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.

Foot update and photos

We're still in Bocas del Torro eagerly awaiting a fully functioning left foot for me.  I can hobble now, but I think Mark will be carrying my backpack around for a while.  I'll have to get a photo to show you how impressive a feat that actually is.

Since it's been raining here a fair bit, he's been slogging away on photo's and has posted a few new albums on his picasa site.

Check them out here https://picasaweb.google.com/mark.bridget.

I may just be a wee bit biased, but I think there are some beautiful shots there.  If you're feeling lazy, here are a few of my faves

Panama hates me

We're in Bocas del Torro (Mouths of the Bull) in Panama having spent a few days sailing from Columbia through the San Blas islands to Panama and then sightseeing in Panama City.

Now you may wonder why I said that Panama hates me, it all started out nice and happy sailing through the San Blas Islands on the Gypsy Moth, an English owned charter boat.  Sym, Amy and little Halley sail tourists back and forth between Columbia and Panama through the tropical and somewhat deserted islands of San Blas.  Think perfect blue seas, coconut plants and white sandy beaches.  We were also promised fresh coconut rum, but alas on an island full of coconut trees the tiny little bar couldn't find any coconuts... I guess that’s where the bad luck began.

Gypsy Moth dropped us of near the San Blas Islands, and from there we took a 4WD to Panama City.
Unfortunately it was POURING with rain and my backpack - on the roof - was soaked completely through.  We arrived in Panama City to find every single hostel was completely booked out, bar one with rooms that were closer to something you'd expect to see in a mental institution.  But that was ok, because it was soon decorated with every item of clothing we own as well as sleeping bags, mosquito nets, silk liners and all that miscellaneous stuff you don't realise you cram into your bag.  I had exactly three items of dry clothing and a room that resembled a chinese laundry.

But that was ok, Panama City is beautiful, and everything is better in the morning, so we wondered around, dodging the occasional downpour and taking in the sites and sounds of Panama City.  We stopped off back at our hotel room , where the next bit of bad luck struck

I'd recently seen a fellow backpacker go past on crutches and thanked our lucky stars that we'd not had that problem, nor had we had any serious injuries.  Stoopid woman.  In our room I slipped and landed on my foot - which is pretty pathetic way to injure yourself really.  I now can't walk without limping, can’t carry my bag or traverse a distance of more than 5 metres without pain.  Poor Mark's now my bag boy, occasional crutch and general 'fetch it boy', which he's taking with remarkable good grace.

Thinking that some time spent sitting on a beach would we good and wouldn't involve a lot of movement, we caught a bus with some friends from the boat trip, Sam and Sarah, to Bocas del Torro.  This involved an amazingly horrible night bus, and then two very wet boat trips.  This resulted in a migraine for me :(.

I'm not going to lie after everything else, I cried and sobbed.  I then took a lot of drugs, passed out and waited for the sunshine to come out. 

But everything is always better in the morning….