Bri and Kit in Panama...

[Guest]

While not a van trip, I am seeing some cool van stuff and other rigs people are traveling in so thought it might be of interest.<br><br>I will get some photos on here once we get to a place with better wifi and can do that....we are in a hostel in Panama City in what is called Casca Viejo (also the name of the hostal) for $20 a night we have a room with a bath with breakfast and internet. the folks doing cheep travel stay in dorms for $12 a night. Many cheaper hotels, hostals and hospedaje's but this one is good for us.<br><br>I took some photos of rigs out in front...One of a station wagon from Mexico on the way to Usuaia in Argentina and back, one a Vanagon doing the same and selling fruit smoothies along the way....<br><br>A guy from Colorado has his KLR650 here and we are all waiting for the indigenous insurrection that has the road north closed to be finished so folks can move on north if they need to,.Apparently the natives don't want a big mining operation to destroy their traditional lands...go figger?! There have been&nbsp; a few demos in support of them here in Panama City so far these are peaceful.<br><br>As a soldier helped us find our way yesterday, he pointed to himself and said "I am an Indian too!"...very proudly....<br><br>If any one is looking for work and speaks good Spanish, Panama is the place to come...they are renovating the entire old city and digging a new canal to take bigger ships....Everyone seems to have a job who wants one here....<br><br>We met a young Italian guy while in the ice cream parlor and he is the one who told me this....he left NYC to come here for the excellent opportunities...<br><br>More later....<br><br>Mods: if this is inappropriate, please feel free to delete...just thought a few folks would be interested...there has been some interest in foreign van travel...and I thought this may fit...<br>Hugs to all,<br>Bri<br><br>

 

[akrvbob]

Interesting info from interesting (and wonderful) people is always welcome!! Only wish I were there with you. Bob<br>

 

[Les H]

<img src="/images/boards/smilies/thumb.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle">

 

[cyndi]

You know me, Bri! I want pictures!!! I know you and Kit are having a blast. Wish i was there, too!

 

[Guest]

Thanks folks...<br>Aj, you got it guy...have fun with your build out...you do awesome work!<br><br>Starman, from a lowly, slimeball pollywog...I bow to you, a crusty shellback<img src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/frown.gif" align="absmiddle" border="0">...my damn ship crossed when it came through the Panama canal on it's way from the shipyard to it's home port in San Diego...of course I missed being a plankowner by a few months, came aboard in SD and went off to WestPac with never another crossing...I got totally ripped off methinks. <br><br>Bob, I wish you were here too and Les...thanks for the thumb's up....<br><br>Cindy my sister, I PROMISE pix...I know I am not here unless I provide pix....<img src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/tongue.gif" align="absmiddle" border="0"><br><br>We are now in the little laid back Carribean town of Bocas del Toros on Colon Island ...staying in a little place owned by an ex-pat Colorado couple...<br>Gorgeous here and very tranquillo....I don't know if we can pull off the rest of Panama as the natives are definitely restless...Boquete is cut off from all food and gas, diesel etc. and David is cut off as well....weird.<br>Bri<br><br><br><br>

 

[Guest]

<span id="post_message_1272142573">Bri, your worship is much appreciated and the correct response from a true sailor. As for not crossing the equator, look on the bright side---you didn't have to go thru that awful iniation ceremony.<img src="../images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" align="absMiddle" border="0"> </span>

<br><br>actually Starman, you do have an excellent point...and it does not mean as much as it did when I cruised on liberty with a bunch of shellys and I was reminded of my lowly status..<br>Wind at your back sailor....<br>Bri<br><br>

 

[Guest]

