Boquete, Panama

Hey!

Already things have moved quickly from El Valle, Panama to arriving the day before yesterday here in Boquete, Panama where the rainy season is in full swing, so it's wet as and a $2 brolly was a wise purchase.

I've made the mistake of easting at a dodgy restaurante with food that was barely even warm and spent the last 24 hours making a few long distance calls on the porcelain telephone. So, things are looking back up, but I'm gradually gathering the strength back to get into the local cuisine which is cheap as chips, and a whole meal with main, drink and coffee afterwards will set you back around U$3 - 4 which is even cheaper than back home in Brisbane.

Yesterday was a trek through the Boquete jungle to see brightly coloured butterflies and strange bugs, then howler monkeys up above as they cruised from branch to branch with little babies in tow. The rain started about an hour into hiking and it just got heavier to the point where my shoes were filled with water and mud, and nothing could get any wetter, but my trusty jacket Big John pulled his weight and proved a worthwhile companion, particularly to keeping the camera dry, good thing I didn't follow through in binning it in Lima when the thought crossed my mind. There are parts where I could see the Lost writers getting their inspiration, as I'd walk alongside a pipe the weaved through foliage and near huge ancient trees and then a large turn valve would appear out of the jungle next to the river which was a surreal invasion of man made object integrated deep within the jungle. On the way up we crossed a creek at many points, and the rain comes down so hard and heavy here in Central America that the thunder makes an almost explosion like sound that you don't hear back home, and it sounds the world is going to end. So, the creek was now a raging torrent on the way down that required a little ingenuity to figure out how to cross the waters which could easily drag you ever the rocks, and the way my stomach was feeling at the time, the less tumbling over rocks, the better.

So tomorrow, it's leaving time for the island retreat of Bocas Del Toro in Panama which I understand is now quite touristy and getting all sorts resorts and commercial attachments on the main island, but the surrounding spots are supposed to still harbour some nice spots.

So, until then, take it easy. Adam

El Valle, Panama

Hey!

Well Panama City was so much fun seeing the place and catching up with Vance and having so much to catch-up on. I never knew where the rime from Rio to Lima went, and then the time in Panama seemed to dissapear just as fast, so then it was on to make my way through Panama stopping briefly at Santiago and David for transfers on my way to Ell Valle.

I've met up some people I'll be travelling throughout Central America with, and it's me one and other guy who's around 55 and I'm sharing a room with him, so Dan hes got big shoes to fill mate! The rest are four girls ranging from 25 - 35, so all pretty close knit and havent quite seen the sights of Panama, as I've have nearly 2 weeks to kick back and do it all at a very leisurely pace which was awesome and the break I needed. This time Im catching everything from cabs, buses and ferry's to get where we have to be, which is good and gives you a bit of freedom to go with the group, or own your own without the roll calls, and meet them up at a later town which is neat.

We arrived in El Valle, and its a sleepy little Panamanian town inside a Volcano crater, with not much to do but hike the surrounding mountains, oh and of course go to the local discotech! After doing a low key hike of La India Dormida and a swim in the waterfalls, I treked down the road to check out the discotech. It felt like highschool all over again, with everyone sitting around waiting for everyone else to shake their latin butts to the Regaton and Merengue grooves pumping throughout the place, and I mean pumping where you could head the corregated iron roof on the huge big shed rattling ALL NIGHT! The local latin lads rocked up tanked and barely able to stand, but it didnt stop them taking the lead to show the gringas a move or two on the sparsely populated dancefloor. Nothing in Central America is ever subtle, and that included the moves of the latin guys on the ladies, and the hands were exploring the ladies faster than you can say teen steam Rich D! :-) Before they knew it they'd scared the ladies off back onto their seats to remain wall flowers, and these poor hapless latino guys where left scratching their heads wondering what they did wrong. Aside from their total lack of tact with gringas, they were nice guys who constantly shouted the table beers, and for 50c a stubby and with $1 Cuba Libres I'd be doing the same. Monica and Rachel, the Zouk moves were fresh in my head still after all this time, but Merengae and salsa are the only dances anyone recognises in South and Central America, with Regaton coming in to be the closest relative of Zouk, but absolutely no one dances Lambada here ANYWHERE! Where in Costa Rica, Nicuragua, Homdurus, Guatemala or Mexico would you find a Lambada club?

Anyhow, keep on truckin. Adam

Life in Panama City

Hey!

