Join me today on travel marathon from Antigua to San Pedro La Laguna.
Yes it really felt like a race this time. If you've never visited Guatemala and didn't jump on one or two of their infamous Chicken-buses, than you don't know what an adventure it can be. Just taking a bus to another city can be quite an amusing roller coaster ride...
So you should not be surprised to find out that to cover the distance of about seventy kilometers I had to change the bus four times.
It was absolute travel nightmare and I am not sure if I want to experience it ever again. I guess I'll have to if I will ever want to make it out of here.
As I have mentioned already the story starts in Antigua. I have left my hostel and before you know it the bus drivers assistant shouts "Chimaltenango!" at me. At first I am confused - thinking it is some other word for Gringo. But no! It was actually the first station I had to go to. So I have jumped on the loaded bus while it was already riding and found the last place to sit. The one where you're actually sitting above the rear wheel and your legs are all but cramped together in a weird yoga pose.
Before we left the city even the corridor was full of people. One guy even brought a bicycle and they loaded it on the roof. I wish such service would be available in Europe too :)
Payment is handled in cash of course and my money was flowing from the back of the bus through few hands all the way to the ticket vendor. Scary moment, but he was keeping an eye on them for the whole time, it worked...
On the next stop I had to wait next to a dusty road for about ten minutes and got to another bus. This one had another level of entertainment - For about fifteen minutes there was a slimiest looking guy selling some cremes. It was so annoying I assume few people bought from him to be left alone. Unbelievable show. He was probably good though. Try to jump on the bus and sell a creme to somebody right...
Two more busses were awaiting me and I was slowly loosing track of time and space. However every now and than I did checked the map to see if we are still making progress my desired direction.
My destination was Panajachel. A place built into the steep volcanic mountain on the shore of the lake Atitlan. The last bus was going down such a steep and narrow ways I felt like in an elevator. It was however absolutely worthwhile experience.
In the last bus I have met very eccentric gentleman from Argentina. He started talking to me before I even managed to sit down. "Are you going to San Pedro?" he started our conversation. Than told me bunch of stories and tips from his travels and pointed out good places to visit near by - mentioning Mexico and El Salvador.
It was a handy companion as his Spanish helped us not to get scammed or charged twice as much at least. Even though the guys kept saying they are public transport and can't give us a discount. We tried our best though.
While saluting to our new "Captain Morgan" we have embarked the boat and patiently waited for it to fill with enough people.
The boat trip took about twenty minutes and even though waves on that day were quite big and the boat almost jumped from one to another it was still probably tree times more comfortable and safe than the Chicken-bus.
The whole ride was filed with humor and laughter as my Argentinian friend was keeping the good spirits awake. We have than thanked the captain, paid him his fair share and went our own ways into picturesque San Pedro La Laguna...
All the best,
Global Local