Busin,Oaxaca,Mexico,Dose,Reali travel,insurance Busin’ it in Oaxaca, Mexico – A Dose of Reality

Torres del Paine is among the biggest of Chile’s national parks, occupying almost 600,000 acres (242,000 ha) of land in the south on the border with Argentina. It is also among the most important, receiving a significant proportion of domes Like any American, traveling occasionally is just what I love doing and I bet you share the same stuff with me. But traveling does not mean that you would be safe. Escaping from our job and other stressful activities is just something that w

I remember back in the States I would arrive at the bus stop, check the bus schedule that was posted there and sit down patiently for my bus to arrive. The schedule said that my bus was going to arrive at 9:17 am and sure enough, at 9:16 am, I see it approaching from a block away. I hear that familiar hissing of the breaks as it calmly comes to a stop in front of me and lets me on board. Pulling out once again into traffic, it takes me to where I need to go safely and without hitches. A calm, reliable way to get to work when one doesn’t have a car. I remember those days............ barely.When I told my girlfriend, (who is Oaxacan of course), that I wanted to write an article about the Oaxacan public transportation system she grabbed my shoulders and said, “No, please don’t!” So I would like to publicly offer an apology to her because I’m going to do it anyway. So please accompany me, my friends, on my daily bus trip from my house into Oaxaca city. Arriving at an unmarked bus stop a block away from my house, I pull out my 4 pesos and 50 cents that it costs to get on the bus. I always try to have change because the bus drivers almost never do. As I wait, I see the usual people arriving. The woman with the dark blue bank uniform, the crazed mother with the 2 children on their way to school that always seems to be late and, of course, the sexy young woman in tight jeans with a mirror in front of her face curling her eyelashes with a spoon. 15 minutes pass and everyone seems to be getting on their bus except me. I’m waiting for the bus that says “Cuarteles” which is a military base on the way out of the city going towards Tlacolula. Another 10 minutes pass and still nothing. Finally I see my bus coming from a block away at full speed. Well before it reaches my corner I step out to curb and give him the signal to stop. The bus driver kind of slows down a bit  as I step out into the street but then steps on the gas and passes me right by. I can see the people standing up in the bus holding on to the handrail for dear life as it swerves back into the fast lane. What may surprise you is that I am not even surprised. As a matter of fact, I know now that another “Cuarteles” bus is right behind him. You see, here in Oaxaca the public buses are privately owned and the competition is intense. The bus driver that just whipped by me is obviously trying to beat another bus behind him to the punch and pick up more passengers on the busier bus stops down the road. As I look up the street, my suspicions are confirmed. Here comes the other “Cuarteles” bus in a close second. Now, pause.  There are two things that can happen right now. The second bus can stop, knowing that he can’t catch up to the other bus, and pick up the passengers his competition left behind and continue on slowly to allow time for other passengers to arrive at the bus stops ahead OOOOORRRRR he can pick me up quickly and try to catch up to other one and beat him to the next big stop. Like a crap shoot, I throw my dice and stick out my finger. As he quickly approaches it seems that he too is going to pass me right by but, luck being on my side, he stops on a dime and opens his door for me to get on. Noticing he is in a hurry, I run up to the door and jump in and even before I can climb up the 3 steps into the bus, he is already doing 40 kilometers an hour and beeping his horn at the cars so they can either hurry up or get out of his way. As he manuveurs through traffic he sticks out his hand without looking at me and I place the 4 pesos and 50 cents in it and try to find an empty seat. As I walk up the aisle, I see students listening to their ipods, people reading books, mothers talking to their children and everyone, firmly yet noneventfully, grasping the chair in front of them as their necks whip back and forth from the sudden breaking and accelerating of the driver. Just another day on the bus it seems.To my great fortune, I find an empty seat towards the back of the bus and when the bus stops to let off an elderly passenger, I quickly sit down. I can feel the impatience of the driver as he watches the old lady struggle slowly down the steep stairs onto the street. In front of us, I can see the other “Cuarteles” bus pulling away quickly from that same stop and almost feel bad for the driver who is hard set to win this race now.Looking in his rear-view mirror and seeing that the old lady finally made it off the bus - he takes off - still determined to pass up his competitor. I know this track like the back of my hand and if he doesn’t beat the other bus before he has to make a left up the narrow street of Crespo, he won’t be able to pass him and will have lost the race to a major bus stop. Unfortunately for him..... I have to get off the bus before the goal line. I reluctantly stand up and head to the back door. Why I feel bad ringing the bell for a stop is beyond me but I do so anyway. With a quick glance in the rearview mirror and a smacking of his lips in disapproval, he pulls over to the right and opens the door while still in motion. I step down the stairs as he slows the bus down and I immediately realize that he doesn’t intend to make a full stop. Obviously seeing that I am not a child, not a pregnant woman, not handicapped and not elderly, he figures I can jump off without stopping which is exactly what I wind up doing. Brushing myself off whilst covering my nose and mouth due to the exhaust fumes, I head up the street for another day’s work.Now, you may read this and be horrified at the public transportation here in Oaxaca and believe me, when I first got here and started taking the bus, I myself was horrified. Yet. surprisingly enough there are very few accidents. Believe it or not, nowadays when I get on the bus I sometimes want to tell the bus driver, “Hey, there’s another bus from the same route right behind you!” and have him believe me so I can get to where I need to go all the faster. Call me crazy. So my friends, if you are an adventure seeker, don’t have heart problems and you have already been to Monte Alban, Mitla, Tlacolula and all the other tourist attractions here in Oaxaca, why not hop on a public bus just for the heck of it and get your daily adrenalin rush. Don’t need to go anywhere in particular.... just step up to the curb, stick out your finger and roll the dice ;)That’s all this time ‘round my travel friends. Hope you liked this article - See you next write :)