So, back home now and much enriched as usual from our travels. <br>Soon after I posted last in Bocas, I got violently ill from eating in on of the fancier restaurants in town....it lasted for several days and I will spare you the description. We were able to enjoy a butterfly reserve and some very nice beaches though as well as the very laid back Caribbean vibe there. <br>From Bocas we took buses to the town of Boquete in the middle northern uplands and had a very pleasant time staying in a small riverside hostal. It was $30 a night for the two of us with a private bath, two beds and a communal kitchen...wifi of course.<br>My most enjoyed day there was renting motor scooters and riding the narrow upland roads through the jungle, the evergreens and coffee plantations...there is nothing that can beat riding and enjoying the smells, feelings and sights from a moto.<br>We met a lot of AA expats and attended several great, well-attended meetings and I spent some nice time with guys my age who are bouncing around Central and South America in their retirements....it is so inexpensive to do that that it makes vandwelling seem expensive....many of these guys doing it all on their social security incomes....since there are many advantages being a pensianado in those countries.<br>Next we rode buses again to a small town called Boca Chica on the Pacific side and took a lancha to the island of Boca Brava where we stayed in the only hotel on the island. For our little room with two queen size beds, and an awesome view of the water, shared bath and good wifi in the restaurant we paid $30 a night.<br>Kit went snorkling at a national Park with a group for $27 the day and I took the time to lay in a hammock all day and mess around on my netbook and read.<br>My big success was to find a custom Corbin seat on Ebay and puschase it for about a third of what they cost new. This is the 8th Corbin we have owned for various bikes and Kit has one on each of her current bikes...need I say we are huge fans of Corbin seats? &nbsp; <br>I have much to say about Panama and all of Central America but will do that another day.<br>I will say that when we were staying at the hostal in Panama City we met at least a half dozen folks in vans, cars and on motos who were traveling the Pan American Highway one way or another....several actually making their way by making and selling jewelry! Sadly to say only one was an American and he was on a KLR moto.<br>The rest were either South Americans or Mexicans...all young.<br>Enough for now but I do want to say...if you want to see the rest of the Americas, don't let crappy excuses stop you..do it! People are doing it on almost nothing cash-wise. We are only limited by our own views of the world.<br>Bri<br>&nbsp;<br><br>

 

[Seraphim]

Glad you had a fantastic experience.

 

[Suanne]

<p style="margin: 0px;">Sounds absolutely wonderful Bri ... looking forward to hearing more and seeing more pics.&nbsp; Glad you and Kit&nbsp;are back safe and sound.</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">Suanne ... still on the Gulf</p>

 

[romani10]

Very nice travelin,' Bri! Thanks for the descriptions.

 

[Guest]

I will post a link to my wife's photos once she does our album of them....<br><br>Travel well,<br>Bri<br><br>

 

[Guest]

<span id="post_message_1272392238"><div>I've known the Corbins (owners) for years. &nbsp;If you ever get a chance, visit the Hollister facility for a tour. &nbsp;There's also a nifty 50's themed cafe inside.. &nbsp;</div></span>

<br><br>Have you, AJ? Very cool. I would love to visit the facility. I bought my first Corbin years ago for my 89 R100GS and it went on from there....I lot of folks don't like them due to the firmness...oh all right, hardness...but we find they are really good for serious long distance, long term touring...<br>Bri<br><br>

 

[Guest]

Here are a couple of photos of rigs of folks who are driving the Pan American route on extensive trips...this is in front of Hospadeje Casco Viejo, a cheap hostal in old town Panama City....the KLR belongs to a young guy from Colorado who is on his way south...the VW and station wagon belong to Mexican folks who are making their way by making and selling jewelry on the street or wherever they can...<br>&nbsp; <br><br>Oh yeah, the woman in the VW also makes and sells fruit smoothies along the way....<br>Bri<br>

 

[LowTech]

" . . . <span id="post_message_1272384386">We were able to enjoy a butterfly reserve . . ."<br><br>&nbsp;Was that Henry &amp; Margret's place on Bastamentos?<br>Haven't been there for years, but helped them w/ setting up some water catchment when they were starting their place out on the island. Have other friends around there, out by the narrows.<br>&nbsp;Make's me want to take another winter wandering CAmerica. Would like to do it on a two wheeler and skip mass transit, . . . sure don't want to take the big truck down . . . unless I'm not coming back anytime soon <img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"><br></span>

