December 4, 2017

chicken buses

Guatemala is where school buses go to die.  it's kind of like their retirement place - like Florida is for retired people.  when the school buses in the US are moved out of service, they are hauled down to Guatemala where they are given a makeover which usually includes some painting, statutes of saints or other religious symbols and lots of chrome.  



these buses are called chicken buses because they are the primary transportation for the nationals [who sometimes will be transporting chickens] and they are not expensive.  in picking a bus going in your direction it's always best to choose the one with the most chrome and best painting.  it's an indication the bus has been probably been cared for mechanically as well.  in relation to other countries i actually feel pretty safe on these.  i just use them to get around certain routes - usually villages outside Anitigua but less than 30 minutes.  still, most drivers drive like 'bats out of hell' with one foot on the gas and the other on the brake.  for this reason it's not advisable to take them on longer distance trips where the possibility of brakes failing on a steep incline or curve would be flirting with fate.

it's a weird feeling riding an American school bus in Guatemala but i also feel like i'm being transported back into my childhood in some way.  uber is active here so that's what i use after dark.


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