Panama, I'm afraid the best reason to visit you is moving to Paris in March. More on that later.
Yesterday I sat out to explore more Panama, this time with a tour set up by Jungleland at Lake Gatun. Carl from Missouri is who I want to be when I grow up. When you ask him how he got to Panama his first few answers are jokey, cheesy but as you pester him more (which of course I'm so so good at) you'll see a man who wanted to built a floating hotel (it's a moving ship) off the grid, live in nature, tell you about every plant around, provide you one hell of an experience and of course, make you pay.
This was by far the best thing I've done in Panama. Carl's crew picked me up from the apartment and brought me to the dock. Along the way, I got a great tour of the city as we picked up a family of 4 Swiss, 4 high school girls from Oregon, and a couple from New York who met on OkCupid.
Once in our boat, we got loads of history on The Panama Canal, glided through the mangrove jungle, fed three types of monkeys and made our way to the Jungleland itself. Food? Best I've had in Panama (for which I paid ;)) hammocks galore, swimming and drinks followed. Then we all got into a kayak and made our way through the swamp or creek or who-in-the-world-knows to get to the rainforest. It was beautiful and when we got to where the water was too low to kayak we had to walk. It started to rain and the howler monkeys went nuts. We got to a waterfall and after some instructions, climbed up the rock into the waterfall and jumped back down. I didn't die!!! But you'll never see proof as my GoPro bailed on me about an hour prior to it. We all know if there is no proof it didn't happen.
Back at Jungleland, the conversation kept flowing, Marshall (the 20 something University of Vermont student from New Jersey) made us random rum drinks and fun was had by all. Have you heard of Work Away? I know a lady from Berkeley who lived at an orchid farm in Hawaii for a month. In exchange for a few hours of work she got to stay in Hawaii for free. Marshall is hanging out at Jungleland with his girlfriend and together they help out Carl in exchange for everything Panama has to offer. Food for thought for 2017 for sure.
It took us three hours to get back from the dock in what was some of the worst traffic I've ever experienced. The New York girls were missing the metro, the Swiss got out and walked and I stayed in the van and smashed my phone between seats. What would it be like if I didn't break my phone on a long trip, I wonder? #goals
Highlight of Panama? Undoubtedly, my Airbnb hosts! Not only were they the most accommodating people in the universe, I'd like to think that I made actual friends. Absolutely the sweetest, kindest, funniest, most genuine couple I've been around in a while. They are just like my favorite people in London and I cannot imagine what would happen if the entire world consisted of people like that. I'd list the things they did but in the end it's not a list, it's *how* they did it. Yes, I got a glitter filled welcome note and a parting good luck charm but it's how they were in between those moments. We have a date when they visit San Francisco and I can't wait to hang out again. Visiting Panama before March? Stay with them. Don't leave the house, there is not much to do, just stay with them and restore you faith in humanity. After March they are moving to Paris. I guessing I'm heading there soon!
As I land in Cartagena, I'm glad I went to Panama if for no other reason than to see something new. Pete and I have 24 hours in the old town next weekend and I hope that will up my love for that city. In the meantime, off to Colombia, country #43!
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