I didn’t wake up as early as I thought I would so I wasn’t too worried if I didn’t make the meeting on time. I had a coffee and a chat with a guy who made his way through here every year or so, then dropped by the bus station to check things out again. I figured I should try to be down there for five anyways. Up the hill and a half hour late to the meeting, but better late than never. I had called Keith on the way up the hill and he said he was in Panama at the time but would be back in Boquete by noon, so I on had a few hours to kill up there.

I drove around for a bit, finding newly paved roads that I hadn’t explored, then returned for lunch at this good little place off the main road I had found last year. I stuffed myself with a big lunch and then went over to Keiths’ place to see if he was around or not, and as luck would have it, he had just gotten back.

I parked my car, gave him a few details about car papers and such, and walked myself back to the road to catch a bus into David. The bus was packed, and I the only white guy, but it was a pleasant enough ride. It sure is nice to understand Spanish enough to understand some of the conversations going on around me. I thought it would be cooking hot in there, but it wasn’t at all. I wasn’t hot until I had made my it all the way back to the Pension, where I sat… and waited… until 4. Had a shower, a change of shirts, and caught a taxi to the terminal where I bought my ticket, and waited… until 5:20 when we were all boarded and on the way.

That bus ride has got to have been the biggest milk run I have ever been on between Panama and David. There was no getting any shut-eye with all the constant stopping and starting. They also had “movies”, which were part recorded TV (an hour long ad for “Do It Center”), and bootlegged flick with English subtitles that skipped with every bump in the road, or had intermittent sound, etc… I spent the trip with earplugs in and I only arrived in Panama at 12:30. Wow, that was long.

From there I caught a cab to the airport for $20, seemingly making the guys’ night, and was all the way across town in 25 minutes. It’s one helluva lot easier traveling through Panama City at night. Panama City has over 1.5 million Panamanians, and about 1 million “estranjeros” or tourists. It’s not a small place, but getting there in a taxi is much like a video game. Anything goes, and I love it.

I’m now checked in, have a window seat, and I’m waiting… but I think they just came over the intercom to announce that they are boarding now. My eyelids are getting a little droopy now, and that over-tired haze is starting to settle in. Everywhere I look I see red eyes and people trying to catch a few winks. I am hoping I can do that on this flight. I’ve never been able to do that yet. Maybe this time…..

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Now I’m in Ft.Lauderdale waiting… I have a 7 hour layover here. Ugh. I did manage to get a few zzzz’s on the flight, I think, sort of. I was lucky enough to have the two seats next to me vacant so I could stretch out a little and I used my shoe as a “pillow”. Actually quite comfortable. So now I’m here, and it’s cold already. I changed clothes in Panama, into jeans and carrying my hoodie. Now I have pulled the jacket out and I’m thinking about another long sleeved shirt.

Ahhh, back to North American airport prices. My breakfast, scrambled eggs, hash-browns, sausages, an a coffee, was cold and bland, and cost me 8 buks. Yeeech. Viva Panama! There is free internet access at this airport, so that is a nice touch. Hmmm, I just need to find an outlet to charge the battery.

As I poke my head over the window sill, the sun is now above the horizon, so maybe I’ll see what Ft.Lauderdale looks like with some sun. I sure looked massive from the air coming in.

So far, Spirit Air has been excellent. Comfy seats, a newer “looking” plane, great landing, taxied right into a gate, deplaned almost immediately, and by the time I made it past their immigration agents, the bags were already on the carousel. This may have something to do with the time of day, but either way, I’m impressed so far.

I’ll have to make some inquiries when I return about the US policy toward Canadians. At immigration, almost all other countries had to submit to biometric scans; four fingers each hand, both thumbprints, and a facial picture. Watching this with no recourse, I was pleased to find that Canadians still don’t have to submit to this form of rectal-probe, but I have to find out when that window will close. Sooner or later, they always do. I have absolutely no intention of ever allowing biometric scans to be taken of me by this country, and my sole reason for being here at all is due to cheap flights. Haven’t they proven by now they can’t be trusted? It’s not that my gov’t is any better, but at least with this I can make a choice by flying direct to Mexico City, and onward from there.

I had planned to renew my passport next year as that will just duck under the wire for biometrics on Canadian passports. Then I will have options for 4 years, what little remain.

With breakfast into me, and a coffee the size of my head, I am a little more awake now, but still fuzzy around the edges, and I wait… and wait… dreaming of my couch, and a long hot shower, and my bed, and comforts of home.