Another day, another insalubrious bus station… Today’s edition of ‘bus stations of Central America’ comes to you from Almirante in Panama, and I’m hoping that I’ll have a bit more luck with ‘Tranceibosa’ delivering me to Panama City than I did with Transnica failing to get me from Rivas to San Jose.
If you’re at all interested, Almirante’s bus station has the requisite mangy dog sniffing around in a dustbin, two bums outside picking a fight, and an annoyingly ‘wacky’ American who is trying to befriend me (but I’m actually quite glad he’s here because it means I’m not the only tourist). I’ve just taken refuge in the station café where I’ve bought a coffee with condensed milk to help me pass the time (and to get me some change for a $20 bill I need to break). I’m thinking about what my friend Kerry said about going to Panama a few years ago. She said she’d never seen so many people with missing limbs, or so many people walking around with guns. Kerry, I can now see where you are coming from! This place does seem a bit dicey (although, having been in Central America for some time now I’m used to people carrying guns and machetes around as part of day-to-day life – they’re just not allowed to take them into the bank with them). Oh gosh, I wonder if Colombia will seem like a refuge after this? From the reputation it has you might think not. However, I’m actually looking forward to some comfort and security in Bogota (which I fly into tomorrow after a day in Panama City) as I’ll be staying with the friend of my Mum’s friend Erika – an Austrian woman called Veronika who is married to a Colombian. I’ve exchanged some e-mails with her and she sounds really nice, so I’m keen to meet her and her family.
I’m probably actually over-exaggerating the shadiness of Panama as Bocas Del Toro, where I spent the last two nights, actually felt quite sleepy and safe. The only hassle I really experienced was touts constantly trying to usher me into their mates’ hotels, or onto tours with the tour companies that give them commission. Having done some snorkelling and boating on Caye Caulker in Belize, I wasn’t really up for that. However, I enjoyed hiring a bike yesterday to cycle around the island and see a bit more of Bocas life. In the afternoon I stopped at one of the more secluded beaches (the current and waves were too strong for swimming) to drink a papaya ‘batido’ (fruit shake) and to read my book (the best I could swap ‘100 Years Of Solitude’ for in the hostel was ‘Starter For Ten’ – I thought the film was a bit rubbish, but actually the novel is quite sweetly observed and entertaining).
After spending Thursday night in Gran-Kahuna hostel, I packed up my things yesterday and moved into a room of my own in ‘Hotel Cayo Zapatilla’. To be honest, the room was a bit of a rip off compared to what I’ve been used to in other parts of Central America (prices have taken a hike since I reached Panama), and the grubby sheets and limited water supply meant that it left a lot to be desired. However, I was craving a bit of my own space and it was worth it just for that. I’ve really learned to appreciate having a room of my own from time to time on this trip. It allows me to do all those things I can’t really do in hostel dorms, or when I’m Couchsurfing with other people around (things like watching trashy cable TV while doing sit-ups in my undies, cutting my toenails, plucking my eyebrows etc.). Ah, it’s so restorative.
However, come yesterday evening I suddenly found myself feeling a bit more sociable again. Luckily this change in mood coincided with me bumping into Jonathan and Ian – two American guys touring in a band who I met on a bus in Costa Rica last week. We went to get some dinner together in Café Om – an Indian restaurant that seemed kind of incongruous on Bocas island. There are loads of Chinese in this part of the world but I haven’t seen any Indian people for ages, nor have I had a good curry. Therefore I was glad to stumble upon this place. It wasn’t exactly Brick Lane, or the ‘Jalalabad’ in Gosport (my all-time favourite Indian), but it was pretty good.
Today has been pretty quiet and laid back. After a run this morning, I just sat and did internet stuff for a while in a hotel restaurant, chatting to Mum and Dad on Skype, paying Dad his credit card dues (the tab wasn’t so bad actually – and I feel so much better to be in control of my finances again), and talking about plans for meeting up in Brazil and Argentina. Mum will try to get some Horlicks through for me, but is worried as to whether she will be allowed. I told her that I anticipated more concern about the possibility of me smuggling dubious powdered substances out of South America than about her transporting a malted bedtime drink in! I'm happy as it will be really good to see them again.
I’m actually feeling in good spirits now – well rested, healthy, and pretty happy. I obviously hope things remain this way for a while. A long 12 hour overnight bus journey to Panama City now awaits me, but compared to some of my epic Mexican journeys it should be fine. I’ve got my book, a charged up I-pod and, with heat weariness upon me, I should be able to sleep. Fingers crossed…
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