 

[Guest]

Hi Lowtech...no, (we went out there since that is where the guidebook said it was even though the water taxi guy said it wasn't there....cost us an extra $2 a piece for our obstinance) and it does not exist on Bastimentos any more.....<br> It is on the mainland and reached only by the water. I was not really impressed except for all the morpho bf's which have seen in the wild, and the poison frog display. Certainly not worth the $3 each transpo and $5 each entry....but it is helping the families so WTF.<br> I too, am a huge fan of two wheels down there. Riding bicycles would be too scary for me what with really narrow roads but a moto is the way.<br> <br> Cool you know folks there....I love CAmerica and can hardly wait until next trip down....<br> Bri&nbsp; <br>

 

[VanTramp]

That sounds like a wonderful adventure Bri! Fun to read about but like Bob, I would rather be there too! Even if I had to ride a honduh <img border="0" align="absmiddle" src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/eek.gif">&nbsp;Hey, I am with you on the Corbins too, great seats! I had one on the Sporty and a Mustang on the Superglide and even though the Corbin was almost rock-like for performance use, it was easily just as comfortable as the much more plush(different seat purpose) Mustang.&nbsp;<div><br></div><div>Looking forward to more updates and pics my friend! The little frogs are excellent <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"></div>

 

[Guest]

Hi Mike...wowser, the seat came today and is it ever sweet.....really nice backrest!<br>Will ride to Palomas, MX mañana to turn in my exit papers and it will get it's first 200 mile run...my butt is grinnin'.&nbsp; Yeah, don't even try to picture it, it loses in the telling....<br><br>So the different purpose on the S-glide was to soak up the vibrations????<img src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/rofl.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"><br><br>What Honduh???? Kit rode a China scoot and I rode a Yamaha...and by the way...the first H is capitalized on Honduh. I can't wait til I see you this summer to hear how you pronounce Honduh versus how you pronounce Honda??????<br>I still don't get it....<br>Hugs feller,<br>Bri <br><br>

 

[VanTramp]

Excellent! Yeah, the backrests make it nice. Even the Sporty's corbin had a pretty nice little slip in backrest. Combined with that bikes excessive vibration,(yeah I said it) you could get a pretty decent back massage! LOL!&nbsp;<div><br></div><div>Sorry, bout the confusion. You know me, I auto-associate you with honduhs. OOPs! It appears as though I may have forgotten to show respect to them yet again with a capital letter! I will work on that one honest! hond...ho...Honduh, &lt;--not easy, but I did it!&nbsp;<img border="0" align="absmiddle" src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/tongue.gif">&nbsp;I can't wait to see ya this summer, but are you really sure you want to hear me pronounce that???</div><div><br></div><div>Hey, I made a thread for you here --&gt;</div><div><a href="https://vanlivingforum.com/post/Bike-Camping-for-Bri-5732523?trail=15#1" target="_blank">https://vanlivingforum.com/post/Bike-Camping-for-Bri-5732523?trail=15#1</a></div><div><br></div><div>Hugs from us all!</div><div><br></div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">

 

[Guest]

Cool beans Mike...I LOVE Honduhs....but silly me, I like a bike you don't have to work on much...that basically runs forever on little maintenance and is smooth as silk and quiet as a sewing machine...but I'm a sensitive kinda new age guy too...LOL<br>And yes...I really do want to hear you pronounce Honduh....I mean how many ways can you pronounce a 5 letter, 2 syllable word?<br>Hey cool on the other thread....<br>Hugs to you all,<br>Bri<br><br><br>

 

[VanTramp]

Wait, you mean you just ride it and it goes??? Dude, thats just sick! What about the joys of greasy hands and personal injury?&nbsp;<div><br></div><div>You would be pretty surprised how many ways I can pronounce such a simple word! But then, maybe ya wouldn't <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"></div><div><br></div><div>Hi from the Marine too!</div>