Next stop Central America

Tomorrow we are taking the boat to Panama, which means that our South American days are over and our adventures in Central America are about to start.

We are about 3 weeks late on the original itinerary. This means that we will have only about 10 days to see Costa Rica, 2 weeks for Nicaragua and 2.5 weeks for Guatemala, with no time for Honduras at all. We are keeping the original full month for Mexico, given that it is such a big country and we will need to stay put around Xmas to ensure we have somewhere to stay... Time is running out!
We are a little 'late' mainly because we have included Cartagena and Panama into the itinerary, which were places we did not originally plan to visit. We thought it was going to be five days in Cartagena and then fly to Panama, however we recently decided to take the boat instead of the plane, and this has meant a relatively big delay. First of all we have had to wait for a boat, secondly it will take 5 days to get to Panama City once we are on the boat.

The boat business has been a little frustrating. While there seemed to be a lack of boats leaving on the dates we wanted, yesterday and today at least 4 have turned up ready to leave within 2-3 days, one of them absolutely great, called Roxy, with 3 private cabins, TV, DVD library, fridge, showers and even satellite Internet !! Arghh!! TIMING IS REALLY EVERYTHING. Because we are not prepared to wait any longer (not to forget that we have committed to sailing tomorrow), we will be travelling on a boat without cabins, without showers and one toilet between 9 people, and paying exactly the same money !!!!!!!!!! Hard for me to let go, but like Gregory says, I have to let it go!! Let it go , let it go, let it go!!! The good thing is that the captain looks really cool and the hope is that he is going to make up for the lack of facilities by making it really sociable and knowing the good spots in the islands, apart from obviously having lots of sailing experience on this route. Here is his website: http://www.myspace.com/veleroeljoshua

South America has been a fantastic place. The ancient cultures, the mountains, the desert, the Andes, the people, the animals, the music, the arts and crafts, the food and the fruit. Amazing fruit, especially here in Colombia: papayas, mangos, zapotes, nisperos, guanabanas, guavas and tons more. Will miss all this!

Good-bye South America!