Hammocks of Panama

We're on a bus to Costa Rica now and I'm slightly concerned because everyone keeps on talking about how overwhelmingly expensive it is. At this point in the trip (two and a half months to go) the funds are running low. I don't think we'll be like some backpackers we've meet who've finished on a USD10 a day budget in somewhere like Brasil, but we aren't feeling flush.

We're probably only going to spend a few days in Costa, enough time for me to hit the old 3 - 0, but Christmas will be in Nicaragua and New Years with Allen (a friend from home) on Corn Islands. Hopefully diving with Hammerhead sharks. I love my life right now.

So since my last, complainy complainy pants post what has happened. Geographically we haven't moved a lot. We ended up spending 10 odd days in Bocas del Torro hanging out with the lovely Sam and Sarah. Then onwards to Boquete.

As for activities, well in Bocas Mark would hike to one of the more amazing tropical beaches we've seen on this trip, I'd hobble from our room to the hammock and wait for my foot to improve. Mark would catch a small boat to one of the outlying islands go body surfing and drink beer at a beach bar, I'd hobble from our room to the hammock. Mark would go check out an organic coffee and chocolate cafe situated at the highest point on the island surrounded by jungle, I'd (you've guessed it) hobble from our room to the hammock.

Don't think he abandon me - not at all he also spent a fair bit of time keeping me company. And with Sam and Sarah, and then Henrick, we cooked up a storm including but not limited to amazing Bolognese (thanks Mark), the best stir fry I've had in months (nice work Sam), amazing toasties (kudos Henrik and Mark) and with the help of the owner a pretty fine Caribbean chicken stew.

After ten days and a very careful hike to that amazing tropical beach for me (slowly with hiking poles) I deemed myself ok for the stress of moving to Boquete. So we said good-bye to lovely friends, I strapped up my foot and Mark heroically carried my backpack (13kgs), his mega pack (18kgs) and his 'daybag' (8kgs) between bus stops, on and off boats and to hostels. Without complaint! That's love!

So what happened in Boquete? Mark went on a gruelling day hike to a small town, I sat in the hammock. Mark hiked to a hot spring, I sat in a hammock.

Good news is, I like hammocks, I have lots of books to read and often had good company. Better news is, my foot's getting good enough, so I should be able to do a few short hikes myself.

If you're wondering why there is so much hiking planned in a beachy part of the world, Mark's a wee bit obsessed with hiking right now. If this all sounds right up your alley (the hiking) he swears by, and will happily talk your ear off about, a website called www.besthikes.com. As for me, I'm hanging out for Nicaragua which will involve a whole lot of white sand, blue sea and maybe a cocktail or two.