The Adventure Begins!

The plane rides were graciously uneventful. For you who know me, that may come as a surprise. My last plane trip was spent in a semi-coma on the floor next to the bathroom. Needless to say, I told Jehovah that the only time I will ever fly is for Him. We are now in panama.

We got to Panama City on wed. At 11:00pm and were able to call the hotel to pick us up. After a somewhat terrifying careening ride through the brothels, we made it to our recommended hotel. By the way, I was told that we would have no problem with the language because everyone spoke AT LEAST a little English. Nope.

 

On the up side, I placed a tract with a nice man at the airport. And then I placed the same tract with the night-time driver. It was the only one I had in "Spanish" so I was just handing them out. But then the driver, Daniel, came back and said "this no Spanish" What? What was I giving people??? So it was good practice and it would be funny to see how Jehovah uses those tracts! The driver was cute, he wanted the right tract and he wanted another one in English. So While I was trying to communicate at midnight with a sleepy clerk who had no idea at all what I was saying, Carl was digging and digging through our luggage to try to find our Spanish literature.

So we were in our room by midnight. With only a sheet on the bed we were quite cold. And then I realized that we were not alone. Having recently been in on mouse talk... I instantly recognized that language. And then I thought... "It's just the beginning... Just accept it." And after a lengthy prayer, I slept for at least two hours.

After some finagling, we made it to the bus terminal and onto a lovely double-decker bus to David (dahveed). The drivers in Panama City are not the exception to the crazy driver scenario. And to make matters more interesting... They turned on the movie "the fast and the furious". I do not recommend this movie, not even in Spanish. And just the sound effects while we were careening through little villages and swerving around small cars and bicyclists was "energizing".

I just cannot relate the whole experience effectively. But I will say... Always bring toilet paper and cleaning supplies, and try very hard not to use the toilet on the bus.

This is a funny parrot on our long bus ride. It provided entertainment.

The bus stopped for  break. I think Carl is saying an extra long prayer... maybe so that we don't get sick on the food. Arroz con pollo!

From the bus. The dresses are beautiful. And I love the thatched roofs.

Seriously coconut trees, everywhere. They make coconut oil right here in Boguete.

 

 

So after 7+ hours on the bus, on Thursday we (Carl) decided that we (Carl) just couldn't bear another bus ride to our final destination of Boquete. So he finds a taxi and proudly negotiates. But the trunk doesn't open so I'm smooshed in the back with our luggage, in the worst put-put car he could find, going muy rapido. It sounds like I'm in a go-cart. But it feels like I'm on a roller coaster. And then the car makes a really funny noise and then the driver made a funny noise and started shaking like the car and Carl says "is everything okay?" Hmmmm

My view from the back seat of the taxi.

And now we are in Boquete and the taxi driver tells us he has no idea where we want to go. Hahahahahahahahahahaha. This will be fun!!! So after driving around and around and around, the driver finally asks, several times, where the place is and then we drive around and around and around. He keeps saying "si" "si" and pointing. So, we did actually make it. it's very nice. And this driver got the RIGHT tract.

A much better view of Volcan Baru, from our inn.

Our room. it's really cute. Dave and Carla are very nice. They ran in to say hi after the meeting and then had to run out to go to work.