I've been keeping an online travel diary with lots of photos too, its at http://www.travelpod.com/members/bigjohn

Hope everything is going well in Oz, I hear everthing is pretty dry and it's getting chilly there, which is the opposite to Panama which is very wet and with a tropical humid feel which comes with the rainy season.

So, Panama has been great, I've been up to so much, it's hard to know where to start but I'll try to fill you in as best as I can.

I've been hanging out with, Vance every second day or so and he was a top tour guide to take me here, there and everywhere around the place, from the old city ruins, to a fort town in the Carribean. We went out to the Gatun locks with Vance on the Carribean side of Panama and saw great big ships as high as 10 storie office towers (at least) pass through the locks and raise up above your head, it's a must see, but I just don't think photos do it justice.

Afterwards we headed out to the Carribean to the old fort town of Portabelo to look around at the ruins before catching a boat to Isla Grande for a swim in the turqouise waters and laze on the nice beach and a walk around the island to find modern ruins of a tourist has-been resort, with part of a roof missing and signs of abandonment all around, it's easy to see how a restoration of the site could make the area come alive and you'd make a mint. The people were friendly, with them mostly speaking Panamanian Spanish or a Jamaican sounding tongue as you'd pass by, and they'd be content to go about their business as their dogs followed us around in the search of food, or just a good walk which they hadn't had in a while. Up here, there's a big following of the black Jesus with churches dedicated to it, and it's funny to see a white Jesus statue with no African features painted black, and they have a shrine out in the water with waves crashing up on it. It was around here that one of the dogs found a Pringles container to drag around and it thought it was the best thing since sliced bread. The town center had a MacDonalds play center sitting there that the kids would use, but there's no sign that there was ever a MacDonalds there to begin with, so it's just another one of those funny things you see throughout South and Central America.

One of the first things I did in Panama city was go out to Casco Veijo and looked at the French architecture that the French canal workers settled in their time here, before they got basically wiped out by the Malaria, Degue and Yellow fever that was around these parts. I passed through San Filipo on the way there, and it's the real ghetto area around here, which is as rough as it gets, and the worst I've seen, even worse than Bolivia and Peru, but it's just the basic way that some people like around here, were sorting scrap metal is their day job and guarding cars is how they get by. In saying that it's very colourful and there's modern day ruins of houses that copt a bombing or something amongst the rest of the houses and apartments which are barely standing, and others which just need a paint job and maintenance. The history is abundant everywhere here, and that's especially in the Canal.

Another morning, I went out to the National Metropolitan Park where you can hike a series of different trails taking in the wildlife and getting a glimse of Tucans, 2 toed sloths, leaf cutter ants, monkeys and other animals. I only managed to see the leaf cutter ants, and had a monkey bark at me when I got deep into the jungle, and I saw something scurry off a couple times but I wasn't sure what it was, but it walked on four legs and was a redish brown colour. The rest of the time I'd see brightly coloured lizards and birds, an alligator and some tortoises. But I seemed to go off the track at some point and ended up hiking a path that took me a good 90 minutes with no break, and it turned out it wasn't even on the map, so at least I got to go off the beaten track, and there where moments where I wasn't sure where to go next until I spotted the next marker hanging off a tree branch. The whole time I never saw another person, as it's the low season here and you're lucky to see anyone else anyhow, but only when I stuck to the road on the way back did I pass by one other person, so at least I didn't have to deal with crowds this time and the views of Panama City through the jungle where it was a bit surreal at times.

Another spot I visited was Isla Taboga on the Pacific side, where I went yesterday. Catching the boat was tricky, as the conversation went a bit like. 'Can I buy a boat ticket to Isla de la flores' 'You've missed the boat' 'What time do I come back tomorrow' 'Come back for 8.30am' 'Ok 8.30am is it' 'Yes, now do you want to buy a ticket for today or tomorrow' 'I thought the boat had left, that's why I was coming back tomorrow' 'No, it's here, but did you want a ticket for tomorrow?' 'But you said it left, ok today please, that's why I caught a cab out here' Mandatory eye roll because she has to do work and print up a ticket for me now, and I got on the boat.

