The same hustle on the Panama's border - way out ticket. This time we had got our return flight ticket back home. You don't need to show it anywhere else either in Europe or the USA and you have to show it in Costa Rica and Panama. Everyone makes the fake ticket so they don't need to waste money on any real ticket which wouldn't be used anyway. We've been trapped in C.R paying price of 40$ ticket out which we've never used and since then we learnt the lesson to make the fake ones as most of travellers do.
Arrived on apparently the most stunning islands of Panama (bocas de torro) evening time. After having an 1,5 h bus trip from Cahuita to the panama's border Sixaola we took a taxi (1.5h 10$) to the water taxi station and took a boat (30min) to Colin's bocas island. It was raining all night long therefore we didn't have a choice and had to stay in the mondo Thailu hostel (13$ each). It's been a long time since a last time we slept in a bed. It was very hot, of course I couldn't manage to sleep after 2 previous sleepless nights. We were supposed to have some pancakes for breakfast on a house and we did but made by ourselves. Our pancakes breakfast turned out into a disaster. There were American pancakes and I didn't have a clue how to make them. We moved on by public transport (30min 2.50$) to playa estrellays ( starfish beach). We camped by the quite sea on the age of the rain forest, lighted the fire and went to sleep. After a rain in the night the next day was really nice and sunny. 15 min away by walk we ended up on the beautiful starfish beach. We were welcomed by a turquoise and transparent water flat like a lake and palm trees. After last night lunch we didn't have anything else to eat therefore I was starving after 2h swim. We had got for breakfast a fried fish with coconut rise, salad and plantains accompanied by a coconut water. It was a haven to have a full tommy again;) the beach gradually started becoming more and more crowded as it was Sunday however we were in the quietest spot just at the beginning of the beach. It was nice to swim in a calm turquoise Caribbean sea for the whole day. During the day we rested on the beach on hammocks and sunbathing beds and at the end the the day we found a shelter in our tent by the age of the rain forest 15 min walk back towards the bus stop. Next day as we run out of cash we couldn't stay there any longer and two days were already enough we picked up and took a bus to the Bocas town. I've realised that didn't have my passport and remembered that must have left it at the hostel where we stayed two nights earlier. In fact I found it there at the reception desk. They shouldn't have asked for a passport in a first place. It's pointless, it's such a poor hostel (mondo tailu), who would take anything away from there...? Once I've cashed some money we had got a huge breakfast, made of fruit (the whole watermelon as usual we do), omelette, toasts, pancakes, latte, followed by ice cream after a couple of hours of me chatting with the American manager of the restaurant who gave me some specific indications where to go next another America guy who owns the old motorcycles shop who gave me some tips how to fake documents. Both incontestable were very pleasant and informative. Because of the unique way we travel we end up in the deserted placed immersed in the wild world therefore our human relationships are very limited. Whenever I've got chance to chat to someone definitely I use it. Other travellers are keen on making contacts with others and share their experiences. We create one big community of support and we encourage each to discover hidden landscapes, culture and people during the long journey of our selves discoveries. The outcome of the encounter was to take a little boat 6$ each and in 20 min reach the other Bastimento island - Red Frog beach. We arrived by the lagoon, paid 5$ each entry to the national park. We crossed it (10min walk) and reached a wonderful red frog beach - a paradise for surfers as well as Eco life style lovers. We went to the left from the Palmar's lodge and set up our tent by the beach. It was worth to come over. The beach is not huge but just a right size for a little jogging, the swim is not great as it's hard to go through the breaking waves all the way to the mid sea. It's a perfect place to light the fire in a full moon beautiful night with the sound of waves and surrounding nature. It's just another paradise. The food in the lodge is not too bad but quite expensive. During our 3 months trip we have never paid more then 5$ for breakfast and 10$ for a dinner, but here the breakfast is approx 8$ and a dinner 15$ not including any fancy meals such as lobster. We are talking here just about Cirillol meal with fish, vegs and rise. I guess this is the price of living in a national park far away from the town. You need to take a boat to get to the Bastimento's town. We prefer not to do it so our paradise experience can last forever. I really love this paradise over here. It's just a perfect place. I've got a meeting with the owner of the lodge to discuss the possibility of organising the yoga retreat here. In a meantime I'm lying down on the sunbathing bed and enjoying the sea's sound and view. The next destination in Panama before taking off is a valley - Boquete surrounded by astonishing mountains and Vulcano in the middle of the country, followed by the Taboga island by the Pacific side and the final destination is a canal of Panama in a Panama City where we are flying from 29th of February 2016. There were ups and downs during this trip around Central America due to tiredness, hit, insects: mosquitos, sand flies long hours of traveling from one to another destination. But the whole experience of staying in the most beautiful places in the world and free camping was the best ever totally unique and outstanding. I made the connections at Guatemalan's school of delivering dance programme within their time table as well as I found spots for yoga retreats while sailing across Atlantic on the sailing boat