Crossing into Panama and Bocas Del Toro

   As a gateway into Panama, Yana and I spent one night in Puerto Viejo. All the locals advised us that the Caribbean coast was more dangerous so we tried to avoid it as much as possible. After a full day on the public bus taking us from Manuel Antonio through San Jose and to Puerto Viejo we were thrilled to check in to our private room at Kaya's Place. This colourful hotel was cozy and had all your basics covered. Even the cold shower was welcomed at this point without any hesitation.
   To make things even better we picked up a third lost girl. Jen originally came to Costa Rica for her yoga training and got a lot more than she bargained for. She decided it was her new home and the tico man at her side sealed the deal with his kiss. Now, she needed to do a visa run, which basically consists of leaving the country every 3 months for 3 days. Luckily the time coincided perfectly with our trip and we got a new companion!
   Our transfers came early in the morning and took us to the border. Few questions were asked but a ticket out of the country was required to pass on through. We crossed a shady bridge that looked like it was on its final legs in the pouring rain, which made the situation even more scary. Somehow we all managed to get across and with our new stamps we were ready for Panama!
   After another bus and 2 boat rides we finally made it to the well known Aqua Lounge. This over water bungalow hostel is famous for its party atmosphere during the day and night. There are 3 swings and a trampoline you can use to plunge into the ocean from and we took full advantage of them all. We were less than happy, but not too surprised, with the full blast sound system that kept us up till the early hours of the morning. After one night we decided we needed a more relaxed and sleep friendly atmosphere so we hopped on a tiny motor boat and left for Bastimentos Island.
   The nice part about this island is there is actually beaches here unlike the buildings that extend all the way into the water on the other islands. Panama sells water access properties to any one willing to pay for it so the only way to get into the water is via a dock. Bastimentos, on the other hand, made a few of its beaches into parks so you get to actually enjoy stepping into the Caribbean and feeling the sand between your toes. My favourite beach here was Red Frog beach, which is named after the little red frogs that bounce around in the area. This place is great for surfing or chilling out with a beer, which is what our trio preferred. We even got around to having a private session of yoga at a view point overlooking the majestic ocean, which I loved!

   If you do end up going to this part of the world and want to check out Bastimentos DO NOT STAY IN TOWN. This place is super dodgy and you'll end up in your room for the rest of the night as soon as the sun sets. We stayed at Bocas Bound and really loved the quite surroundings. We made a great home cooked meal in the communal kitchen and this is where I got the inspiration to write my first blog post.
   The saddest part was saying goodbye to my entourage and facing the next chapter of my journey on my own. It's all part of the adventure and I know I have people all over the world following along and sending me their love. Thank you to each and every one  of you as you give me strength and the support I need to keep me going!

Aqua Lounge Hostel

Me enjoying the water hopping

The entourage 

Bocas Del Toro 

Yoga time

16-18 NOV 13