We walked for quite awhile taking breaks and sitting and looking at the views before catching a taxi to the bus depot.
The neat looking building below is apparently a popular disco club.
When we had bought our tickets the day before the clerk had told us to check with him in the morning to get the number of the bus that would be taking us. No one at his cubicle; so we asked the lady in the next booth whose company also runs the bus line that we were taking. She made a phone call and gave us a number for the bus. By this time the fellow from the day before was in his booth so just to make sure we asked him for the number and it corresponded. He told us where to catch the bus and we headed in that direction. It took us 3 tries to find the right spot to wait. Boy, the second class buses were in the boonies compared to the first class ones. The bus we were waiting for was a Transportes Del Pacifco, remember that name because after you finish reading this you won't want to take one.
The bus was supposed to leave at 10:20 AM, this time came and went and no bus. Roy kept walking down the line to make sure that we weren't waiting in the wrong place; but nope, no bus. We waited for about 1/2 hr. and he finally pulled in, unloaded everyone and pulled out again to either gas up or get cleaned. Who knows, he didn't inform anyone, just pulled away. We waited for another 1/2 hr. for him to return and then load all the luggage and people up. People had so much stuff that the luggage areas under the bus wouldn't hold it all so they started packing it inside the bus behind the back seats. Finally we were ready to pull out, over an hour late. The day was just beginning! Of course, being a second class bus he made more stops than the first class buses do, which didn't do anything to allow him to catch up on any lost time. We had quite a long stop somewhere and then when we got to the next town of Guasave, he stopped again, told us all something that no one could understand and left the bus. People were looking at each other and asking each other what he had said and everyone was saying that they hadn't understood him. So we sat and waited, and waited. Over 1/2 hr. later he returned to the bus and we prepared to leave. As he began pulling out we could feel the tires dragging, the brakes had locked up. He played around going backwards and forwards for awhile and they finally unlocked and we were on our way again. About 5 minutes after we left Guasave he again pulled off the highway and parked in front of a small cafe. He announced that we would be stopping here for everyone to have supper. WHAT???? Everyone piled off the bus and most people went to eat. We weren't hungry so just hung around outside waiting with some others who had elected not to eat. I am not sure how long this took as by this time I had stopped looking at my watch. Finally everyone returned to the bus and we were on our way again. The next delay was one where everyone was ordered off the bus for them to check for fruits and vegetables because of some kind of fruit fly or something. This of course took awhile. Back on the road again, shortly thereafter we reached a point on the highway and sat still in the line. This was the border between Sinaloa and Sonora and it took us about 2 hrs. to get to the head of that line up. Again we all piled out and the military checked the bus and some of the luggage. The bus driver was very even tempered and used to all of this and was chatting with the passengers the whole time. I suggested to him that going south on the bus was fine; but if going north maybe flying was preferable, he just laughed. We got back on and headed out again. We managed to make some miles before the next military stop where we only waited for about 1/2 hr.. Finally we reached Guaymas and caught a cab home at 3 AM in the morning. What a long trip and the last time that we take a second class bus if I have anything to say about it. We could have waited until 6 PM in the evening to take a first class bus and would have arrived home only about 3 hrs. later than we did by taking one that was supposed to leave at 10:20 AM.. I guess the main thing is that we are home safe and sound though and all is good. I do have to say that throughout the trip the bus driver was very amiable and chatted with the passengers at all the stops, all the passengers were just laughing and rolling their eyes after awhile. It was a good bunch of people to travel with.
