Extended Cab?

Our Wednesday morning adventure to Port au Prince was as conventional as can be expected of any trip to the Haitian capital. Despite the ubiquitous potholes on Haiti's sole highway, the air conditioning and the clear radio reception of the double-cab Toyota Hillux seemed a little too "first world". The shanty towns constructed of sheet metal and the burning piles of trash in the street suggested the country's difficult circumstance but as we drove along the coastline between St. Marc and Cabaret, the crystal clear water and lush ecology reiterated to us that Haiti, too, was once a Caribbean paradise. Not long before we reached the airport, we received word that the bus, which was to transport the Florence delegation, was irreparable and that we would have to find an alternative. Actionnel, who has earned the "Action" in his name, proceeded to the airport, assuring Jacques Elie and I that we would find a way to fit six more passengers and 20-plus pieces of luggage in the truck. Most Haitians wait outside the airport packed into what looks like an iron cage but thanks to a bit of sidestepping and the harmless appearance of my whiteness, we were able to clear security and receive the passengers without any hassle. Fortunately, were able to catch a ride back with an old friend who was in the area; unfortunately, however, we were still two seats short (with one already straddling the gear shift in the front). Never able to turn down an adventure, Jacques Elie and I rode home from Port au Prince to Bayonnais (a journey of at least 3.5 hours) in the back of the truck, sitting on all of the luggage. Although the airport is on the outskirts of Port au Prince, I still found myself tense up a few times when we stopped in the middle of a town and a passerby would look at me as if I might make good bait. The dust and exhaust was omnipresent and with the help of the sun, it is a surprise that my skin did not actually look Haitian upon our arrival. Following the suggestion of a fellow traveler, I wrapped a bandanna around my face, in Billy-the-Kid fashion, which drew many looks from the heavily armed Brazilian UN convoys until they realized that the idea of a white gangster in Haiti is laughable. Guns were a reoccuring theme throughout the trip, whether it was the M-16s of the UN "peacekeepers", the mK5 sub-machine guns of the Haitian police or the sawed off shotguns of the grocery store security. I wasn't concerned with making any friends but I certainly did not want to make any enemies. We arrived to the community unscathed at 5:30pm and the children were waiting for us anxiously.

I promise I will post pictures soon...