi. First of all there is the spelling. I have seen the word "combi" being spelt in all sorts of ways – kombi, combie, kombie, cumbi, komby... the list goes on. They are all pronounced the same way, so they all refer to the same thing obviously. Combis (let's just stick to this one) are Minibus taxis, which usually go from taxi-rank (or combi-rank, a place like a bus port or station, yet much more busy) along a certain route to another taxi-rank in a different city. They stop along the route to drop and pick up passengers. Sort of like "normal busses" in Europe. However, there are a couple of other things, which are quite different. There is no schedule. Combis leave when every seat is taken. That can take as little as 5 minutes, or if you are really unlucky, more than 4 hours. Depending on the length of the trip combis can accommodate up to 20 people (short trips), but at least 16. Thes numbers are for a small normal combi, like a VW van, or Toyota Hiace, or a van similar size. Yes, it is cramped. Generally speaking, the majority of combis are in terrible condition from a European perspective. About 90% would definitely fail the road safety check in Germany!
So why travel with combis? Well, it is the cheapest mode of transport, by far. For most people it is the only option to go into town or home. And why did Inga and I travel by combi? For people who can afford it, there are "safer" and more comfortable options. But a) these modes of transport cost about 6 times as much as combis and b) by using combis you can really talk to people and make contact with locals, even if you are only visiting for a short time. Also the atmosphere at combi-ranks is eabsolutely amazing! It is loud, hectic, smelly, hot, people shouting, people selling fruit and useless toys, busy, dangerous, laughing, shouting... it is hard to describe in words what they are like, one has to be there to fully get the picture.
The "Lonely Planet" warns tourists from using "Minibus-taxis", and gives three reason not to use them:
1. The accident rate is very high, due to bad condition of vehicle and driver fatigue
2. Taxi-ranks are known for thieves, so you are destined to get mugged and robbed
3. Often combis are run by a "company" (someone owns a fleet of combis). When 2 companies are operating on the same route, they sabotage each others combis or machine-gun them.
The first two points are valid, for sure! However, the third point... well, i have never heard of anything like that, not saying that it could happen or hasn't happened in the past. There is a couple of things, which to look out for: always seek local advice, and whenever possible, avoid being at a combi-rank in the dark. It is not a pleasant experience.