This is not just a bus…but a super bus!

September 27th, 2010: Took a bus that ended up being a super bus with a super but forgetful driver (didn’t stop at the town I asked him to stop at). A strike was taking place locking up the traffic today – Bolivians like to strike – and our bus decided to take the high road in the hills of Cochabamba driving the bus as if it was his personal compact 4x4 except for it not being so compact coming in at 14 or so meters (no idea). At one point we had to disembark the bus to clear a drainage area. The locals seeing this giant bus were too as surprised as me on where we went. One little girls eyes were about to pop out of her little skull as we went by her mud house on the hillside mini-farm.

On the bus, there was a girl in front of me that seemed quite hungry. As she looked at me she picked and pick and pick her nose and consumed the treats one by one. I was grossed out but strangely, I kept watching. She was a cute plump baby whose mom didn’t seem to want her on her lap anymore so she gave her a bag to sit on in the aisle. I was just waiting for a quick stop so that the 3 year old would take off to the front window but it thankfully didn’t happen.

I have seemed to not worry as much the more I travel about the safety of others. Not that I have become cold or insensitive…my standard of safety is just a lot higher from living in the US my entire life.

I missed the city I wanted to get off at, the bus driver seemed to have forgotten. It could have been much worse if it wasn’t for the guy who I did know - nor did I know he knew where I was going - but thankfully he came up behind me, asking me if I was going to Villa Tunari because we just past it.

That was nice of the Good Samaritan to help me because I never spoke to the gold riddled gangsta. Though, we did have a friendly connection earlier when we were waiting for the bus to fill up as we stood outside the busy main street in Cochabamba. Our connection was through us both being caught checking out at a girl who was walking by on the sidewalk. I am not sure if we were checking her out for the same reasons though. I was looking at her because she had enough tape on her face to wrap a Christmas present - the skin colored tape teenagers seem to use to cover acne here in South America. He on the other hand was thinking about other features that I am unable to say without ruining the vision of the Good Samaritan that went out of his way to help me. A Good Samaritan, Saint or Pope…a guy will always be…a guy.