Aug 4, 2007 - Bocas del Torres

Saturday 4th August 2007 Arrived early morning in Almirante a bit worse for wear. Got a taxi to the waterfront and caught the local launch to Bocas del Torres, a group of green islands off north eastern Panama, or is that north western panama...can't really work that out from the way it faces?!?. Anyway once we had managed to check into the Mondo Taitu Hostel (which meant dealing with a guy on reception who arrived in from a night out at 7am) we ended up sleeping most of the day - definitly a case of taking the overnight bus not making up...

Jun 9, 2007 - Mutiny without the Bounty: Surf, Sand and Sloths as the Crewmen first head to Bocas del Toros

Due to the need for engine repairs, Crewman Phil and John have been granted shore leave from Monday 4 June. They first flew from Panama to Bocas del Toro, a group of islands off the far western Panama Caribbean coast not far from the border with Costa Rica. This update locates the islands only. A full update to follow when the five day's shore leave is over.

Jun 8, 2007 - Bocas Del Toro - Panama

Would you ever believe this but we are still in Panama. Never thought we would be spending nearly four weeks in Panama but that has happened. Dear old Isabella's engine has finally been pulled apart after no compression in number 4 cylinder. Burnt out valve, so all valves now being replaced and head getting reconditioned. Probable be able to leave for Galapogos in a few days. Crewman Phil and Crewman John have deserted the ship to get out of the way and gone sightseeing to Bocas Del Toro which is a group of islands in the west of Panama on...

May 6, 2007 - Bocas del Toro: Forget panama hats, where are the white sand beaches??

Bocas Del Torro Crossed border number...er 6 I think into Panama through a typical border town called Sixiola which was unique in the fact that crossing points of each country are linked by a very rickety old railway bridge over a muddy river, the halfway point being the borderline. As you usually find at these borders there was a heady mix of locals offering all manner of services from a hand with your luggage, money changing or transportation to where ever you wanted to go. By now I was pretty used to this and didn't find it threatening....

Mar 24, 2007 - PANAMA - Bocas del Toro & Isla Bastimentos

From Costa Rica we crossed over the border into Panama with no problems...well it was a problem for me trying to cross over the very high and rickety old bridge that connects the 2 countries...nothing to hold on to and huge gaps in the bridge everywhere (not to mention being about 50m high above a river) and carrying all bags i had a slight vertigo attack half way over (well more than slight) and didnt think would be able to make it over...eventually the fact that everyone was laughing at me with no sympathy whatsoever and little kids just...

Oct 4, 2006 - Bocas del Toro, Panama

Hello everyone, We have moved locals again and now are in the north Caribbean coast in Boacas del Toro (mouth of the bull). It is an archipelago and is fed by numerous rivers in the bay. This morning started early with driving from Bouquete, north of David to the airport, just outside of David. With signs what they are here, you could possibly miss the airport and end up at a dead end near the ocean, but that's if you just didn't see the non-existent sign marking the airport... We had a 30 minute flight to Bocas and arrived to a warm but...

Jul 22, 2006 - Bocas del Toro, Panama

"Hurry, or you will have to wait until after lunch to get through the border - it closes in five minutes" barked a young man who was dressed in clothes distinctly different from most Costa Ricans. He wouldn't have looked out of place in Los Angeles, but on the dusty street of Sixoala, the rather rough-looking town surrounding the border crossing into Panama, he stood out in the crowd. Donning our packs, we joined the herd of other gringos trudging as quickly as possible toward the tin-roofed hut next to a rather dubious-looking bridge. We...

Jul 20, 2006 - Puerto Viejo - Caribbean Coast

"You don't want to take a bus straight from San Jose to Panama City" advised Roberto. "It's too boring. May I make a suggestion?" So, on his advice, we decided to shorten our stay in Costa Rica, and take an extended journey to Panama City via Puerto Viejo and Bocas del Toro on the Caribe Coast. Our adventure started in Alajuela, where we donned our packs early in the morning and hiked to the local bus terminal. There, we scrambled onto a bus just about leave for San Jose, paid our 400 Colones ($0.80 US) each, and squeezed ourselves and our...

Jul 7, 2006 - Panama: Bocas Del Toro

Hostel: Mondo Taitu- slightly run down surfer hangout with a few left over hippies to boot. Fun at night but people here stay out all night! I arrived in Bocas, yesterday, from David. A four hour bus ride and then a 20 minute FAST water taxi. The ride was actually very interesting. I saw more traditional thatched roof huts and indigenous people than I have seen anywhere outside of Guatemala. Like always, the mountainous terrain is where they have been forced to work and live. Most were probably members of the Ngobe Bugle people by the looks...

Jul 6, 2006 - BOCAS DEL TORO - Panama

Nach meinem fuer meine Verhaeltnisse zwischenzeitlichen Spurt durch Panama, hats mich schon wieder erwischt, ich bin in Bocas del Toro stecken geblieben. Schuld daran war auch etwas das Wetter. Als am Tag 4, meinem geplanten Abreisetag der Himmel schon wieder wolkenverhangen war und er in stroehmen runterschuettete was er nur konnte, hatte ich einfach 0 Bock eine Tagesreise mit Boeoetli und 3 verschiedenen Bussen auf mich zu nehmen. Deshalb hab ich wieder ausgepackt und weiter geschlafen. Das Wetter war zum bruelen, hat mich aber eigentlich...

Jul 3, 2006 - Bocas Del Toro

So, Eric, Ian and I arrived safely in Panama City on Saturday morning, after a fantastic one stop red eye through the beautiful city of Houston...poor eric sat next to a crazy (and I actually mean he was certifiably insane) Indian dude, who did not stop talking the whole time. People throw that phrase around recklessly...I think the Indian dude may have paused for a total of 20 mintues during the whole flight. So, needless to say, we were pretty exhausted, so we checked ourselves into a nice hotel in Panama City...three beds, A/C, warm...

Jun 15, 2006 - Bocas del Toro

AFter a 9 hrs freezing cold bus ride, a water taxi ride, and a 15 min walf with our bags we arrived at our closed hostel (6am). Not knowing what to do we slept in the bar in front of the hostel until the owner came and woke us up and gave us a room to sleep in until we were functionning once again and able to tell him we wanted a room for 3 nights! WE managed to wake up fairly early and met two albertans, and headed to the beach! However, we did not know we were signing up for a 25 minute uphill jungle hike to get to the Wizard beach on...