The last of the 5 back to back trips. Saying goodbye to fellow travellers is hard but life must go on. One newbie in this last section of my 49 day trip through Central America. This last leg is only for a week with just 2 places to see.

Potentially another long travel day with the alarm set at 4.45 am. Leaving the hotel at 5.15 am with one taxi shuttling us 9 + 1 in 3 groups to catch the 6 am bus.

Three hours into the trip a toilet and food stop at Limon, then picked up or dropped off passengers at Cahuita, Puerto Viejo and Bri Bri we got to the very small border town of Sixaola at 10.30 am. Time to advance our watches one hour.

What a hilarious border crossing. On the Costa Rica side I don’t know why but the immigration staff were giggling and laughing behind the counter while a small pick up truck tried to load some cartons. We had to wait for them to load what seemed to be an impossible amount of boxes onto the small tray.

Then wheeling our bags across this old railway bridge with rickety wooden planks on either side of the single track, some with holes in the planks or nails exposed. Next to this was newish single lane road bridge with no cars on it.

Welcome to Panama and my new country number 7 on this trip. Our van was waiting for us to load the bags onto the roof. We had to pay US $ 3 in one office then in the next block down a dead end side street was the Panama Immigration office. No visible signs. FIT I saw didn’t know how this border was set up and had to ask for directions to this office. At least this is my last border crossing on this trip.

It was hot and humid again and I was sweating like a pig again. Thank goodness I was able to wait in the air con van while the rest of the group went through Panama’s immigration.

Passing more banana plantations, it took an hour to reach Almirante where at 2 pm we boarded our fast boat for the super quick 30 minute ride across to the island of Colon. Talk about a back jarring ride. The waves were not that choppy but the 200 hp outboard really knew its stuff. We bounced along at such a rate I was glad that I had my computer and external hard in my back pack held between my knees to act as some sort of shock absorber. Sitting up the front did not help at all with the ride. I trust the photos taken mainly at 1,000 sec are OK.

Bocas del Toro or Bocas Town is the capital of the Panamanian province of Bocas del Toro and the district of Bocas del Toro. It is a town and a tourist resort located on the southern tip of Colón Island in the Bocas del Toro Archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. Thanks Mr Wikipedia.

Taking our bags and wheeling them through the streets with an orientation of the key places on route to our hotel.

Bags into our rooms and it was now 3 pm with a walk back into town to book one of the remaining places for tomorrow’s all day cruise on board the German run catamaran at US $45.

Slow walk back clicking away at the sights along the single main street. It was a nice welcome to the slow pace of laid back Bocas del Toro - a haven that has resisted over-development to retain its small-town charm but there are signs that this has already changed (for the worst I am afraid). I wish that I was here say 10 years ago and wonder what this place will be like in say another 10 years. It has already lost some of its small sea side village charm that it once had. The newer four storey buildings have no character compared to the old two story wooden buildings with their window shutters, porch and corrugated iron roofs. Unfortunately development will continue to spread and change forever this once tranquil paradise. I am glad that I have seen part of its charm before it is too late. Interesting that the Chinese own most if not all of the supermarkets here in town! Every block seems to have a supermarket.

The tropical jungle region here is gifted with coral islands and beautiful beaches to snorkel or swim in clear, blue waters. Divers will appreciate the underwater beauty on offer and surfers can take advantage of the waves. This place will only get busier.

By now I was feeling a bit peckish so decided on one of the hotel pizzas. They only have one size so … US$ 9.63 for pizza and a Panama beer as a late lunch. Will I want a big dinner? Probably not as the pizza was eaten at 5.30 pm!

Dinner was in town at a seaside restaurant - Buena Vista. Being a seaside town it just had to be another sea food item so despite the warnings which I had forgotten about, decided on the mahi mahi being the day’s fresh fish fillet. The waitress suggested that I have it with their Caribbean coconut sauce. Served with rice and fresh vegetables. That plus a pineapple smoothie came to just under US $ 19.00. It is the service charge and tax which kills it. The food didn’t arrive till 8 pm so that was a 2.5 hour gap between my pizza and fish meal.