Boosteejada yar ee tuuladeyna waxa ay aheyd mid mashquulsan dadka awgeed iyo bases la rar dhaafiyay. Dhulka xitaa waxaa yaalay wax badan oo in la raro aheyd. Kirishbooyada ayaa ku dhawaaqayay magacyada meelaha ay basaskooda u socdaan.
The small bus stop in my village was busy with people and overloaded buses. On the ground were even more things to load. Touts were shouting the names where their buses were going.
Kituo kidogo cha mabasi kijijini mwetu kilijaa shughuli za watu na mabasi. mabasi mengi yalikuwa yamejaa mizigo. Chini, palikuwa na mizigo zaidi ya kupakia. Makondakta walikuwa wanataja majina ya sehemu mabasi yalikokuwa yanaelekea.
“Magaalada, Magaalada, Waxuu u socdaa Galbeedka!” Ayaan maqalay kirishbooy ku dhawaaqaya. Kaasi ayaa ahaa baskii aan u baahnaa in aan raaco.
“City! City! Going west!” I heard a tout shouting. That was the bus I needed to catch.
“Mjini! Mjini! Magharibi!” Nilisikia kondakta akiita kwa sauti. Lile ndilo basi nililohitaji kupanda.
Baska magaalada ku dhawaad wuu buuxay, laakiin dad badan ayaa wali isku soo riixaayay in ay in koraan. Qaar baa xamuuulkoodi baska hoostiisa gashaday. Qaar kalena waxay dhigteen mesha kabaha lasaaranayay.
The city bus was almost full, but more people were still pushing to get on. Some packed their luggage under the bus. Others put theirs on the racks inside.
Basi la kwenda mjini lilikaribia kujaa, lakini watu wengine walikuwa wanasukumana kupanda. Baadhi yao walipakia mizigo chini ya basi. Wengine waliiweka katika sehemu ya juu.
Rakaabka cusub ayaa ruxaayay tikidhadooda markay raadinaayeen meel ay ka fariistaan baska dadku ku badan yihiin. Dumarka haysta caruurta yaryar waxay ku raaxaysan hayeen safar ka dheer.
New passengers clutched their tickets as they looked for somewhere to sit in the crowded bus. Women with young children made them comfortable for the long journey.
Abiria wapya walishika tiketi zao huku wakitafuta mahali pa kukaa. Wanawake waliokuwa na watoto wodogo waliwatayarisha kwa safari hiyo ndefu.
Waxaan is ku nabay xaga xigto daaqada. Qofka fadhiyay agtayda waxuu si adag u hayay bac cagaaran. Wuxuu soo xidhay kabo duug ah, jaakad dildilaacsan, wuxuuna u muuqday mid aad u xanaaqsan.
I squeezed in next to a window. The person sitting next to me was holding tightly to a green plastic bag. He wore old sandals, a worn out coat, and he looked nervous.
Nilijipenyeza ndani na kukaa karibu na dirisha. Mtu aliyeketi karibu nami alishika mfuko wa plastiki wa kijani kibichi. Alivaa viatu vilivyochakaa, koti kuukuu na alionekana kuwa na wasiwasi.
Waxaan fiiriyey banaanka baska oo waxaan ogaaday inaan ka tagaayo tuuladayda, meeshii aan ku koray. Waxaan u socday magaalada weyn.
I looked outside the bus and realised that I was leaving my village, the place where I had grown up. I was going to the big city.
Niliangalia nje na kutambua kwamba nilikuwa naondoka kijijini kwangu, mahali ambapo nililelewa. Nilikuwa naenda katika mji mkubwa.
Raritaankii ayaa la dhameeyey, rakaabkii oo dhanne waa la fadhiisiyay. Wareejiya yaashii wali waxay is ku soo riixahayeen baska si ay oga iibiyaan alaabadooda rakaabka. Qof kasta wuxuu ku qaylinayay magacyada waxa loo diyaariyey iibka. Ereyada ayaa iila muuqday kuwo cajiib ah.
The loading was completed and all passengers were seated. Hawkers still pushed their way into the bus to sell their goods to the passengers. Everyone was shouting the names of what was available for sale. The words sounded funny to me.
Upakiaji mizigo ulikamilika na abiria wakawa wameketi. Wachuuzi walizidi kusukumana kutaka kuingia ndani ya basi ili wauze bidhaa zao. Kila mmoja alitaja kwa sauti majina ya bidhaa alizokuwa anauza. Maneno yao yalinifurahisha.
Rakaab yar ayaa iibsaday cabitaan, qaar kalena waxay iibsadeen cunto fudud oo yar yar waxayna bilaabeen inay calaliyaan. Kuwa aan haysan lacag, sida aniga oo kale, way daawanaayeen.
