DAR ES SALAAM, Aug. 28 -- I HAVE, on three separate occasions in my life, stood at a Dar es Salaam bus terminal before sunrise, bag in one hand and dignity in the other, wondering why the stand I was looking for had quietly relocated while I was not paying attention.

Kisutu did it to me once. Ubungo did it to me twice. And now, dear reader, it seems our bus terminals have developed a permanent case of wanderlust.

Every couple of decades, someone in government looks at the map, sighs, and says, “Ah! Hapa hapana peleka mbali zaidi” no, not here. Take it further still.

So here we go again, watching the latest episode of Dar es Salaams longest running reality show: “Stendi Iko Wapi?” where is the bus terminal?

This...