Sin Topes Oaxaca: The Darien Plan...

The Darien Gap! One of the most ecologically diverse places on the planet is also one of the most impenetrable. Separating Panama from Columbia, its about 9000 square kilometers of dense jungle- think blowguns and poison dart frogs. We've only read about one group who drove through, often building their own bridges and winching their cars forward. It took them 4 months to cover a couple hundred kilos in custom 4x4 rigs. After careful deliberation, we have opted to ship our car. Aboard a giant shipping boat, around the Darien from Colon, Panama to Cartagena Columbia our van will voyage in a 40 foot container . Details and logistical challenges will be posted soon. The good news is we've found a couple from LA who we are sharing a shipping container with and should save us hundreds on the booking. We plan to "follow" the van on a 57' sailboat through the San Blas Islands :)

So we are off tomorrow for Panama! its been a killer month in Puerto Viejo and we've had a blast. Linds and i needed to get off the road for a while and sleep under a fan- on the still, humid nights sleeping in the van we would sweat through the floorboards. It's been a month of swinging in hammocks, reading afternoons away, surfing, some grommet stovetop action, cribbage tournaments and plenty of cold Imperials. We've learned a few things…

1. Don't bring your car to the local mechanic Danny. He runs a carwash/garage an should stick to washing cars. He charged us $300 for a brake job, did it wrong and after driving to Limon we had it done the right way for $20(and the guy only wanted $10 and someone to talk to).

2. The bugs always look bigger when you wake up to hit the toilet.

3. Ants like sugar.

4. Be reeeeaaaal careful about giving fantasy football advise to the locals. Especially for the superbowl. I almost cost Tom, the owner of Bread and Chocolate the title. Phew.

5. Leather does not belong in Puerto Viejo. One week had transformed my wallet into a fuzzy Chia Pet. Sorry mom- guess you'll have to go back to Spain for another one!(see below)

6. Jungle creatures don't eat cabbage. Linds tried to create a little treat in the yard to lure some critters in about 3 weeks ago, and we still have a pile of cabbage down there.

7. If you're staying over for a month, don't rent bikes- buy 'em! We bought two bikes for $140 rode all month and sold them fast for $50. $90/31 days =$2.90/2bikes = $1.45 per day, per bike. Better than the $10 a day at the rental stands.

8. We may open a laundromat and retire down here. Nothing dries on a clothesline so we paid the local ladies 1500 colones($3) per kilo for laundry. Thats a ton.

9. Just because you've surfed a few times before doesn't mean you're ready for a 6'1'' ultra-light shortboard(the "Pygmy).

And lastly, I'd like to congratulate the El Beardos, our fantasy football team for winning the superbowl last week.