Panama

Today we celebrated with a very nice dinner the fact that we did get all the papers for the shipping and the shipping itself done in one day.
To top it off we did it without an agent. All the stories we read and heard are true, so we were just extremely lucky.
The custom agents do only work from 10 to 11 am. And the police opens at 2 pm and are across a 4lane highway from the custom office.
We had met Clement and his wife and son, from france and also Pascal and Florent from Quebec and Manfred and Monika from Germany. So the 4 of us were at the custom lot by 8:30 in the morning to make sure we get our papers processed. We opened the hoods as soon as we got there so that the engine will be cool when the car gets inspected, otherwise the custom will refuse to look at the car and you have to come back the next day. We had made sure that all the names and numbers on our entry papers were correct but Manfred did not know this can be a problem and his sin. # was missing one letter. So he got rejected. We had to take a taxi to another custom office and have the papers changed. It took one hour but we got it done and arrived back in time to get his papers done. Then we waited until 2pm and got the police exit stamp. After that we rushed to the shipping agent to book the shipping. Got to their office at 3:30 and our campers are booked to leave jan. 12th. Sunday. We share a flat container with Manfred and Clement and Pascal also share a container. We will book a flight after the ship leaves, so probably on monday the 13th.
It was very hot waiting in the parking lot and to top it off  Clements wife locked the keys in the car.
Quickly we gathered all the tools we had plus some sticks and wires and within half an hour we had the car open to the cheers of a bunch of Panamanian kids who were watching us across the fence.
Panama city is very interesting but a huge contrast between rich and poor, very visible.
So now we have Thursday to see the sights and friday we drive the van to Colom Harbour which is 1.5 hrs. Drive from Panama City. Then will thake the train or bus back, and then we still have saturday and sunday to look around.
The pictures will show how hot we were.
Hugs to all
Norbert and Greti.

Jan 5

January 4th. 2014

Traveled from Rio Serena first to Sirra Punta, for a while we thought we were in Switzerland.  Very green pastures high up on the mountains. Cattle nice and fat, and the best vegetables are grown in this region there is even a village called Neuvo Suiza. I bought a basket full of vegetables for $2.00. Then we found European bakery and paid $5.00 for a loaf of german bread, what a treat. On the way to Playa las Lajas we met Manfred and Monica from Muenchen in their home built Toyota Pickup Camper also on their way to Equador and plan to ship the rig the same time as we, so we camped together but lost them today in traffic. The Pan American highway is in very bad shape here so full of very big potholes that the max speed is between 40 and 60 kmph. On a 4 lane highway. Needless to say the language in the Blue Wonder was not for tender ears. Tomorrow on to visit the Canal and Monday we will start the paperwork for shipping the Blue Wonder and booking a flight to Columbia,  

Hugs to all

Norbert and Grei

Jan 4

Spent a good nite at the border, nice and cool. The border opened at 8:00 am.

Very interesting border. As usual we got sent from the Costa Rica side to make our exit visa for us personal and then the export for the car. Then over to the Panama side first to get our personal entry visa but before we could get these we were sent to get the import for the car, but before we could get that we had to get Panama Insurance for the car. Had to wait at the insurance office for 30 minutes, paperwork another 20 min. Then back to the import office there we discovered the insurance agent typed the serial number incorrect, so back to the insurance office and another 30 min. Then back to import office with very slow computer and after 25 min. We get our import papers to discover the serial number is again incorrect and the officer was reluctant to retype the papers but we insisted so another 15 min. Then to the office to get our personal visa and by now there is a lineup. Finally get the personal visa then on to fumigation and from there to the aduana  and border police and we are now in Panama.

I hope that pictures do speak a thousand words.

Hugs to all from

A frustrated Norbert and Greti

Jan 3

Traveled from Pochotal to Sabalita.

Sabalita is the border crossing in to Panama.

We were up early this morning and on the road by 7:00am. So we decided to cross in to Panama today. We did enjoy the scenery and Costa Rica is very clean. If I had to live in a south american country it would be Costa Rica. It definitely is a paradise for plant and flower lovers and apparently for bird watchers as well. When we arrived in San Vito we asked directions to The border crossing to Panama, and were directed down the road. Need I tell you we made a 60 km. detour, me being the navigator should have known that the 16km as shown on the map does not take one hour. When we finally got to the border, it closes at 4:00 pm. So now we are parked in front of a restaurant that is not open for business, but we were invited in for beer. We are quite high in the mountains but it is still very hot. Border opens tomorrow at 8:00 am.
Hope tomorrow no detours.

Big Hug to all.

Norbert and Greti

We had a very nice new year at Playa Samara RV Las Cocos.

Met a couple from Norway and had a nice Happy hour with them. Costa Rican's spent the week between Christmas and New Year at the beach, but camping on the beach is not allowed so every nook and cranny just off the beach is packed with all sorts of camping, tons of tents and tarps tied to every possible post tree,car, or fence, and lots of cars with mattresses tied to the roof. At our camping our Blue Wonder was the envy of most women, and thy wanted to see the camper inside, lots of oooh's and aaaaaah's about the fridge and stove and especially my Porta-potty was admired. After Honduras where people did not openly look at us or make eye contact (except the vendors and border crossing goons ) the curiosity and friendliness of the Costa Rican's   Is a nice change. 

Took the ferry from Puente Naranjas to punta Arenas. 1.5 hours. $40.00. And wanted to stay at Jaco but the town was so dirty that we kept on going and ended up in Potjutal where we parked in an empty lot right at the beach and had a ver good night.

Hugs to all

Norbert and greti