So.....
The road trip is complete!! I am in Santa Catalina, Panama!! :sombrero: :wings: :victory:
I left San Jose, Costa Rica about 7am yesterday. Picked up a backpacker at the hostel I stayed at who got a ride to David, Panama and then took a bus up to Boquete. It took me about 18hrs or so to get here, arrived at 1am this morning.
Encountered the first rains on the trip south in southern Costa Rica yesterday. Seems it has been raining a lot here in Panama too but at the same time it is very hot! The rain was really coming down hard in Costa Rica and Panama yesterday, some flooding on the roads. As others have reported who are traveling down here by vehicle, the roads ahve seen a lot of damage from this years rainy season, in Guatemala and Costa Rica I saw many many many landslides. Last night 30 minutes or so out from my destination I came across a guy off the road stuck in the ditch. So out came the recovery gear and I had him pulled back up on the road in under 15 minutes!
Scott; this is where I am at....it is on the pacific side of Panama.
http://santacatalinabeach.com/
I have already heard about some sweet 4wd trails here in Panama so I hope to explore those during my time here. Although unless things dry up a bit the trails will be to much for my Taco. Also have confirmed at least one river I was looking into running, it sounds like a good one!
JRhetts; I have plans here where I am at in Panama. Also have a house rented for 3+ months. That is why the rush to get down here. As Scott mentioned and linked, I did the drive last year when I spent much more time exploring. Yet, even that trip was a bit rushed. Mexico is LARGE, Central America is small but yes many many places to explore. I am unsure at this time but I doubt this will be my last drive down this way....
JerryYukon; no problems crossing borders with my dog. I have the right docs for him, USDA-APHIS form and rabies cert and so forth. Although I think I overpaid yesterday to come into Panama, cost me $60 to get the dog in. Yet, the bank was closed (required to make a deposit into the bank) so I suppose that is what the overpayment (bribe) was for.
It did cost me way to much at the El Amitillo border but I was expecting that, it is bribe central for borders down here. It cost us around $200 to gte across that really nasty border....my least favorite of all borders I have seen in my travels.
Any ways, that is it for now.....in the next few days I will get pics and video uploaded plus info on fuel used to get here and border crossing costs.