A few passengers bought drinks, others bought small snacks and began to chew. Those who did not have any money, like me, just watched.
Baadhi ya abiria walinunua vinywaji. Wengine wakanunua vitafunwa vidogo na kuanza kutafuna. Wasiokuwa na fedha, kama mimi, walitazama tu.
Hawlahani waxaa kala gooyay baska hoonkisa, calaamad muujinayso in aan diyaar u nahay inaan baxno. Rakaabiyihii wuxuu ku qayliyay wareejiya yaashii si ay baska uga dagaan.
These activities were interrupted by the hooting of the bus, a sign that we were ready to leave. The tout yelled at the hawkers to get out.
Shughuli hizi zilikatizwa kwa mlio wa honi ya basi, ishara kwamba tulikuwa tayari kuondoka. Kondakta aliwataka wachuuzi kuondoka ndani ya basi.
Wareejiya yaashii ayaa isku riixay si ay uga dagaan baska. Qaarkood waxay sii yeen baaqigoda rakaabkii. Kuwa kale waxay sameeyeen daqiiqadkii ugu dambeeyey ee iibinta alaabooyin badan.
Hawkers pushed each other to make their way out of the bus. Some gave back change to the travellers. Others made last minute attempts to sell more items.
Wachuuzi walisukumana huku wakitafuta njia ya kushuka. Wengine waliwarudishia wasafiri chenji zao. Wengine walifanya juhudi za mwisho kuuza bidhaa zao.
Sidaas tuu baska uga dhaqaaqay boosteejada baska, waxaan daaqada ka eegay bananka. Waxaan si la yaableh uga fikiray in aan abid kuso laaban doonto tuulada.
As the bus left the bus stop, I stared out of the window. I wondered if I would ever go back to my village again.
Basi lilipoondoka kituoni, nilichungulia dirishani. Nilijiuliza endapo ningerudi na kwenda kijijini kwangu tena.
Intii safarka sii gudo galnay, gudaha baska ayaa aad u kululaaday. Waxaan is ku xidhay indhaha anigoo rajeynayo in aan seexdo.
As the journey progressed, the inside of the bus got very hot. I closed my eyes hoping to sleep.
Safari ilipoendelea, joto lilikuwa jingi ndani ya basi. Niliyafumba macho yangu nikinuia kulala.
Laakiin maskaxdayda ayaa dib ugu laabatay guriga. Hooyaday miyay amaan ahan doontaa? Miyuu bakaylahaygu ii gali doona wax lacag ah? Walaalkay miyuu xusuusan doonaa in uu geedahaygi waraabiyo?
But my mind drifted back home. Will my mother be safe? Will my rabbits fetch any money? Will my brother remember to water my tree seedlings?
Lakini mawazo yangu yalirejea nyumbani. Je, mamangu atakuwa salama? Je, sungura wangu wataleta hela zozote? Je, ndugu yangu atakumbuka kunyunyizia maji miche ya miti yangu?
Markan jidka sii soconay waxaan sii xifdiyay magaca meesha uu adeerkey kaga noolaa magaalada weyn. Waxaan wali si hoose u sii shekeysan hayay markii aan hurday.
On the way, I memorised the name of the place where my uncle lived in the big city. I was still mumbling it when I fell asleep.
Njiani, nilikariri jina la mahali mjomba wangu alipoishi kwenye mji mkubwa. Nilikuwa bado nafikiria wakati nilipopatwa na usingizi.
Sagaal saacadood kaddib, waxaan ku toosay buuq weyn iyo wicitanka rakaabkii ku noqonaayay tuuladayda. Waxaan soo qaatay bacdaydi yarayd waana ka boodey baskii.
Nine hours later, I woke up with loud banging and calling for passengers going back to my village. I grabbed my small bag and jumped out of the bus.
Baada ya saa tisa, niliamshwa kwa kelele za kuita abiria waliokwenda katika kijiji changu. Nilichukuwa mfuko wangu mdogo na kuruka nje ya basi.
Baski soo noqonayay ayaa si dhakhso ah u buuxsamaayay. Dkahkso waxuu ku laaban doonaa bariga. Hada waxa iigu muhiimsan waxay ahayd inaan bilaabo raadinta guriga adeerkay.
The return bus was filling up quickly. Soon it would make its way back east. The most important thing for me now, was to start looking for my uncle’s house.
Basi la kurudi lilikuwa linajaa upesi. Muda mfupi baadaye, lingeanza safari ya kwenda mashariki. Jambo la maana kwangu wakati huo lilikuwa kuanza kutafuta nyumba ya mjomba wangu.
