As it Turns Out

Yes, as it turns out….

I didn’t have to roll around underneath my car to change out the center link, or the universal joints, or lube the front end, or repair the muffler hanger.

I got all that done for 45 buks by a guy recommended to me by the owners of the shop where I got my tires balanced. I’ve learned that good people usually travel in groups, so when I went back there to get the rim-leaks on my two tires repaired, I inquired.

He gave me the number of “their” guy they use to repair their vehicles…. “in fact, he is coming here later today so I can pay him, because I owe him for work that he’s done for me”.

Wow. A better recommendation is hard to find. I mean really, really, hard to find.

I met the guy later that day, met him again the morning after, followed him to his place which is walking distance from when we were staying, and he had the job done by 3 PM. Best 45 buks ever. Read more “As it Turns Out” →

Trip '15-'16

Rio Sereno Panama/Costa Rica border crossing.

That’s the Costa Rican Immigaration Sea Can.

Because there is such a black hole of reliable information available on the intewebs, I thought I would serve up some first hand experience here that might be searchable through Google. They use the header and tags that I’ll add later.

Crossing from Panama to Costa Rica at Rio Sereno is a wonderful change from Paso Canoas, west of David. Rio Sereno is a quiet little mountain town some 40 km out the back door of Vulcan.

A bus from David is 5 buks a head, one way, and takes 3 hours once you are rolling. The bus leaves the terminal every 45 minutes. You’ll have to check what times, but I seem to recall he said the first one was at 4 AM. Don’t quote me on that. It’s a milk run up the hill, stopping in Conception, Vulcan, and every stop along the way before arriving in Rio Sereno. Read more “Rio Sereno Panama/Costa Rica border crossing.” →

Trip '15-'16

San Vito

San Vito, a quaint little coffee town up in the mountains. It took three hours to get up here by bus, a $5 ticket. There was some walking, some going back and forth, a little bit of waiting, and then jumping a bus, which we just made…

You’d think that might sound easy, but by the time we both got here, we were tired, it was 5 PM (our time — Costa Rica is an hour ahead), and all we wanted was a room. We found….

The Noisiest Hotel Ever.

Wash Day

We’ve been in David again for a week now, looking to get out of Panama to wash our passports. Washing a passport means leaving Panama for 72 hours, and returning to renew your visa. Panama issues visitors a 6 month visa upon arrival, but driving is a different story. You can only drive for 3 months with a foreign license, so that is what needs washing at this point.

The timing for this coincides with my license renewal, which adds another layer of complexity to things. I have already renewed my revisado, and have the permission slips required to drive for 2016, but still no plate because they didn’t have it ready and waiting as I was told they would. For that, I have to return in a week.

In the meantime, I’ve been told that, in addition to a paz y salvo, I need another 3 pieces of paper that must be issued by the customs office either in David or Paso Canoas, the border town. Read more “Wash Day” →

Trip '15-'16

A Bunch In One

Having studied the map enough to get it right, we actually made it here quite easily. The road, once you get off the main highway and are on the turn to Gamboa, is a bit of a roller coaster at times, but you only have to go down a few minutes before you are at the trail head.

This park has been on the “to do” list for some time because it is virtually untouched jungle. During construction of the canal, and wartime, they punched some roads through it, which are now the trails themselves, but otherwise it has been left pretty much as it is, and it doesn’t take long to see it. Read more “A Bunch In One” →