and going through the Canal of Panama next year. Have been reflecting a lot of what I would like do when in back to London. First: coucherding for 5 months and working like a crazy delivering yoga classes so I can complete construction work in my house in the Polish mountains over coming Summer: Aug/Sept. Organising sailing yoga retreat in June in Eolie- Sicilian Islands, September on Greek islands and yoga retreat on the land in March/April in Panama (the best period is from Sept to Nov)- Bocas de Torro - Bastimento - Red Frog beach if not in the Caribbean (Antigua - Angelo). After I've spoken with Sebastiano - the owner of the lodge (Venesuelian/north American) he said that this is a dangerous place for free camping, in the past there were gun shots/machetes frightening robberies. He couldn't offer us any free tent as you need to book st least two weeks in advance in order to get the place. The 4 people tents are 90$ per night, there is no hot water facility. They've got 35 sleeping places on total on 2 acres of land, they would like to buy another 1 acer to expand it up to 3 acres + 4 more tents. They are looking for 100 000 $ investment (6% flat interest rate + profit share) to improve service by delivering a hot water facilities. They are not sure about type of collaboration they would like to develop as they don't want to compromise on their ideas and creativity. There are two business partner who are based mostly here in Bocas and visiting home in USA every other month. The best period of time to run retreats they recommend from Sept to Nov due to the best weather conditions (out of rainy season). The owner is very American therefore very precise and self confident, it's impressive what they've created over here only over two years. It's a paradise for chilled Americans but not for those who are searching for a luxury type of holiday. The conditions here are very basic, it should be a rather low budget place but still prices are quite high compering to other Central American places. We are on the mainland of Panama (Almirante) back on the road traveling to Boquete - the valley in the middle of the mountains (4,5h drive by the shuttle 20$ each). Once we arrived In Boquete we found a place to camp on the land of one of the proprieties by the river surrounded by the mountains. The family living there is very poor, their living conditions are much worse then outs in the tent. They don't have a proper house but they are helpful and kind. The owner proposed a guided tour around the rain forest for 30$ but we don't feel like doing it. We might give him some money for the hospitality but we will skip the tour. The breakfast or dinner here coats 3$ and we've been spending on the Bocas island so much that definitely we'll keep living on a low budget now. Boquete is a starting point for a deeper exploration of the rainforest, waterfalls, hot springs and Vulcano. It remainds me of my place in the Polish mountains. It's impressive that the waterfalls belong to a private owner (7$ entry). How much would it cost to buy 3 waterfalls. In other countries they usually belong to the government but Panama is exceptional....Surroundings of Boquete were marvelouse, very much recommend who loves the nature and hiking. The combination of high mountains, rain forest, hot springs, springs and water falls was outstanding, very much worthy of experience. After usual 2 night, three days we said goodbye to our hosting family (very poor but very kind and honest), took a local bus to David (1h, 2,5$), followed by 8 hours drive to Panama City (express AC bus 16$) and finally we ended up just outside of PC by the coast at Amador - huge yachts marina with American restaurants. We found a spot to free camp by the bay with sailing boats ready to cross the Panama's Canal. The next day very early in the morning we packed up took a cab (4$) and went to pick up the ferry near by to Taboga island (8$ one way, 30min). We came one hours before the scheduled departure at 8am and we found plenty of people cuing. Likely there were two boats transporting the crowd. So we managed and spent a wonderful day on the island, swimming, eating seafood and serviche, drinking coconut water (pipa) and eating ananas (pina). Taboga is a little holidays island for Panama's city's habitants by the Pacific side. After 3 months of living in tropics and sunbathing on regular bases I've got a sun burn. Half of my face pilled off, and burned again. I'm in agony staying at the Stanford Panama hotel the last night before the trip back home on 29th Feb 2016. The area is very central on 5 may ave near by the coast. We always end up by the sea. It's di curiose that I'm not living by the sea yet. We had some nice sea food dinner by the shore (24£ x2). The coast at night is impressive, it seems to be like in Los Angeles. Tomorrow the last day in Panama and the last day of our 3 months trip. It feels strange to leave it all behind. It was exhausting sometimes but reach and mind blowing experience all the time. It would be impossible to do a solo free coming. 2 people give each other corrage and it feel safer. The last night in the hotel with AC feels wired. I'm st the Panama's city international airport, didn't manage to get on board due to lost passport with American visa as my flight back ticket to London was via Georgia. Never mind, waiting for the other than Delta airlines such as KLM, Air France to open their customer service and try to get on their flights with change in Europe (Paris or Amsterdam). The USA sacks, even in transit one can not go through it without a visa. Mine American visa was appearing on the system but I didn't have a proof of it as my old passport with it was stolen. Therefore there was no way they would allow me on board. Otherwise It would cost them a 5000$ fine and me 580$. They didn't want to run a risk. Fair enough, let's hope that the other airlines will let me on board without over 1000$ flight ticket charges. My previous flight was at 9.20am (Panama-Atlanta), the next ones are in the evening time (7pm, 10pm).
