Traffic in Trujillo is an adventure. Sometimes there are lanes dividing traffic, but often these are just a formality. It’s quite expected for cars, buses, and taxis to weave in and out of one another to squeeze to the front of the pack or get to the curb quickly to drop off or pick up a passenger. And cutting in front of someone is no reason to get offended – that guy’s just doing what the next guy will do to him in 12 seconds, and no one seems to mind. The fun part is the intersections that don’t have traffic lights…but somehow the big jam of cars in the middle all seem to get across, with some well-practiced combination of taking turns and forcing their way through. The amazing part is, there are probably fewer wrecks with all this would-be bedlam than there are in the States. At any rate, traffic moves a lot more reliably than on I-65 in Birmingham, that’s for sure.
Transportation is also pretty exciting. Taxis are cheap, and you can take a car full of people between most places in the city for 3 or 4 soles (just over $1). For destinations along one of the set routes, there are a number of options, including (in descending order of size) micros (normal-sized buses), combis (big vans, similar to the VW variety), and colectivos (a 5-seated sedan). Most of these have seen better days and have lots of character, and all of them will squeeze in as many people as possible.
Colectivos are my transportation of choice on the way to and from the clinic each day. I take the “B” route, and for 1.20 soles (about 40 cents) one way, you can get out to Wichanzao on the Panamerican highway in about 15 minutes. Well, maybe 20 if traffic is heavy or if your driver stops at every person standing on the curb to see if they want “la B” heading out of town. It’s kind of like a big game of Chinese fire drill, with the driving pulling over to let people out or pick people up at their desired stop. It’s not at all uncommon for the colectivo to reach its full capacity of seven people (4 passengers in the back, 2 up front with the driver), and as you extract yourself from the pile, you have to smile as you realize you’ve been closer to these strangers than you have been to many of your closest friends. Gotta love Perú. J
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Dang. Way to put my 280 commute in perspective.
ReplyDeleteFirst-time poster, long-time reader. Keep writing, Lyds.
Yikes - how crazy! All I can say is to look both ways and then RUN like the dickens when crossing the street! :)
ReplyDeleteMy friend Scarlett experiences something similar in Ecuador, though I think it was a bit more hostile. At least on the busses. Props for getting around and enjoying being smushed next to people. Watch your purse!!
ReplyDeleteLydia- I remember these intersections in Panama. And in India-- but you could have a cow in the midst of traffic in some Indian cities! Kinda makes our U.S. cities seem boring!! (And boring can be good after a year of adventure. . .)
ReplyDeleteLove, Aunt Cathy