Many veteran travelers would say that the best way to get to know a local culture in a more detailed and comprehensive way is to spend some time riding the least luxurious and most affordable buses, to no particular destination. In Honduras, there is a gamut of bus services available according to one's income and personal tastes. At the top end is Hedman Alas, which sports a line of brand-spanking new and mechanically sound Mercedes buses, outfitted with plush reclining seats, overhead television units, clean little bathrooms, and a snack and beverage service. As most Hedman passengers are foreign tourists, not surprisingly the majority of their routes are between Honduras's major tourist zones, for example, San Pedro to Copan or San Pedro to Ceiba. Service on these buses tends to be non-stop, and Hedman drivers have an almost magical ability to whisk away the occasional pesky traffic jam. Next in price and comfort level are mid-range long-distance bus companies, whose fleets feature no onboard televisions, bathrooms, or snack and beverage service. Seats are still cozy, albeit with much less legroom, and costs for most trips are half or more of what an excursion on a Hedman bus would run. Stops are more frequent on these buses but trip times are still only a fraction of what they are on the next level down, the infamous "chicken buses," most of which are recycled U.S. school buses that somehow made their way down to Honduras. These buses are absolutely no frills, with extremely narrow main aisles and those bouncy, ripped plastic seats that, for many U.S. tourists, should bring back warm and fuzzy memories of rides to school and back as children. It is not unusual to see the name of a former U.S. school district etched in faded painted letters on the sides of these buses-our first trip to Tela with our teaching team was on a bus that used to belong to the Lafayette County School District (Lousiana Cajun country, perhaps?). "Chicken buses" provide the most intense cultural experience because they are used by those who have the least money, and they literally go any and everywhere.
Sitting next to an Australian tourist or Tegus businessman on a Hedman trip,, both of whom are more interested in reading their Lonely Planet or newspaper, respectively, than in striking up a conversation with the stranger in the next seat, bears no resemblance to the conversational abundance presented instantly on "chicken buses." Perhaps because space limitations on the latter usually mean your neighbor is practically sitting on your lap, talking comes easier. The average Honduran, who is not rich in material wealth and has limited formal education and travel experience, will talk to you about anything banal for hours on end-who is being romantically unfaithful in their family, the cost of bread at the store, who won the last Maraton soccer match. Every once in a while, choice cultural nuggets will pour forth- how to make baleadas a certain way, how to find a remote ruin that did not make it into the travel book, etc. Hondurans are generally much more serious and subdued than Mexicans on buses, but moments of intense laughter are not uncommon.
All in all, I would recommend Hedman if you want to be left alone to enjoy the scenery without interruption, and if you have disposable income, and prefer to get places faster. The mid-range long-distance buses are best for those on a more modest budget who wish to know their neighbors only a little bit, because there is a good chance the relative comfort of the seats will induce most passengers to nap rather than chat. The "chicken buses" are best for those on a shoestring financial regimen, and for persons wishing to learn more about Honduras and its culture than they ever imagined possible in a chaotic, rickety, five-hour ride (that could have been two if there had not been a flat tire or transmission blowout).