So, Taboga is a nice island with a sandbar that joins it to another smaller nearby island until the high tide cuts off the natural bridge between the two. I got the feeling that Gringo's aren't the most favoured even though they'd pump a considerable amount of money into the island, as the place known as 'the friendly island' was far from friendly and everyone seemed to have a scowl on their face, even more so than Panama city. I soon learnt that the island harbours a fair amount of anti-American sentiment (more so than Panama City) for many reasons, but one was that the Americans used to use one side of the island for artillery target practice, and there are a heap of unexploded munitions over that side of the island. So, if you're sick of searching for bomb casings which can be found around the place, you can hike to Cerro de la Cruz which is a Crusafix at the top of a hill, but I took the wrong way going up a winding dirt road that never seemed to end as lizards, snakes and birds dashed off the path as I walked along, until heading back to town. Then I went in search of the bunkers that the US Military had on the island, and I didn't find them either, but just a burning pile of rubbish. However walking around the forest, I managed to spot a poison dart frog with it's brilliant green markings on it's black body, as it jumped around catching sand flies on nearby plants. Some of these frogs and said to be very poisonous, with their bright colours servings as a warning signal to other animals, but they make for some great shots.

Finally, I manageed to catch a short flight out to the Pearl Islands where Survivor is filmed on the uninhabited islands in the Pacific, and Isla Contadora is the main one. They are the picture perfect tropical islands with white sand and turquoise waters and with endless palms. Very similar to the Carribean with beach shacks and locals in hammocks everywhere who live life just like you see it on TV, one day at a time. The beaches on Contadora are those to provide a true island retreat and for a main tourist island with a few hotels around to stay the night, its unbelievably quite and relaxes, with non of the chaos that popular spots with their increases crowds, celebrities and drink prices often harbour.

Some interesting facts about Panama that I've learnt and have noticed around the place are thing like:

- It's not uncommon for people to have a servant, houseboy or maide who cleans and does the 'unpleasant' work for them, and no one pumps their own gas, they'll even pay someone walking on the sidewalk $1 to pump it for them, everyone is really lazy from middle class and up.

- Panamanians will go to the beach with their nice car, get out on the sand in their bathing suits, but never go in the water, but if there's a pool, they'll all be in it, as swimming in the sea is known as dirty, but a pool which can be a soup of the best bits of everyone is ok!

- Panamnians think it's a crime that they have to work and show a definite resentment to you when you ask something of them, like your change back!

- Because your white, you have money - end of story! So, the cabbies will try to charge you as much as they can for a particular zone, I found asking the price to agree on it only helped in raising it. Learn the going rates and just give them the money with no questions, if youre lucky you get change.

- Police are not opposed to bribes, and if or when a cop books you on something and the hat comes off, it's $5 in the hat and you're on your way. They'll even look for bribes around Christmas by booking you on fictional offences, and it's a little extra money around that time.

Take care all, and keep well. Adam

Lima, Peru - End of the road for South America

Hey all, What an amazing (almost) 3 months it has been to say the least. Before we knew it we were at Lima, Peru and all sitting down to a final meal in the purpose built Mira Flores of Lima, which is the happening spot of the city and a more upmarket area of town with restuarants and swish hotels along the strip to entertain every brand of traveller. Lima is another city that has a lot of European influence from the takeover by the Spanish, very much like Buenos Aires and Santiago, but on a smaller scale. It's felt like Rio De Janeiro was only 1 month ago at times, and then like it was 6 months ago at other moments where the schedule was too jam packed to realise where you were that day, if I was in a hotel or camping the night, who was that I just met again on the street - I'm so bad with names, what was that I just ate, after a while the head was filled with so much, you just couldn't take in anymore information and it was time for a chillout day to watch movies. The last 3 months have been spent with some truly excellent people that I've met from all over the world, as we took in some of the most amazing sights that South America had to offer. Everyone I've met has had they're own experiences of the places visited, and theres been no shortage of stories to tell from the time spent Latin America thus far. It could've been lazing on Ipanema beach in Rio, partying in Carnaval, getting soaked at Iguazu falls, staring face to face with tucans in Foz Do Iguazu, shopping after a day of Island hopping in Parati, san dune surfing, climbing unexpected peaks in Ushuaia, coffee in Santiago, outrunning club security in Buenos Aires, seeing Volcano's erupt, or experiencing the seemingly never ending pursuit of Machupiccu... and it's all been a lot of fun whatever we did, and way to get to know your fellow travellers that much more. So, now it's been thunderstorming in Panama and it sounded like the world was coming to an end, but I've got plenty of things to do still, I've hardly had a chance to see the sights around here yet, but one of the first will undoubtably be the Panama canal in the days ahead, then a trip through the museum district, and a browse at the many shops here with good prices on everything electrical from shavers to laptops. So far, it's been a smooth transition into settling in Panama city, company is never scarce as I'm catching up with Vance any day now, and I've also befriended two lovely colombian ladies who happen to be staying nearby, and although every conversation with my very broken Spanish is never short of hair pulling moments and frequent ´no entendio´s, there's no better way to learn than being thrown in the deep end, and I've already improved my Spanish vocab with some Central American Spanish terms thanks to my new teachers. Hope everything is going well for all abroad and those back home, and when time allows, I look forward to hearing how everyone is doing and stay tuned for more updates. Attached are some of my favourite photos from the South American leg. Adam aka Big John

