I´ve been in Guatemala for 3 days now and think I´ve finally started to come out of culture shock a bit. While my senses are assaulted at every turn, I am better able to sort through it and write...maybe.My best adventure so far was the chicken bus ride from Guate to Chichicastenango. I shared the trip with a French couple who stayed at my hotel the night before. The bus station was chaos, but boys directed us to the appropriate bus and we boarded. The buses themselves are retrofitted school buses from the US. They are painted bright colors and play loud music!! We spent three hours going break neck speed down mountains and then creeping back up the mountains passing anything that got in our way, regardless of what was coming in the other lane. Thus another possibility for their name. I finally stopped looking out the front window as my heart pounded each time we veered into the other lane. The side windows rewarded me with beautiful views of the countryside and waving children.
It was actually a comfortable ride at first. There were plenty of seats to go around and my backpack fit nicely at my feet. Then, we rescued a broken down bus. So, the entire bus load of people boarded our bus. I had to fold myself into positions I didn´t know possible and we fit 4 in my seat. I had at least 1 Latino girl underneath me and one or two on top of me. This only happened for the last 30 minutes of the ride, and so wasn´t unbearable. Everyone is always in good spirits, which makes all the difference. We grouchy Americans could learn a lesson or 2 from them!
Gabrielle, Christian and myself were the only 3 to disembark in Chichi and it was interesting having to climb over everyone to get out. We managed though, with the help of many and began a long journey to find my hotel, which ended up being their hotel as well. We all travel to Lake Atitlan tomorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment