Point of Departure

Airports, train stations and bus depots have always conjured up exotic images for me. Growing up in Milwaukee’s blue-collar south side was pretty much a stay at home experience. Travel was normally limited to family summer vacations to a destination not more than five or six hours away in the family car (the concept of a two-car family was still far in the future). Anytime anyone in the neighborhood ‘crossed the border’ into another state it became a topic of conversation over backyard fences for several weeks. We traveled vicariously. Maybe once per week we’d drive to the airport to watch planes take off and land. Many families did that. We’d bring popcorn or other snacks and Kool-Aid. It was tradition for us kids to shout “have a good trip” as the departing planes faded into the distance. One day the newspaper announced that for the first time a jet was going to land in Milwaukee. You couldn’t find a place to park within a half mile of the airport that day. I don’t remember if we saw the jet or not. Probably many people didn’t, but you had to say you did to have any status in the neighborhood.

The vast majority of Chiclayanos haven’t flown and never will. Older folks wouldn’t set foot into anything that leaves mother earth, and younger travelers who might take the risk can’t afford it. Which is why I sometimes find myself at Chiclayo’s Ormeño bus terminal located just off the Pan American highway. Sunday is normally the busiest night of the week, usually because Chiclayanos are returning to their lives/jobs in Lima or because they intend to buy or sell products there. The atmosphere outside is best described as semi-controlled bedlam. There is the blare of moto and taxi horns as vehicles and shouting people with luggage compete for space. Adding to the clamber is the shouts of vendors illegally offering their snacks and souvenirs. There are also men who are eager to help you with your luggage and packages as they unapologetically direct you to the bus line they represent. The big guy in the photo has a reputation for filling his company’s busses quickly.

Once inside the traveler is greeted with more bus line representatives, each of them looking for that inexperienced traveler while shouting, “lowest cost!” and “leaving immediately!” Show the slightest hesitancy and you will find yourself and your luggage being forcefully escorted to the ticket counter of Crisolito, Titanic, Valturs, Continental/Ormeño, Murga Serrano, ETTI, La Perla del Alto Mayo, Mori, Latino, or any of a half-dozen other companies. All it takes is a ‘look’ from a savvy traveler to get them to back off. Then all you have to contend with is the noise and crush of bodies.

Busses are generally scheduled to leave every hour on the hour but they won’t go until all available seating is sold, so there are usually busses leaving the terminal every 10 minutes or so. Rates range from a normal $7 - $11 to $18 - $36 on holidays. These busses make many scheduled and unscheduled stops en route to Lima, even stopping on a desolate section of the highway to pick up or drop off a solitary passenger. Total time from Chiclayo to Lima is normally 12 – 14 hours.

Watching people ‘seeing off’ friends and family is generally what you would expect. There is everything from playful slaps on the back accompanied with a smiling “Hasta pronto!” to tearful hugs and a whispered “Vaya con Dios.” I usually hark back to the days at the airport and think to myself, “Have a good trip.”

Tom