I cannot even begin to guess how many countryside buses I have been on in China. There is always the “third row” of little, plastic stool seats lining the aisle. Of course, if little, plastic stools are not available, you can always use some of the luggage or cargo as a seat: feed sack, paint cans, or suitcase. Anything goes.
Here is another shot to give a little more context to see how the bus really feels. Some people stand for hours, some hold down plastic stools, all just wait.
