Panama City

Helen: Just about to leave Panama City to go and meet our new skipper Stuart in Colon....Bit nervous - hope we all like each other!

Feel a bit ashamed to have had to fly to Panama - really would have liked to do this big adventure without flying and we´ve already had to take 4 flights - but it just couldn´t be avoided. The weather forecast for this week is shocking between Cartagena and Coln - more of the same waves and wind that we had on the way from Bonaire - and, while we were fine the last time, and would probably have been this time - there´s no point deliberately putting yourself in that situation if you can avoid it so everyone decided to just stay in Cartagena. But we promised our skipper we´d be there by the 3rd...so we flew.

And boy, what an experience Columbian safety inspections are at the airport! C and I spent hours packing our bags the day before (we have so much stuff, it barely all fits and has to be packed very carefully inside each other in a specific order...) and then when we got to the airport we had to unpack both bags to be inspected!! The guard was v pleased when he found a plastic bag full of brown powder in C´s bag...but was disappointed when it turned out to be chilli powder!!

We´ve enjoyed Panama City so far - we went to walk round a big forest natural park yesterday (C said he saw a monkey...hanging by its tail...eating a banana) and then we went to see the ruins of old (17 C) Panama (´just a load of old stones´) and then we went out to a bar (where the music videos were just an excuse to play soft porn if you ask me!) Oh, and we took a local bus which is always an experience. We´ll be back in the city in a few days once we´re through the canal for more exploring.

Right, must dash, or all the free breakfast in the hostel will have disappeared!!

Hxx