(La Mesilla, Guatemala)

Lonely Planet lists a cautionary note on Chicken Buses: it says that some travelers avoid the Chicken Buses and swear by the shuttles. Taking the Chicken Bus in Guatemala can definitely be an adventure. These buses are old school buses from the US painted in an exciting multi-colored hue. They do not seem to operate on a schedule and they haul travelers from one village to another without heed of safety nor want of comfort.

(La Mesilla, Guatemala)

My first trip began at La Mesilla. I simply walk to the makeshift station and mention my final destination. A person at the station points me to the bus and indicates that I will have to make a transfer someplace else. There is no schedule and the bus leaves when it becomes full. The system is rather efficient and fair: the people you ask seem to work on the principle of filling up one bus at a time rather than directing you towards buses they are affiliated with. Most of the time, I had no idea where I was going. All I knew was that I would get off, say the name of my final destination again, and someone would point me towards the right bus.

(La Mesilla, Guatemala)
Neither comfort nor safety is a concern of the buses. Each bus has an assistant. Heavy packages are tied to the top of the bus and as the bus reaches a stop, the assistant climbs out the back, while the bus barrels up and down the highlands of Guatemala at full speed, grabs a package and throws it to the person getting off when the bus reaches a stop. Once, they forgot my backpack and I chased the bus down a street while a frantic assistant tries to throw my backpack towards me.