mora mora
a taxi-brousse trilogy
Mora mora: directly translated as ‘softly softly;’ the Malagasy way of saying ‘chill the fuck out.’ Everything takes time and there’s no point stressing out, so go with the flow and enjoy.
the.
ride.
Travelling in Madagascar poses a few options: rent a car (if you have nerves of corrugated steel), hire a 4x4 with a driver (fast, safe and pricy) or the trusty taxi-brousse – like most of the locals. These minibuses are filled to the brim with seats, people and cargo – even the central corridor (if there is one) has seating which slides out to make space for more passengers.
Taxi-brousses are by far the cheapest option. They also possess the charming quality of entirely rearranging concepts which we view as mostly immovable, like space and time. So, why not get from A to B in a vehicle that functions outside the realms of possibility and have your existential values realigned, all for a fraction of the price?!
If you have the time (because you’re more than likely to need it) a taxi-brousse is the way to go. What I've experienced while travelling on them has been nothing short of transformative. From visceral and nauseating to heartwarming and life-affirming – each time I touch down I’ve been a different person to when I boarded. I think they might be the closest we'll ever get to fantastical transport modes like the tardis or Harry Potter's triple decker bus. So hop on because, if nothing else, the taxi-brousse promises a ride you won't (can't) forget.