THE GREAT AMERICAN BUS JOURNEY

EL PASO > TUCSON > PHOENIX > LOS ANGELES > SAN FRANCISCO

36 hours of miserable broken sleep and tediously boring layovers. 1000+ miles of uncomfortable travel on Greyhound buses that have less seat comfort and legroom than any of the much cheaper bus journeys I have made in Mexico and Central America so far.

My only entertainment during the arduous journey is watching ordinary Americans going about their daily lives. I spend most of my time trying to work out what passengers are genuinely disabled and which ones are just trying to walk like an L.A gangbanger, and taking enjoyment from watching some class-act trying to get some shut-eye on the metal seating in the Greyhound bus station, in what at least to me, appears to be a rather uncomfortable sleeping position.

My only blessing during the arduous journet is the GBP 5 woolen Mexican poncho that I bought in Chiapas. I get two seats to myself all the way from El Paso to Los Angeles because no Gringo getting on the bus wants to sit next to the bleary-eyed, bad-tempered Mexican.