Public Transportation... or NOT!

Well, my time here in Lome has surpassed a month and guess what... I am still here and loving it. But in true Shelley style I have had a few close calls. My biggest issue has been with the public transportation system here, or shall I say lack there of. There are 4 modes of transportation here in Togo: by foot, by personal vehicle, by taxi, or by moto-taxi (motorcycle). This my seem very normal to the average person, but Lome has forever changed me. I have no desire to EVER own or drive a personal vehicle here (and I consider myself a pretty good driver) because traffic signals and signs are of mere inconvience here. The way in which people drive here is so amazing it is a wonder there are not more accidents. I would say traffic laws are obeyed about 50 percent of the time. The only reason they are obeyed the other 50 percent is because the police are in the area. But do not be alarmed... if you get pulled over by the police very rarely will you receive a traffic violation because in true Togo style you can buy your way out of it for a whopping 500 CFA, which is a mere 1.20 or so :-) Only in Africa... I love it. My personal perference for public transportation is the moto-taxi!!! The cost for transportation is very inexpensive. For example to catch a taxi to the US Embassy from where I live is about 2000 CFA (about 4.50) and to catch a moto-taxi it is about 500 CFA (about 1.20). These prices inclde the general price inflation for Americans with little to no French vocabulary.