Dec 25, 2008 - Colon, Panama - The Path Between the Seas

We were up bright and early, awakened when the ship slowed up to take on the local pilots at the canal breakwaters. It was pitch black outside at 5 a.m. so we decided to just get showered and have breakfast. It was going to be a long day. By about 7 a.m., the day had dawned and it was bright enough so we could see what was going on. We headed to the bow of the ship but it was way too crowded for our liking so we went up a few decks and had a much better vantage point. Joe had been through the canal before but I have always wanted to...

Sep 11, 2008 - Oops, we slipped off the South American continent

Today was to be another write off because of the huge distance that had to be covered. It also promised to be unpleasant if only because we knew we had to spend 4 hours in the dreaded Manaus. Manaus did not disappoint. The crappy airport, the humidity, and the inefficiency of the whole place outdid itself once again. Venezuela was going to be our next stop after the Amazon. When our GAP tour of Venezuela, Colombia (which apparently I have been misspelling all along), and Ecuador got cancelled (because we were the only 2 people to sign up...

Jun 18, 2008 - Arrive Panama City

Hello every one, first entry into the blog. After a year of debate and months of arguments I have finally cut all ties and got out to see some of the world. I am in Panama city at the moment and enjoying the differences, as a city im not too keen although I cant love every where I go. the group are fanstaic all young and up for what ever takes their fancy, so from last nights clubbing in downtown Panama, to seeing the monkeys in the national park today the trip has alread started out positive. We got the local bus yesterday, an old...

May 10, 2008 - Panama Canal Transit

5/10/08 Panama Canal Transit Transiting the Panama Canal was an absolutely amazing experience. We truly felt exhilarated making our own history! It all started about two weeks before when we arrived in Panama City. The first order of business to arrange for our transit is to visit the Panama Canal Authority and request permission. We had been told to expect delays but we were fortunate that the backlog had eased, and we were able to choose our date of transit. We completed paperwork and were told that the “ad measurer’s” office would...

Apr 30, 2008 - The Big Ditch

After wandering around the ruins of Panama Viejo, I grabbed a taxi to Miraflores Locks and the Panama Canal. Cue big kid feelings and a great afternoon. Since I can be amazed for hours watching a canal boat at home in Scotland going through a lock, you can imagine what it´s like for me to be at the big ditch. I pàid for my ticket and headed in, only to be crushed when there were no big boats in sight. Cue massive falling of spirit and internal chastising - how can I come to the canal when no boats are going through?! Anyway, I headed to the...

Apr 5, 2008 - Leaving Paradise and Flying Back to the Capital

Another early morning flight back to Panama City. Because I arrived in the capital so early (7 AM), I sat around the airport for a while then got a taxi and go back to Casa de Carmen. I dumped my backpack, changed my shoes and took off in the same taxi for Casco Viejo. I wanted to get the free tour of this party of the city which is only offered on Fridays and Saturdays. Our tour guide was a black Zonian who only learned to speak Spanish as an adult. Her family originally came from Barbados to work on the Canal. Ermita was very...

Apr 1, 2008 - Arrived in Panama City

This morning I got up early in order to go to two more local spots in El Valle before I left town. First I took the bus (25 cents) to El Chorro Macho waterfall. After entering the wildlife sanctuary (I decided against another canopy tour, ziplines above the falls), I walked for 10 minutes until I got to the falls. They were impressive although I was told that they are bigger during rainy season. I walked over two rickety suspension bridges made of wood and bought a postcard of the place at the exit. After a walk down the road I hopped...

Feb 17, 2008 - Panama City

We arrived at the bus station in Panama City after a fairly uneventful bus ride over the windy streets from El Valle. The bus station is like a huge airport. The buses are independently owned and most have amazing airbrush art -- including in the wheel wells. They are old school buses from the U.S. We didn't realize Panama City was so big. It is right on the ocean. The skyline looks like Miami--and Donald Trump is building a $200 million resort here. Not near the 'hotel' where we're staying.

Feb 3, 2008 - THE CANAL

We were scheduled to go through the first set of Locks Sunday evening....That afternoon Chuck was asked to move the Lady O from our dock because a larger boat coming that needed that space....come to find out it was Mel Gibson's boat "Plan B"...We went over and gauwked with everyone else...sad to report ladies there wasn't any sign of MEL aboard....We finally got the call to go out in the harbor and wait to be boarded by an "Advisor" and his assistant....We already had the four of us plus another Captain from the Helder Schelder (Kurt) and...

Feb 3, 2008 - The Pre-Canal Trip

Okay....Kurt and I flew to Panama the 16th of January to meet up with Chuck and Kyle at Shelter Marina on the 17th, where they had been for about a month...upon arriving, I could see why they were both glad to see us....there was nothing but Blow Boating People there and NOTHING else around....except for the little restaurant that had a very limited menu....if you read it once you had it memorized!... We had a few days to kill so we decided to check out old remains of a Spanish Fort in the area...Kurt and I took the bikes for a little ride...

Feb 3, 2008 - Day Two of the Canal

We spent the night in the middle of Gatum Lake on a mooring....and had to wait till the next morning to resume the rest of the journey through to the Pacific side....In the second set of lock you decend down @ 70 ft through the MiraFlora locks....and we were again tied up to the same sailboat who we had to wait about two hours for...while they finally caught up and four large ships to pass through coming from the Pacific side....It was really a long slow process but still exciting....Kurt just kept saying..."Do you know how many people...

Jan 9, 2008 - Transit of the Panama Canal

Today will consist of a daylight transit of the Panama Canal beginning at 6 am and ending with the ship dropping anchor off Panama City around 8 pm. This is one of the early highlights of the trip for me! Though a canal across the Panamanian isthmus was considered as early as the 1500s by the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (King Charles I of Spain), the California Gold Rush of 1849 drove the economic and political need for a faster route from the Caribbean to the Pacific and resulted in the Panama Railroad. A French-led attempt to build the...