Overland Traveling by Bus in South America

Written by Marco Morawec

Topics: Featured, Travel Advice

Shoestring travelling in South/Central America certainly means that you will spend a lot of times in buses. While writing this blog post I’m going on my 18th hour of being in the same bus, going 4000 meters up winding mountain roads. Altitude sickness is setting in, the smell of old vomit is hanging in the air and the pee-only toilette on board (grateful that there even is one) is flooded with urine.

Yes, traveling is a ton of fun, but sometimes things can get a bit exhaustive on the road. To make your next travel experience that much better, here is my list to survive your next 20 hour+ bus ride.

Check the toilette situation the previous day

When you board the bus and you realize that there is no toilette at all, or it is generally broken and locked (ask other travelers) it is usually to late. You already had plenty of drinks for breakfast and possibly while you waited for the bus. If the next bathroom stop is in four hours you are in for a rough ride – especially when the paved road gives way to a bumpy dirt road.

Have good music

Bus drivers always play their own choice of music and since they like it so much they gladly share it with every passenger on board. If you are like me and cannot listen to two year old pop charts for 8 hours make sure your iPod is charged and ready to go.

Even better, bring a book on tape (my wife brought Harry Potter). You can listen to a steady voice much longer, and you’ll also get some good “reading” done.

Have food and water with you

Not only are you stoked on having good food to eat when you are hungry, you also avoid buying overpriced food from people selling you their snacks through the window or during stops. Also, you reduce the risk of being on the pott for hours on end after eating one of those good looking snacks.

Additionally, if the bus breaks down or the road is washed away your leftover sandwich can turn an otherwise miserable experience into an adventure.

Get a barf bag at the beginning of the bus ride

No, not for yourself – we are all tough and rough, right!? But what about the young kid sitting next to you and all the sudden turns into your direction. You catch my drift. Have that bag ready!

Have warm cloths

The AC often times has only one setting – Arctic – and you don’t want to feel like a frozen turkey before thanksgiving. If you have a hat or beanie, bring it too, since your body looses 30% of it’s body heat via your head.

Wherever you are reading this post, lean back, enjoy your comfortable seat and let me know if I missed anything you think is important.

For myself, I have another 6 hours to spend in this bus.

11 Comments For This Post I'd Love to Hear Yours!

  1. RISA says:

    This is awesome!! I was laughing as I read this. 18 hour bus ride huh? Dang. I can just picture holding in your pee and freaking out every bump on the road while Mariko chilling out to Harry Potter. Ahahahahaha! Or at least if I were there I’d be the one freaking out. I need to piss like every hour.

    Have fun on your adventures and give mariko a big fat wet kiss… Not from me. But tell her I love her and the last stop better be Japan.

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