Pablo and the Guatemalan Chicken Bus

 

If you have ever visited Guatemala (and why wouldn't you?) you have probably wondered what it would be like to drive one of those US school buses powerfully refurbished so that it can drive overloaded up mountains passing every other vehicle on the road. Recently, Pablo (aka Paul), who lives on the outskirts of Antigua, doing development work, had a driving lesson in one such "chicken bus," the mainstay of public transportation in Guatemala. The buses have six forward gears including first and "super" first. Paul chose to stay in first for his initial lesson.