My primary mode of transportation besides my own two feet is Camionetas. These are old U.S. School Buses which have made the journey down here to transport the majority of Guatemalans from one place to another. They are also affectionately known as “Chicken Buses”, although I have yet to see a chicken on one. The buses are painted in bright colors. The drivers are usually competent, if not a bit aggressive. Every once in a while you get a Mario Andretti want-to-be. As a guy who is 5’11 ¾” it’s sometimes hard to fit in the seats, especially if you find yourself sitting over one of the wheels. When it’s full they put 3 to a seat and then they fill up the middle as well. There is a guy who they call the “ayudante” (Spanish for Helper) who makes his way thought the bus with some frequency and collects the fare form the new faces. This guy is amazing. He can remember who is new on a bus packed with 70 people. I suppose recognizing me isn’t that hard. When you have more than just a backpack the ayudante climbs up ladders that have been affixed to the bus and puts your stuff on a luggage rack. I’ve seen lots of baskets on their way to market up there as well as an occasional bicycle. One of the more amazing ayudante tricks I saw was one night a few weeks back when on a crowded bus the guy climbed from the doorway to the top while the bus was going down the road at 35mph to retrieve the goods of someone who was getting off at the next stop. It’s really a great experience, although not always the most comfortable. Perhaps after a few years it might get old.
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