I have always liked taking public transportation; buses, trains, or subways. And that has special meaning in Costa Rica.
It's a six-plus hour drive from our home on the Golfo Dulce to San José. The Costanera that hugs the Pacific coastline is our preferred route, but when there's a bridge out or some other obstacle to travel, we can drive Route 2, locally called the El Camino de los Muertes, over the Cerro de la Muerte (the Mountain of Death.) The road, with its fog shrouds, landslides, slow truck traffic, and rock falls, never fails to disappoint. When driving that track, you must always pay close attention; an on-coming vehicle flashing its headlights means you can be certain that you will find a surprise around the next curve. It's the stress of the unpredictability of that road and the traffic on it that has converted M and I into big fans of the bus.
Oh, if you are in a hurry, there is an option of sorts; Sansa, the domestic airline that offers a regular schedule in and out of the Golfito airport. Though "airport" is a relative term for that narrow strip of tarmac bordered by a wall of mountains to the east and the waters of the Gulf to the west. Landing there in a 12-seat prop jet is like rolling down a bowling lane. And "regular" is another conditional term. Service at the airport is definitely VFR (Visual Flight Reference), and when the cloud cover descends below the mountain ridge, you can kiss that flight goodbye. The airport staff will recommend that you catch a water taxi across the six-mile expanse of open water to Puerto Jimenez, where your flight will be waiting on the tarmac.
Of course, traveling by bus takes more time and some patience. Fortunately, I have a lot of the former... and I am trying to cultivate more of the latter. Over the years I've enjoyed dozens of trips on Tracopa, the bus line that services the Southern Zone. Their huge King Long buses painted in vibrant neon colors always leave on schedule. Arrival times, however, are fluid.
It's not just traffic or construction that can delay a bus. It seems that each driver determines his own individual stops. My usual seat is just behind the driver, from where I've observed the bus pull over for anyone flagging it down. Sometimes the potential passenger wants to negotiate the fare, and if the two can't agree, the bus moves on without the new rider. Drivers also make unscheduled stops to pick up veggies, street hawkers, and girlfriends. I've seen passengers ring for a stop in what seems like the middle of nowhere. One time two buses traveling in opposite directions came to a dead halt in the middle of the highway so that the drivers could have a chat. Also, I have come to the conclusion that all bus, transport, and truck drivers know each other as they give each other a friendly honk and wave as they pass. These drivers are the kings of the road and all other vehicles give way when they see a Pepto-Bismol pink behemoth barreling towards them.
For long-haul trips, I have a designated couple of carry-on items to ease my trip; a travel pillow and, most importantly, extra layers of clothing are at the top of the list. Extra layers of clothing, you ask? If you have ever ridden a bus in Costa Rica you know that even though it may be 88F outside, inside the bus the air-conditioning blows chilled arctic air. So, when I embark wearing a T-shirt and shorts, as soon as I am seated, I pull on long sleeves and pants. And maybe a sweater.
One thing about the buses in Costa Rica is that their seats are always comfortable and have footrests. The passengers are mostly Ticos, though occasionally, a couple of tourists fresh from a tour of Manuel Antonio National Park will board at Uvita. The locals are always friendly, and sometimes a seatmate will want to practice their English. It is a small country; one time I discovered that my seatmate was the cousin of my neighbor. We've learned that as we travel around Costa Rica, when we mention that we are from Pavones, almost everyone has a cousin living there.
The most frequent reason for our trips to San Jose is to catch a flight out to Canada or California. Upon arriving at the Tracopa terminal a few blocks south of San José Central, we will often walk the dozen blocks to the Tuasa terminal to catch the Alajuela bus to the airport.
Yes, we could drive (when our 25-year-old Hyundai Galloper doesn't have to spend quantity time with its mechanic), and driving offers convenience. But it also means that the person behind the wheel can't relax and enjoy the spectacular scenery. Taking a bus gets us out of our bubble and we can drop into the moment, rather than stressing about the journey. And a big plus is that we get a chance to chat with people that we normally wouldn't meet. We make new friends and learn new things about this beautiful country every bus trip we make. Sharing the public space with our neighbors puts us in the real world with equanimity.
Comments