Inka Trail and Maccupichu

Hey all, Hope everything is going well back in sunny Brisbane, it must be getting a little chilly now. So, we've done quite a bit now, so with fair warning, this is a long email, or mini- novel :-) Well, to sum it up, The Inka trail is nothing short of amazing, with the first day being pretty easy and I'll admit that I've done a few hikes now and I've adapted to the altitude well, (must be all the conditioning at BJ's :-) and after lunch I felt like I was on something of some sort cos I was running up the hills and really flying to the end of the first days course and nipping on the heels of the little Andean porters to some stops. These guys are fit as and zip past with loads of 20kg on their backs and sometimes people who are having trouble. So with the ease of the 1st day behind me, that was about as easy as it was going to get, cos the 2nd day was a relentless battle uphill over stone steps for a few kilometers before approaching dead womans pass, which is around 2 and a half hours of more uphill battles before around 1 and a half hours descent over dodgy ankle breaking territory of steps that claimed a couple of folks, but the views were unforgettable as you looked out over the cloud forests and to see condors soaring high above. I saw some ruins towards the top of a mountain pass and after a general consensus with others to decide to give it a miss and head back to camp, the decision to push on and take the time to check out the ruins was worth it. It was a fortress of some sort, or more like a watch tower that is mostly covered in mist, and when then air cleared for a few minutes it gave a great opportunity to admire the views from below the forests and spot some more ruins across the valley. To see the ruins though, meant pushing into top gear for the rest of the hike back to the campsite which was not the original one planned, but instead one which was another 2 hours hike away. At the end of the day, the light was fading quickly and as we passed through paths with no railings to stop you dropping off a 150 to 200m drop (maybe more) to the forest floor below, I thought with still no sign of the camp ahead, I'd start getting concerned in about 20mins, and then 5 minutes later we saw the silouttes of the tents setup by the porters, with the deep orange sunset glow over the South American jungle hung in the background, it was nothing short of a warm welcome home for the night. As the birds and animals sung out through the jungle and cloud forests below, the light eventually dissapeared to give reign of the night to the moon which equally lit up the sky to coat the hills, tents and all in a light pasty glow, that my camera had a hard time trying to capture despite playing with exposure times. At the end of the day, it was around 12 hours of trekking to rack up a total of 27kms including all of the uphill passes, so not a bad days work, and I had the blisters to show for it. On the third day, it was only projected to have around 6 hours of trekking throughout the day. On the way, I found a museum with wildlife from the surrounding jungle, including turrantulas, giant moths and butterflys, tucans and bird of paradise. On the way down the photo opportunities were abundant and I had no problem filling my photo quota I'd set myself for a four day journey, but with Maccupichu still laying far ahead, I had to hit the brakes a bit on the photo shutter. I think the best part about the third day, was walking to our stop in Aguas Calientes along the railroad which goes from Machupiccu to Cusco daily. The train wasn't due for some time so it was safe to wonder along the tracks and admire the river rushing by, which can go up to class 5 rapids we were told. After becoming frustrated with how hard it was to walk on the stones of the railroad, I ran along the wooden beams on the railroad for a while it felt to me, but others said it was around 3kms I was running for, explains the attractive but musky smell I would've exhibited afterwards :-) As we saw the railroad up ahead, so was Aguas Calientes, our stop for the night, and then further up after passing markets and more begging children and stray dogs, there were Pizzerias everywhere and a few familiar faces who were not doing the trek but Maccupichu. All of a sudden people where everywhere as we walked into this strange little riverside town, feeling like long lost explorers, with walking staff in hand, sore and exhausted from our 3 day 44 mile trek, to be given a crowd of smiles and congratulations for our efforts, all before we were about to see what we came for... Maccupichu. After a night of congratulating our awesome and amazingly fit porters on a job well done, and a bit of dosh for each of them to buy a beer with, we awoke at 3.30am to get ready for the trek up the mountain to Maccupichu. Only time for a bit of breaky before setting off down what would prove to one of the longest roads I've ever walked. As it was still pitch black, and the sunrise was still a while off, I'd stopped to refill my water and when finished looked up to see the torch light I was following was now long off in the distance, and knowing if I'd stopped to undo my carefully crafted backpack setup to get the torch, I would've lost the guides