as you can probably gather from the title we are now on the Caribbean coast in the province of Bocas Del Toro again very close to the Costa Rican border. We are actually on Isla de Colon so have left our car on the mainland. The Bocas as it is called is best known for its chain of small Caribbean Islands and Colon is the main one but we shall hitch lifts on boats and see others.
To go back the trip over was different, we left the luxury of the hotel in Boquete and found our way by small roads into the mountains. The scenery was stunning even if it rained most of the time. We eventually found the "main" road that ran from the Interamericana highway across the mountains to the Bocas. Bit of a misnomer to call it a main road but it is the only road that goes to Bocas. In parts it was good, nice tarmac, well maintianed and two lanes wide then suddenly it went to single track dirt road and then back again. Huge holes appeared in the road at intervals just to keep you awake. The further up to the Continental divide we went the higher we got and into the clouds to add more things. The best was yet to come as once over the top the Caribbean side had seen terrible rain over the past few weeks so we had to contend with landslides, or rather where landslides had been. They clear them pretty quickly but of course the road goes as well so some places were only wide enough to get one vehicle through and a lot of the vehicles were huge lorries. At one point we assumed the road was blocked as we could see cars, vans and lorries stopped in the hill. we stopped and walked down to find a huge lorry jacknifed into a ditch but room to pass so on we went.
We made it and out trusty guide book "Lonely Planet" said we needed to head for Changuinola as it was there that the boats took you to Bocas town on the islands. It also says, this time correctly, that Changiunola has nothing to offer other than the water taxis across. We needed a place to leave a bag of luggage and the car so we found what looked like an OK hotel. What a comedown, the night before in luxury then a night in a sh#t hotel in some grotty town.
Changuinola is known for 1 thing and that it is one huge, no bigger than that, Banana plantation, thats it totally but the area sort of looks good with miles and miles of small dirt tracks winding through Bananas. All along these tracks the locals cut the bananas and hang them on moving cables that lead to packing sheds.
The next morning after negotiating with the hotel about the bags and car we took a taxi through the plantations to where Lonely Planet said to go, Finca (meaning farm or plantation) 60. The water taxis left form here every few minutes taking people dowwn a canal then across to Isla de Colon. It was pouring and when we arrived, well nothing, nada, not a sausage. just and empty bit of water with nothing therew. Taxi kicks us out in the pouring rain so we hurry to find shelter and find someone. a couple of locals building a boat looked good so putting Jan and my Spanish together we held a perfect converstion that consisted of Boat-No, Taxi to Bocas-No, when-No, show dollars (often works in an emergency)-no. Show more dollars (always works, never fails) NO NO NO.
Oooops well now here, no car, no taxi, pouring with rain so stand in small street (dirt track) and hope mini bus comes along. It does and so minibus with banana workers back to Changuinola and hotel. Find out that water taxis not gone from there for at leat 2-3 years and now go from Almirante, a town some 20 miles along the coast that we past the day before.
Take a drive there after un-negotiating with hotel to give us our bag back and Almirante a nicer town just but has a dock with loads water taxis plying the islands. Come on Lonely Planet get a bit more up to date.
Found secure compound for the car, water taxi across and here we are, nice hotel with views of the Caribbean and sun.
OK now for so rest and laid back Caribbean style holiday, everything for a few days will be cocktails, rum, and where is the hot sauce man!!!!.
More to follow with pictures when we can
(where are the comments, missing them!!!!!)
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