Getting To Bocas Del Toro
There was nothing direct from Panama to Almirante, the town on the coast closest to the Bocas Del Toro Archipelago. I caught one to the town of David instead, and in the middle of the night, in the middle of the almost deserted terminal, I couldn't find a sign anywhere indicating a bus to Almirante. I really should've asked one of the shady characters hanging about but I was tired and kind of creeped out by the place that I didn't feel up to showing strangers I was a bit lost, let alone try to defend myself if they decided to mug me.
Instead, I caught a cab to a nearby pensión mentioned in my guidebook. It was old and dodgy and I would've been happier with some cable tv, but the bed was surprisingly comfortable and I had a great night's sleep.
In the morning, I returned to the terminal and was faced with the same problem. Finally I asked and learned that the ones labelled Changuinola were the ones I wanted. I piled into the already chock-full minibus and nodded off uncomfortably on the bad roads to Almirante. The scenery was great in some places as we drove through misty forest and past waterfalls. It rained in places and it seemed quite the norm there, as people walked about in gumboots and rainslicks. The roads took a beating from the constant running water over them, with giant potholes and crumbling edges over muddy cliffs. There were constant detours as the roads were patched up or condemned.
Finally at Almirante, I sat at the station and watched people trying to hail ute cabs in the rain. They all seemed to share cabs, so after a while as I slowly woke up properly, I hopped into one and it took me to the water taxi.
The water taxi was a powerful speedboat that zipped over the water, occasionally needing to slow right down over larger waves which sent the boat crashing over them. I think seatbelts would've done better jobs than life vests by preventing passengers from being thrown out in the first place. That's how rough the ride was.
It was a long journey to reach Bocas, and nearly not worth it. The weather made sure of that; it rained nearly all day every day I was there! I'm sure if the sun had been out, I would have glowing reports about the islands.
Instead, I caught a cab to a nearby pensión mentioned in my guidebook. It was old and dodgy and I would've been happier with some cable tv, but the bed was surprisingly comfortable and I had a great night's sleep.
In the morning, I returned to the terminal and was faced with the same problem. Finally I asked and learned that the ones labelled Changuinola were the ones I wanted. I piled into the already chock-full minibus and nodded off uncomfortably on the bad roads to Almirante. The scenery was great in some places as we drove through misty forest and past waterfalls. It rained in places and it seemed quite the norm there, as people walked about in gumboots and rainslicks. The roads took a beating from the constant running water over them, with giant potholes and crumbling edges over muddy cliffs. There were constant detours as the roads were patched up or condemned.
Finally at Almirante, I sat at the station and watched people trying to hail ute cabs in the rain. They all seemed to share cabs, so after a while as I slowly woke up properly, I hopped into one and it took me to the water taxi.
The water taxi was a powerful speedboat that zipped over the water, occasionally needing to slow right down over larger waves which sent the boat crashing over them. I think seatbelts would've done better jobs than life vests by preventing passengers from being thrown out in the first place. That's how rough the ride was.
It was a long journey to reach Bocas, and nearly not worth it. The weather made sure of that; it rained nearly all day every day I was there! I'm sure if the sun had been out, I would have glowing reports about the islands.
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