Bus trips in South America

I am officially a long-term traveler, a nomad, a wanderer who lives out of a pack on my back. This is an extremely low-budget lifestyle; the cost of traveling through South America is approximately half the cost of paying my bills and living in Tempe, Arizona. And with this lifestyle comes obligations and duties, like taking very long bus rides instead of pricey flights. I was actually dreading this aspect of the trip, as I get antsy if I have to drive to Glendale from Tempe. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to be stuck on a bus for 18 hours.

I had been hearing of Arequipa from other travelers and from various traveler's blogs and podcasts. I knew I would absolutely love the city, but I had to get there from Lima... and off I was on a South American bus. I bought the most expensive "VIP" ticket, on a bus that was all VIP seats, mostly because this bus ticket fit my schedule perfectly. I try to book tickets for overnight buses, and this way I can arrive to a new city during daylight hours.

I was expecting, at the very best, a jacked-up version of a Greyhound bus, with minimal legroom, barely enough room for luggage and lots of loud crying children. Boy, was I in for a surprise. I checked into the "terrapuerto", or bus station, in Lima, and I was ushered into the VIP lounge, after my passport was checked and my luggage was weighed, scanned and checked (just like taking a flight!). I was then ushered into the "VIP" lounge, which is one of the nicest waiting areas I've ever been in, with super-comfy furniture, high-speed wifi, books, magazines, and American movies on a flat-screen panel:

I could get used to this. Once I boarded the bus, I was taken aback at how large the seats were-- three Annas could have fit on one. Furthermore, they reclined all the way, and were super-comfy, like sitting in a good old Lazy-boy recliner. There were blankets, pillows, American movies playing on the TV, meals served by the "terramoza" (a bus stewardess) and the best... HIGH SPEED WIFI-- on the bus!! Oh yes, and I'm sure you're wondering, there are bathrooms on the bus, and they are super-clean, much cleaner than a lot of the flights I've been on.

The price for this amazing bus ride was $60 USD for an 18 hour bus trip. Not bad at all. Actually with this level of comfort, I prefer to ride the bus rather than take a flight, even though the travel time is much longer. Since it's an overnight bus, I am saving money on one night of accommodation and two meals. All for the fraction of a price of a flight. Low budget travel rocks. I wish I had gotten a picture of me fully reclining on the bus seat, but these will have to do:

That last picture is of the desert along the Peruvian coast somewhere between Lima and Arequipa.