Central America by Chickenbus: A Travel Guide. 3rd ed.

Frances Emery is an editor and writer living in Nepean, Ontario.

Just what is a chickenbus? That is one of the few things this
informative and chatty guide book doesn’t tell us about Central
America.

The book’s introduction contains useful hints—medical information;
what clothing, first-aid kit, and camera equipment to take; how and
where to change money; and so on. The bulk of the book then treats each
of the seven countries individually. Ranging from 133 pages on Guatemala
to 38 pages on Nicaragua, each informative chapter contains a brief
history of the country, including archaeological lore, politics,
geography, and climate. This is followed by a discussion of native
groups; laws that might affect the tourist; money; visa requirements;
how to get there; a list of foreign consulates (with addresses and
telephone numbers); public and bank holidays; bus schedules and other
transportation possibilities (chickenbuses, of course, as well as
ferries where appropriate, taxis, national airlines, and even car
rentals); how to use the telephones; taxes, including airport and border
taxes; and tour possibilities. Also included are alphabetical lists and
descriptions of towns, places of interest, restaurants, inexpensive
places to stay, and things to do in the area. Frank in her
recommendations, Lougheed tells why she likes or dislikes each.

Although she doesn’t personally vouch for all the information she
includes (some comes from tourist literature and some secondhand from
visitors), the author’s own extensive travel experience in Central
America is obviously the book’s foundation. This little paperback
packs enough useful information into its 500 pages to be valuable to any
tourist. And while 500 pages sounds like a lot to carry around, the
small format makes the book easy to slip into a backpack.