Article Archive for Year 2008
Busing Around Central America
But busing around in Central America is not that straightforward. First of all, we have to agree on the definition of a bus. If it has no windows and no doors, it is still a bus? What if it is painted in flamboyant colors, like bright red and yellow, and has words of wisdom such as “no pain, no gain”, or “dio bendigo mi alma” written on the windows? And if it takes 5 hours to drive 20 kilometers? Is it still a bus?
Peñas Blancas - Chaos And Chaos...
On Saturday, we got up at 6am to take a frontera bus to Peñas Blancas, the Costa Rica — Nicaragua border town. We were there in 2002 and had witnessed a man being crushed to death between two trucks, so we knew how chaotic it could get. But nothing prepared us for what we experienced.
Parque National Manuel Antonio
Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica, is a dream land of beaches and rainforest. It is not too easily accessible and you can still find empty beaches, wild animals (such as monkeys, racoons, birds, lizards…) and a paradise of white sand and coconut trees.
Welcome To The Jungle
It was crazy. The road was bumpy and extremely narrow, we were surrounded by the rain forest. We passed other trucks and there were barely enough room for both the bus and them, one of us had to stop each time and we were inches apart.
Border Crossing - Panamá To Costa Rica
On Tuesday morning, we boarded the bus, barely awake. It took us just an hour to get to the border. There, we had to take our bags (stored underneath the bus) and go to a small round room, with tables. We put our backpacks on the tables and waited for what was coming up next. Sure thing, a custom officer arrived 30 minutes later and searched us.
Cuidado En Panama
The streets are just a mess of cars stopping, cars trying to turn, to reverse, to park, all at the same time and at full speed. “Diablos Rojos” (city buses), cars, motocycles, trucks… just ram into each other constantly and never ever give way.
Boquete, Chiquiri Province
We left Panamá city for David, and now we are in Boquete, about 1 hour 1/2 from David.
