Transportation in South America

We have been using public buses to get around during our land travels in South America. It has been an interesting experience so far. Yes, I know. Jens is still a little in shock when I suggest taking a local bus instead of a taxi. It just sometimes makes more sense, particularly in the city of Quito where they have designated bus lanes which means they move quicker than anything else on the road. And at $0.25 for a ride, it is even harder to resist.

It is the single best way to get around, without a doubt. The cost of travel is low and the frequency of buses is high. A very good combination. The buses advertise air conditioning (we've only experienced it once), movies (always in Spanish of course), and toilets (but you have to ask the driver's assistant for the key). Oh yes, there is a driver and an assistant. The assistant leans out of the bus calling for other passengers as we travel down the road, collects the money, helps people with their luggage and so on, so that the driver can concentrate on driving. Not a bad plan. Particularly on the steep and narrow roads where they like to overtake slower moving vehicles on hairpin turns. Oh yes, I should also mention that bus travel is not for the faint of heart.

In Ecuador, the cost of intercity buses runs about $1.00 per hour of travel. They usually leave the terminal on time, but they will stop to pick up passengers on the way. They also stop along the way to pick up sellers of food, cd's, chocolates, drinks, fruit, etc. Food is usually a tray of home cooked (or side of the road cooked) chicken, frittata, potatoes, rice, and so on. So you never go hungry or thirsty. But with the long trips and infrequent stops, it's best not to consume too much.

The only danger of riding the buses is theft. We have heard numerous stories of travelers who have had their bags stolen, their backpacks slit open with a knife and their computers and cameras stolen. We have taken to traveling with our bags with all our valuables on our laps. Our backpacks with our clothes go in the compartment under the bus. So far, this strategy has worked.

We haven't actually traveled on a bus where the locals bring their chickens and such on board, but today I did see a man take two bags out of the luggage compartment and on closer inspection you see that he is transporting turkeys and geese. I guess he didn't pay for a coach class ticket for them.