A bus ride from hell

Trip Start Feb 01, 2006

Trip End May 08, 2006

Loading Map

Map your own trip!

Map Options

Show trip route

Hide lines

Flag of Peru Puno to Cuzco bus, Peru
Friday, April 28, 2006

Well, I guess I got what I wanted when I signed up for this trip. I thought it would be good to be outside of my comfort zone, and that is definitely where I am right now. This bus trip is my last in South America, and what a one to go out on. The actual machine isn't as bad as some in Bolivia, though it is still far less comfortable than a greyhound back home. The straight drive could probably be done in 4.5-5 hours; I was told it would take 6 hours, yet we won't be getting into Cuzco until 7.5 hours have passed because the drivers keep stopping at every town trying to cram on more passengers for those few extra soles (peruvian money). Every time they stop, the lights go on and blind everyone and the drivers sit there hollering at passerbys while the women passengers in the back are stomping their feet and hitting the windows and yelling VAMOS!!! Most of the time the drivers are successful in their recruitments, and the aisle is usually full of people standing with their huge bundles and leaning on our seats for support. For a full 45 minutes, I had a kid chewing gum with a wide open mouth literally 3 inches from my ear. Another few minutes and I probably would have lost my sanity. At every bus terminal stop, someone will climb on board to entertain or proposition food in an effort to make some cash. In the course of this trip we had a kid singing and grinding coins against a scallop shell, another yelling out political recesitations and spitting on me with every 5th word, numerous people selling drinks, snacks, and newspapers, a man yelling for 30 minutes trying to sell childrens educational science books, and my favorite, a HUGE Peruvian lady with a rack of lamb asado wrapped in one of those colorful blankets. She stood right alongside me in the first row and plopped her huge bundle on my armrest and the one across the aisle, then proceeded to pull out a 12 inch machete-like kitchen knife and start hacking off pieces of meat for her customers. This went on for 15 minutes until the next stop, and every once in a while one of her mighty chops would send pieces of meat splashing onto my arm or neck. All of this coupled with the fear of an impending hijacking has me at my wits end.

-----I have included the rest of the entry from my personal journal below to give a small window into some of the types of thoughts that I have experienced on this trip in case you are interested-----

I definitely have here an original and authentic experience, yet gone is the vigor and curiosity that existed at the beginning of my trip so I am not really enjoying it. Granted that I do have experience now, but it isn't enough to replace the weariness and fear that have fastened themselves like parasites. This entire bus trip I have done nothing but wish to be home, free from all this unsettling business.

Yet through reflection, I have realized that I have a ball and chain attached to my ankle that is pulling me down into the murky water, from where I can no longer see the beautiful shoreline. The ball is my possessions - the many souveneirs that I am so anxious to give people, and the many photos that I am so anxious to show them. The chain that binds this weight to me is fear - fear of losing them to robbers and hijackers or just plain bad luck. As each day moves closer to the last, I find myself clinging to them tighter and tighter because I am so close to a clean escape. Yet the tighter I cling, the more fear is released, and since arriving at Puno, I have spent most of my time worrying.

It has taken until now on this bus trip for me to realize that all I have to do is cut the chain and I will float to the surface where I can breathe clean air. As Jesus says, who by worrying can add an hour to his life? I wanted to learn the value of material possessions on this trip - now I think I have. The more we have, the more we are afraid of losing. He who has nothing has nothing to lose and therefore nothing to fear. The only treasure we can count on is the one that can't be eaten by moths or taken by other men. Since I can't control the future, I need to leave everything else up to God. If I am fighting so hard to hold onto these material things, aren't I trying to play God by thinking I know what is best for me? Being God is hard work and stressful, and letting go is so much easier - Jesus's yoke is truly easy and his burden truly light in comparison. I think the same thinking can be applied to expectations - aren't they also little treasures that we try to hoard? Dreams can be dangerous. I spend so much time now thinking about being home again with friends and family, but is there any guarantee that I will ever get there - that these dreams will ever come true? The odds, and all my heart, are certainly against it, but there is a chance that I will never make it home or get to see them again. The future is uncertain, and life changes in an instant. All this daydreaming does is cast shadows over the time I have remaining down here and set me up for disappointment. I think it is necessary to have some hope, but I need to be careful about building my house on a puff of clouds. The only way we can truly be free is to give up our control and cling to the rock that is Christ, for other than death, that is the only guarantee in this life.

So for the rest of this trip, and hopefully the rest of my life, I will try to let go. If something happens to me or my possessions, I will deal with it at the time and not worry about it a moment before. Of course, I will always be on my guard to limit the potential for such unfortunate events, but I will try to do a better job of leaving the worrying up to the One that actually has the control.

Yucay hotels

Previous Entry Next Entry