Writing this on the bus to La Paz and what an experience I had this morning!
Having covered all that I would like to see, I decided to leave earlier than planned from Cochabamba. So I waited for a taxi and hopped on. Just as I was about to leave on the taxi, a guest from the hostel ran out and asked if she could take the same cab to the bus terminal as well.
Since we were heading in the same direction, of course I said yes, and the moment she hopped into the taxi, she asked for the price. The taxi quoted 10 pesos (approx. S$2) per person, and she started bargaining with the taxi driver saying that it was too expensive and that each of us will pay 5 pesos instead. The taxi driver was speechless and so the deal was closed!
I later found out her name was Yolanda and she is from Arequipa, Peru. She was heading to the cargo area of the bus terminal to sent a package to Oruro in Bolivia.
As we got off the taxi, she asked me to wait for a moment, and later provided me her address and contact details, and if my pathetic Spanish serves me correctly, Yolanda said that she should be back in Arequipa around the 27th, and if I am there around that time, to stay in her house (though a little small, but pretty abode) for free. What a kind gesture, and we only barely met! I said thank you, and that I will contact her closer to my arrival date to see if she may be back.
We parted ways and I headed into the bus terminal to get my bus ticket. I would usually ignore the touts trying to sell tickets, but on this instance, one guy came up to me and asked if I was going to La Paz, and I said yes, and continued walking to one of the many stores that offers the route to buy the ticket.
He then pointed to a bus and said that there is a bus leaving now and it is for cama seats. I had previously checked yesterday that cama seats from one company that offers frequent departures was charging 90 pesos, so when he told me that the ticket cost 50 pesos, and was leaving now, it was an almost sealed deal.
He told me to wait, while he get the tickets on my behalf (from a different store that I was planning to buy from initially and when I looked at the timings on the store board, I did not see any departure at 10am and would not have gone to ask there in the 1st place).
He came back shortly and escorted me to the bus and said he would get someone to give me a ticket for my luggage. Within 5 mins, a guy came out and issued me a ticket for my bag and I went into the bus and sat down comfortably in my cama seat (as I boarded the bus, I happened to glance someone else’s ticket and it was charged at 40 pesos! Guess that guy has made 10 pesos from me!). Ahh!
Barely a few moments later, a guy wearing an “Interpol” cap with a security tag hanging around his neck walked in and started checking people’s credentials. I handed him my passport when he came to my seat, and as he looked at my passport, he said something to me which I could not understand.
Still not knowing what was going on, I asked him, and he said he just needed to write something down with the details in my passport. He asked a couple of questions (when I came in, from where, where I am going next, how long I stayed in Cochabamba, why travelling alone etc.), and then gave me back my passport.
I headed back down the stairs, and as I did so, I seem to see my bus departing! I quickly ran out of the terminal and towards the bus to stop it.
So I took out mine, and showed it to him, and if my Spanish serves me right, he said that I should purchase my own ticket and not get someone to buy it for me.
I guess the guy who had purchased the ticket for me is not supposed to be travelling, or could be wanted by the police! Well, I learn, and will purchase my ticket on my own next time!
good thing you didn't say vamoose to your luggage. Well it wasn't an expensive lesson and you have a long way to go. Stay safe, play safe!
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