Boda-boozle

When driving through Africa, I sometimes picture a game show in my head:

One host, two contestants – one from Tanzania and one from Germany – and two motorbikes. The host explains the challenge of the show:

“It’s easy”, he says, “There are two rounds. Each of you gets a motorbike and in the first round, you have one minute to put as many people on the bike and ride a lap around the stadium as fast as you can”. The candidates nod - seems straight forward enough.

“In the second round”, the host continues, ”we want you to choose as many props as you can and load them onto the motorbike… and then drive a lap around the stadium as fast as you can.”

The contestants get going and – without being able to see the other one – wave over people and instruct them how to sit on the motorbike. After exactly a minute, the German drives off with four people on the bike. Two are allowed and he thinks he’s done well by doubling that number.

The Tanzanian sets off on the lap half a minute later but has managed to fit six people and a dog on the bike. Looking relaxed, he races past obstacles and easily beats the German across the finish line.

In the second round, the German loads a suitcase on the bike, secures a box on top and ties a few light pieces to it. It’s a lot, but he thinks he can still drive the bike.

At the same time, the Tanzanian places a sofa on the backseat, adds bags of grains, ties a few jerrycans to the top of pile and some wires to the back of the bike, which are dragging on the floor as he’s speeding off on the lap. The German is ahead of him, but he easily beats his contestant across the finish line without dropping a thing.

The Tanzanian looks pleased – it was an easy win and he didn’t even have to go all out. But he also looks cautious – a Vietnamese candidate is going to be the contender in the final… it’s going to be tough completion.