I love being able to walk everywhere I want to go in town.
Besides walking, the most popular mode of transportation is "chapas". A "chapa" (chap-uh) is a minibus that drives back and forth along a road. Unlike a city bus, the chapas don't have set bus stops. People stand on the side of the road and when they see a chapa heading in the direction they need to go, they simply wave at the driver and the chapa stops so they can get on. When you want to get off, you shout to the driver to pull over.
Chapas are very cheap. Most chapas charge 25 meticals (about 39 cents in US dollars) for a ride. Although they are cheap, they are not always the most comfortable. The chapa drivers pick up as many passengers as they can possibly fit, which can sometimes be 25-30 people! It is not uncommon for people to sit on each other's lap, stand very close to each other or even hang on the outside of the bus!
When I need to travel to the city of Inhambane (which is about a 40-minute drive from my town), I take a chapa. Riding on a chapa is a good place for me to practice my Portuguese! I have to talk to the driver to make sure the bus is heading to the place I need to go, and I have to confirm the price of the ride. I catch the minibus from the market in Tofo. Usually, the bus sits at the market for about 20 minutes or until most of the seats are full. Chapas have about 12-16 seats and the seats fill up fast. If you don't get a seat you have to stand until a seat opens up.
