Set out in blocks, directed by N, E, S, O which means it is relatively easy to navigate myself around the city; crossing the roads here is pretty much a death trap as on some roads as cars and motorbikes seem to come from nowhere, appearing to follow a very vague highway code. No drink driving rules, you still pass through red traffic lights without hesitation if it doesn´t look busy, and at crossroads you don´t slow down to cross but merely honk your horn to let people coming the other direction that you are on your way and you are not going to stop!
Fruit Men
Along with your public transport, there are women with their wheelbarrows full of oranges ready for juicing and the cars with open boots full of fruit, with the driver yelling through his megaphone about his produce for sale. Originally upon hearing this from the flat, I asked Mariela if it was a prayer call from a mosque as it pretty much sounded the same as he yells “naranjas, mandarinas, plantanos, manzanas” so fast. Alas, there aren´t any mosques in Cochabamba, only a lot of fruit men.
Trufis, micros and brightly coloured and vividly decorated buses are the various modes of transport here, along with taxis where anyone can buy a fluorescent sticker, whack it on their car and hey presto, you are a taxi driver. They honk at everyone in the street, hoping that they are a potential passenger… this took me a few days to adjust to as I´m not used to being honked at so regularly!
HEIGHT ISSUES...
Trufis follow a set route, so for example I can take the 110 to work or the 131 or 121 to the gym! Trufis are small people carriers which appear to have had their insides ripped out and benches put in, so that along with the driver you can fit 2 in the front, 3 in the middle and 3 in the back. I never look forward to waving down a full trufi at rush hour where I have to somehow squeeze myself into the back, ever so gracefully given my size in comparison to the average boliviano - but somehow I´ve managed to become more agile in doing so over time…. Also I´ve found that trying to get out of a trufi or micro (similar to a minibus with just more seats and no legroom) when people aren´t that helpful in moving out your way. To be fair, they will just end up with a bum in their face…
But generally they are so useful, you can flag one down about every 2 minutes which is always good and when you get you always have to say “buen dia or buenas noches” to the driver and everyone else on board, and when you want to get off its “la esquina por favor” or “puedo bajar aqui” which is basically, “I want to get off now.” The best thing I´ve noticed about Trufis is what I´ve named Trufi wars where the drivers will literally do anything, any manoeuver to try and get in front of the same number trufi ahead at hurtling speed to order to pick up those passengers – there isn´t a car here without a dent or scratch from weaving in and out of traffic strategically. Its quite entertaining.
Electric Shocks
My only issue that I have developed is a slight paranoia about closing the trufi door as they ALWAYS seem to give me quite strong electric shocks which is obviously quite distressing.
