Looking at over 100 buses in the lot, no two buses looked the same. There were buses with every color combination imaginable, unique names, loudspeakers, electronic signs announcing final destinations and shiny rims and grills. I had never seen so many beautiful and unique school buses.
We caught our bus, Esmerelda, to get to Valhalla Macadamia Nut farm, 30 minutes outside of Antigua. After we hopped on the bus, I was anxiously looking for the farm. Although I had asked several locals which stop we should take to arrive at the farm, their instructions were far from explicit. From what I understood, we would not be stopping. Instead, the driver would slow down on the side of the highway just long enough for our group to jump off. Thus, we had to be ready. Since the group was counting on me to get us from Point A to Point B, I was a bit stressed on the way there. However, between my frequent glances at the map, I was able to see the more rural landscape of Guatemala and observe the inside of the chicken bus, along with its passengers. Although the bus is very extravagant on the outside, the interior is very similar to the school bus I rode as a kid. The motor was noisy and the ride was just as bumpy. I put my knees up on the back of the seat in front of me and waited for my stop—just like when I was in grade school—only this time, I would need to get a running start to make sure I did not miss my destination.