and had little chance of finding the right way to go, so there was only one thing to do but sprint ahead as fast as possible to get back into the light and stay with it. As I approached the torch light with what looked like 3 or 4 black wisps of people around it, they became clearer but it was utterly silent around as we made giant and fast strides through the blackness not knowing if my next step would collect a stone to trip me, or a pothole for a worse outcome, but as they say 'It'll be alright', and it was as I stayed with the torch lights for long enough until the blackness began to fade in preparation for the sunrise. The road just keeps going and going until a set of Inka stairs was found and half the group took the stairs not knowing where they'd leave and the rest continued on the road, including me, but later I found the stairs were definitely the go, regardless of the large huntsman sized spiders inside on the walls. Again it was like the Inka trail with a relentless pursuit to the top with gravity being no friend, and I was once again feeling the altitude and exhaustion hit me every 20 or so steps until finally arriving at the top with a shirt so wet, I could wring it out... nice! We'd already been beaten by a couple of buses by the time of arriving to Maccupichu on foot, so the tourist line was growing at 6.30am! It was very misty inside until akround 9am were it slowly cleared to provide the perfect money shot, which amazingly I missed and never ended up taking, as is not like me. This was mainly due to exploring all the little houses throughout this ancient city, which has halls, house, playing field, alters, a sun temple complete with a sun dial and a stone which is astronomically aligned to the Southern Cross to the level of it's direction in the sky. As well as this, there is a nearby mountain named Wayna Pichu which I wasn't going to climb, but before I knew it I was up the top, to see Maccupichu as a small shape on the opposing mountain face, the views were incredible and thankfully there was no wind with many sudden drops off the mountain around, where it was game over if you were to miss a step and vertigo got the better of you. So, after it all I can honestly say that the Inka trail is the hardest trek I've ever done and possibly ever will, depending on how hard the hike is through Cambodia to Angkor Wat I've heard so much about, that could be next on the list but some time away. I saw so much on the Inka trail that I think a lot must miss when you get to the point of exhaustion that the camp site is the only thing you want to lay eyes on. The Inka ruins along the way show the civilisation that once exhisted before the upheaval of 140 Spanish conquisquadors, to the city of Maccupichu, that throughout 40 years of war from 1534 to 1574 was never spoken of and never ever discovered by the Spanish, and lay undisturbed until 1911 and then rediscovered in 1941. I'd recommend everyone at some point to make time see this place which leaves you a bit gob smacked as the sun rises over the glowing mountains, it's little wonder the Inkas were so in tune with nature with the million dollar views they had every morning and afternoon. Although word of warning about the train from Aguas Calientes to Cusco, is that I don't think a Peruvian train ride is ever smooth. At least once, the whole train slammed to a stop with carriages smacking each other and a loud crunching sound when the train tride to start up again, we thought they'd hit a llama for real! But it seemed it was because the tracks having half switched over and not the whole way, so that'll happen ey. Now, it's a night in Cusco before travelling up the coast of Peru and staying on the beaches. Cusco is a nice spot, which I think you'd like a lot Dad. We've had plenty of warnings about pick pocketing and muggings, but it's been ok so far, I'll give the Peruvians credit for their efficiency when it comes to everyday things, particularly the mid-sixties lady I saw peeing on the footpath last night on the walk home, why find a toilet when you can go where you sit! There's no shortage of nightlife around here, with a few dingy pubs and clubs, and every clown under the sun offering you free drinks for the night if you go to their club, and then it's anything goes, as the saying around here goes 'Well, how about something for the head?' and 'I got weed, I got Coke, I got the best stuff maine!' it's the real South America but they are not always real dealers and are often undercover cops looking to throw tourists in jail or make around U$200 a pop from bribes, but look but don't touch is always my personal philosophy. But this hasn't stopped some of my travelmates trying the local treats and others coming back with some hairy stories, like my little mate Peanut who was dared to run over a Police car, did it, then things got serious when a cop with an AK semi-automatic ran over with another one with a baton who grabbed him for a night or two in the watch house, but a sorry and a S$50 (around U$15) handshake to the officer got the little guy out of trouble with the Peruvian police, it's just the Chilean ones who pride themselves on being unbribable. That's all for now. Take care all and keep well, hasta pronto and enjoy the pics! Adam