Transportation

Hello,

I thought I´d talk this time about our transportation situation here in Peru. I´ve probably covered some of this in previous posts, but I don´t think adequately. Peace Corps aren´t allowed to drive for liability reasons, and I wouldn´t want to here anyway because the roads are simply insane. All kinds of vehicles share them and lane stripes are only a suggestion as lanes will fluctuate between the posted 2 and as much 6 depending on how many cars want to sneak into one gap.
Public transportation used to be full-sized city busses like in the U.S., but during a harsh depression they were changed to the present system to bring more jobs. Now the combis (actually called custers, but everyone calls them combis) rule, which are basically extra-large vans decked out with bars to hold onto... basically a subway car on wheels. And they get every bit as packed as subway cars, with people literally hanging out the doors at times. So, every morning I get to pretty much meet intimately total strangers as we´re pressed together by the crush or people trying to get out. It definitely can be frustrating and awkward, particularly because the cobrador, or door-opener/money-collector, often tries to cheat you. I´m getting used to it, though, and for small trips it isn´t at all bad. Longer trips, like an hour or more, really get to be a descent into Hades, though.
For those longer trips it is advisable to take a proper combi, which is a small van which they also pack people into, but you are more or less guaranteed a seat (or a bench). This costs more, about 5 soles, which works out to less than 2 bucks. When you consider we only get 8 soles a day on top of food/housing, this adds up though.
You can also take taxis, but there is no meter so you need to know about how much it should cost and bargain it down to that amount. Otherwise, particularly if you´re a gringo, they´ll happily fleece you. So far these are the only forms of transportation I´ve taken outside of center-owned vehicles, but I´ll let you all know of others as I encounter them...