10 things you didnt know about bolivian transportation…

 

 

 

– Most cars run on natural gas, not gasoline. When you get to the gas station, everyone has to get out of the car, and they hook up the gas hose to the valve. The valve can be anywhere in the car from the engine to the trunk to under the left rear passenger’s right foot.

 

-Speaking of gas stations, while you wait for your gas tank to fill, ladies come around with trays of tea, coffee, and cookies, all for free.

 

-Never ever should you double check the price at the end of the taxi ride. Even if you agreed on a price before getting in the car (like you always should), asking a second time will raise the price significantly.

 

-As with most of the world outside of the US, it is completely acceptable to ride in the back of a pick-up truck or cargo truck, sitting on things like bags of rice and natural gas tanks (completely safe, I’m sure). These adventures may or may not include sleeping bags, popcorn, ice cream, and hanging on for dear life on bumpy roads.

 

-When driving a school bus, like one of our World Race teams do, the parking break is not by the driver (that would just be silly), but in the front passenger’s seat.

 

-Any public bus that is rainbow colored on the outside and looks like it was stolen from a 1990’s summer camp will inevitably be littered with Mickey Mouse stickers on the inside, as well as a tattered poster about STD’s and smoking.

 

-At night, if you flag down a public van or bus that you couldn’t tell was full in the dark and they pull over for your team, it is impolite to refuse to get on, even if there are already people standing and no room left. You learn to make room and enjoy each other’s laps.

 

-As with Ecuador and Peru, vehicles do not slow down when approaching a cross street or intersection. The right of way is given to the vehicle that honks first upon approach.

 

-Most taxi’s will let you squeeze many more people in than can be safe or legal. A car that normally seats five with a large hatchback trunk will easily seat ten. One driver, two in the front seat, four in the back, and three in the hatchback trunk, along with the natural gas tank.

 

-Double decker busses do not slow down much when going through windy mountain roads, and it may be found out later that the bus line that you took on that double decker bus is known for its drivers falling asleep and driving off cliffs. (A new bus service will be taken for our next long venture.)