Happy Sunday! Make a memory today and take a moment to enjoy those people in your life who make this journey all the sweeter... – Tiffany Rodriguez
Sunday, April 14, 2013 (DAYS 406 - 413)
After spending two days in San Jose, which was supposed to only be one night, but as always plans change, it’s 9am and I am finally bound for Panama (my 24th country) where I can now check off my bucket list visiting every country in Central America. The border crossing at Sixaola from the Costa Rican side fronts to Guabito and the pedestrian bridge you walk across by exiting one country and entering the other is quite the adventurous feat. With every step you can literally feel the wooden unsecured boards moving beneath you and looking down doesn’t help the situation, as there are often large gaps to the river below. Successfully crossing the bridge in the Caribbean heat with my 40lb backpack, the 8-minute walk drains what energy I had from the beginning. Glad to board the air-conditioned bus I’m excited to get to Bocas del Toro and be reunited with my friend Coco who lives on the island and helped me obtain the hostel job at Surfing Donkey months ago. It will also be good to get rid of the extra weight I’ve been carrying, which is a book Shayne left in SJDS, something about how to pick up dudes discreetly (strange) and Paddy’s enormous full size Canadian flag, just in case you forgot where he's from and that he loves maple syrup.
After spending two days in San Jose, which was supposed to only be one night, but as always plans change, it’s 9am and I am finally bound for Panama (my 24th country) where I can now check off my bucket list visiting every country in Central America. The border crossing at Sixaola from the Costa Rican side fronts to Guabito and the pedestrian bridge you walk across by exiting one country and entering the other is quite the adventurous feat. With every step you can literally feel the wooden unsecured boards moving beneath you and looking down doesn’t help the situation, as there are often large gaps to the river below. Successfully crossing the bridge in the Caribbean heat with my 40lb backpack, the 8-minute walk drains what energy I had from the beginning. Glad to board the air-conditioned bus I’m excited to get to Bocas del Toro and be reunited with my friend Coco who lives on the island and helped me obtain the hostel job at Surfing Donkey months ago. It will also be good to get rid of the extra weight I’ve been carrying, which is a book Shayne left in SJDS, something about how to pick up dudes discreetly (strange) and Paddy’s enormous full size Canadian flag, just in case you forgot where he's from and that he loves maple syrup.
The end of the line for our bus is Changuinola, a typical low-key transit town that has little to offer as far as amenities. From here we have to grab a taxi to Almirante and get the local boat to Bocas, which is only $4. It’s nice to be back in a country that uses the U.S. dollar as their currency instead of constantly changing money and dealing with often confusing exchange rates. The 30-minute boat ride brings a relief from the humidity as we cruise past small huts built on stilts right up to the edge of the water, as I am taking in the scenery I notice a large rusted container boat that is stuck partially on land and partially in the water, most likely from a hurricane. A little further down we pass the town of Changuinola, which is the headquarters of the Chiriquí Land Company–the same company that brings us Chiquita bananas, and there are more than a dozen trucks with the logo plastered on the side.
After settling in to Coco’s apartment that she shares with her roommate Cat, my accommodations couldn’t be better. I have a nice comfortable twin size mattress in the living room and their place is right in the center of town. After the past few months I’ve had in Nicaragua with swirling drama and I ask Coco what’s a good spot to go to since it’s already approaching late afternoon. She recommends Isla Carenero. Done and done. White sandy beaches that are breached by the turquoise surf, I’m so glad to be here that I can’t help but do a handstand in celebration.
Thankful I got my beach day in when I first arrived to Bocas as the next few days are overcast and rainy. Since, there is little to do I spend my confined indoor days researching flights to Thailand since Coco is kind enough to lend me her computer when she’s at work. Another travel tip that I’ve learned is when you are afforded the luxury of time by traveling either with an extended period or without the limitation of a return date, utilize this by dedicating an entire day or more to researching flights or other forms of information, because this is one way I’ve found to save hundreds if not thousands of dollars. After patiently scouring the Internet and doing multiple price comparisons, I was able to find a one-way flight to Bangkok from LAX for $577.20 departing in mid August when flights are the cheapest for the year. My second surprise of the day came when I received an email notification that M3Films sent me a $100 donation via my PayPal. I cannot thank those enough that do chose to support me financially and help me live out this amazing journey, especially since my sole intention of traveling to Asia is to be reunited with my birth mother for the first time in South Korea. So once again a huge thank you to everyone, especially Jan Dunn, my case worker with Dillion International, an adoption organization that another Korean adoptee referred me to and after two long years this dream is soon going to be a reality.
Thankful I got my beach day in when I first arrived to Bocas as the next few days are overcast and rainy. Since, there is little to do I spend my confined indoor days researching flights to Thailand since Coco is kind enough to lend me her computer when she’s at work. Another travel tip that I’ve learned is when you are afforded the luxury of time by traveling either with an extended period or without the limitation of a return date, utilize this by dedicating an entire day or more to researching flights or other forms of information, because this is one way I’ve found to save hundreds if not thousands of dollars. After patiently scouring the Internet and doing multiple price comparisons, I was able to find a one-way flight to Bangkok from LAX for $577.20 departing in mid August when flights are the cheapest for the year. My second surprise of the day came when I received an email notification that M3Films sent me a $100 donation via my PayPal. I cannot thank those enough that do chose to support me financially and help me live out this amazing journey, especially since my sole intention of traveling to Asia is to be reunited with my birth mother for the first time in South Korea. So once again a huge thank you to everyone, especially Jan Dunn, my case worker with Dillion International, an adoption organization that another Korean adoptee referred me to and after two long years this dream is soon going to be a reality.
After having bouts of cabin fever, I’ve ventured out around Bocas and ended up meeting two awesome Canadian twins, Kace & Haley, who were staying at Hosteluego. These girls were so great inviting me over and making a family style dinner for us that later ended up with up on the third floor rooftop of the hostel and just being engaged in some of the best conversations about faith, love, life…wait a second. This isn’t an advert for Eat Pray Love. No but it was a great evening that kept us up until after 3am, or maybe we were still up there watching the sunrise over the Caribbean. The girls might remember it better, since I’m trying to think back on things that occurred more than six months ago. Either way, Kace left me a message that I feel inclined to share because she is such an amazing friend:
Troy.. I just took a little whirl through your blog and it would take me hours upon hours to read the entire thing which I do plan to do one day.. but what I want to tell you is that you inspire me above and beyond belief. I wish I had the opportunity to just travel the world like you and see all the beautiful places and meet wonderful people but I guess travelling somewhere new once a year for me is good enough. I know that even if i don't ever see you again, or maybe I do... I will always remember your passion for travelling and think of you when I have those moments upon my travels!!! I love you buddy- happy we met!!!! Just wanted to tell you that. You have inspired hundreds already I’m sure of it. Hakuna Matata. Yes Kace, Hakuna Matata my friend!
Troy.. I just took a little whirl through your blog and it would take me hours upon hours to read the entire thing which I do plan to do one day.. but what I want to tell you is that you inspire me above and beyond belief. I wish I had the opportunity to just travel the world like you and see all the beautiful places and meet wonderful people but I guess travelling somewhere new once a year for me is good enough. I know that even if i don't ever see you again, or maybe I do... I will always remember your passion for travelling and think of you when I have those moments upon my travels!!! I love you buddy- happy we met!!!! Just wanted to tell you that. You have inspired hundreds already I’m sure of it. Hakuna Matata. Yes Kace, Hakuna Matata my friend!
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