Outdoor Activities
- Central America, Independent travel, Outdoor Activities, Panama, Photography, Travel Blog, Walking, Wildlife
The Joy Of The Jungle: Gamboa Delivers
The chunky little bus that takes us on the night safari is called The Night Chiva. Absolutely no prizes then for guessing which Bee Gees song is in our heads as we peer into the darkness hoping to see something incredible. Apart from a pair of jewels which we are assured is the eyes of a caiman staring back at us, and some algae moving because the turtles are stirring below, we see nothing but darkness and the guide’s flashlight. So humming 80s disco music while eating dinner is tonight’s high. But who cares if the brief (and free with room reservation) night trip doesn’t deliver: pretty much everything else…
- Central America, Independent travel, Outdoor Activities, Panama, Photography, Travel Blog, Walking, Wildlife
Boca Chica: Sometimes Panama Needs A Mute Switch
It’s Day 47 of this trip when Michaela’s fitbit throws in the towel and responds to each request with a blank screen, then slides from 100% charge to under 10% in less than an hour. Not so interesting, except that this is the fifth fitbit in 3 years to follow this route. When we retired, Michaela decided that a fitbit would be a useful travelling companion, helping to record, in particular, our walking distances. Five have now bit the dust, not one of them lasting twelve months and four of them failing to complete their maiden journey. Every single one has failed whilst abroad. Any ideas what’s going on, anyone?…
- Central America, Independent travel, Outdoor Activities, Panama, Photography, Travel Blog, Walking, Wildlife
Zip Wires, Rafting & Hanging Bridges: The Adrenaline Flows In Boquete
The first clue is the bus: this military-looking heavy beast is clearly built to cross difficult terrain, yet there is little clue as to what’s next as we climb the mountain roads through the extensive and orderly coffee plantations. Then, without warning, we are off the road and on to something which would resemble a river bed if it wasn’t for the steep incline – and for over 30 minutes we rock, roll and bang our way up the volcano. This is Finca El Oasis, primarily a coffee farm but these days bringing in extra cash from a zip wire trail, with eight lines heading down Volcan Baru from a…