I have tried many different types of transportation during my travels in Latin America. In Mexico City, I have travelled by metrobus, subway system, public bicycles and even scooters to move about the vast city while minimizing my time in car traffic. In more remote regions of Mexico, like Puerto Escondido in Oaxaca, I have traveled by combis and colectivos, which are large group taxis that help keep travelers' costs down. However, by far, the most stylish and unique form of transportation I have taken in Latin America is the "chicken bus" in Guatemala. I guarantee that once you read this article, you will never think of your school bus the same way again.
One of the first stops on our guided tour of Antigua, Guatemala was a chicken bus station. This is just like any other school bus station in the U.S. except way way cooler and more extravagant! The tour guide explained that people buy school buses from the United States and drive them down to Guatemala to give them a face-lift and put them to work as a form of public transportation. The owners use bright colors, lights and sounds to attract customers to their bus, and as the bus gains more fame, the owners can invest in even better upgrades with their profits.
