Having just been to Ecuador, and ridden my share of buses, I saw nothing of the kind. The other bus riders just seemed to be people who were also hot, crowded,

Having just been to Ecuador, and ridden my share of buses, I saw nothing of the kind. The other bus riders just seemed to be people who were also hot, crowded, and wanting to reach their destinations. Then again, I kept my backpack on my lap, between my legs, or in the luggage compartment under the bus, just like I would anywhere.