How to Sleep on Overnight Buses
(or Even Overnight Airplanes elsewhere)
I have found night travel by buses in Guatemala and Mexico to be both safe and expedient for long distances. The main problem for me in traveling at night by bus there and elsewhere had been in getting to sleep, but I have found that it can be done with some degree of comfort.
Here is what works for me:
Try to avoid going less than first class, even when available. It is false economy and you are less likely to get a decent amount of sleep. However, if you must get between Flores and Guatemala City both quickly and cheaply, you could go on one of the ADN first class ones.
On any overnight bus, have a sweater in case it gets cold from the air conditioning. Sit well away from the front of the bus. For example, on Linea Dorada in Guatemala, the driver and his assistant will probably spend the night chatting or listening to some quite audible music, well after the movie is over. In addition, if a person is far in the front, it is too easy to awaken and be mesmerized by the bus lights on the road ahead.
If there is
noise that bothers you and you don't have or
cannot find your ear plugs, a square of moistened two ply toilet paper stuffed
into your ears can works quite well for each. If you use enough paper, there will be
enough sticking out so that you can easily remove it. Use bottled
water.
Ignore the movie if it will take you past when you should sleep, no matter how
good it seems. The important thing is to get sleepy, drift off and not waste the next day.
I find that a normal dose (2 capsules) of the over counter antihistamine, Benadryl, and any cheaper generics which use diphenhydramine, work quite well once you get them open. I find it is best to use a pair of scissors to cut into where the tablet is, because otherwise it can be so annoying to get open that it may be harder to get to sleep. You will note that these specifically warn of drowsiness and will be enough to keep you asleep, except to allow for a visit to the WC. The drug works for around six hours, so if you have around that amount of time or less than that, it would be good to have a caffeine tablet to take in the morning. Taken as a sleep aid, the side effect is as an anti-histamine. If time has flown and you should be sleeping soon, chewing the capsule or pill speeds it up a bit.
Other possibilities are to use Melatonin or Valerian. Either one is best taken an hour before you want to sleep. The 3 mg. size of Melatonin seems best to me and if the Valerian bottle calls for taking for example, one or two pills, go for the higher figure.
As far as personal safety goes, I have had no problems on overnight buses. Any will have very if any few stops, for would-be thieves to enter and depart, and most likely the deluxe buses will have a stewardess as a potential witness. The closed overhead for luggage will close above you, much as it would on an airplane, so these are not usually problematic. If you feel really paranoid, you can use a cable lock if there is anything to lock it to nearby.
It is generally best to lock your pack, unless you are keeping it under your feet. If it is locked in storage below the bus, it should be safe, but carefully hang onto your stub, showing that it is yours. If it is inside on what is just an overhead shelf, you should also use a cable lock to fasten it to something solid and make sure it doesn't disappear in the night.
The foregoing is a good idea for day buses as well. In fact, any time you are on any bus with overhead shelves in the day and there is any chance you will sleep, you should consider fastening your bag like that. If there is no chance at all that you will sleep, have a strap hanging over so that you can see it is still there. If you look around on a normal bus in Guatemala, you will find a surprising number of straps dangling down in full view. On the other hand, if you are reasonably comfortable on a short ride holding the pack on your lap, this would be simplest to do.
Don't necessarily figure on saving a full night's lodging. I think it is better to rent a very cheap room near the bus station, from which I can base myself and wander about without worrying about my pack, which I can explore and take a nap if I feel like it and where I WILL take a shower before the bus's departure. It is so much better to arrive relaxed, awake, reasonably clean and in a good mood.