Something For Nothing

Arriving at the airport in Dakar can be an overwhelming experience. Thinking back to my first arrival here, it was a very warm day with hundreds of fellow passengers herded into a small transit area for a very confusing security and document check. At the time soldiers in berets and full battle dress fatigues lined the walls and guarded the doors. It was a long and intimidating exercise which left us exhausted, disoriented and dehydrated. My next Dakar experience came years later when we exited the baggage area into a sea of screaming voices, metal barricades,  and hands reaching from everywhere - pulling and pushing us, and reaching for our bags. It was a challenge to just hang onto our bags that night, and eventually figure out where we were going. In all fairness, the airport authorities have made steady improvements over the years to attempt a more visitor friendly environment, but more work needs to be done. Hands still reach from everywhere pulling at us and our luggage. I have learned to ignore most of it, and was able last night to secure a fair price on a taxi, and proceed to put our bags in the trunk. Each of us carried our bags through the airport, outside the airport to the taxi and then placed them in the trunk. Many sets of hands grabbed and pulled, many voices offered baggage services, but we politely refused every offer in both word and deed. After the luggage was in the trunk, the head baggage handler had the gall to ask me if I would consider a tip for the handlers who had 'helped' us. Okay, let's review here: 1. we carried our own bags, meaning we did all the work. 2. To avoid confusion we politely refused all kind offers to help us with our bags, meaning we refused service. 3. Where's the tip? I mean, I love to see capitalism in action like the next Adam Smith fan - but one must actually perform a service to get paid (that's still the theoretical rule right?).  I really didn't have time for an Economics 101 lesson, so I laughed and just said NO.  This produced a complete look of disgust and the expected tooth suck, but I guess I can live with that.