Wed 7th 1504 Sitting at table on deserted hostel terrace. It hasn't been that bad a morning and I've given my personal demons a bit of a kicking, but I'm accommodationally stressed.
Slept fairly well, did wake up in night but nothing major. Got up mildly unwillingly 8, kitchen empty and tried to cook (mistakenly) a big UK style thin pancake but it accidentally turned into two lumpy thick pancakes which were edible anyway.
On a whim, having slept well and everyone in dorm seeming fine (not that they ever haven't) I asked about extending for one night. And I could, *but* I have to change dorm and thus check out at 11 and leave my bag there and check in again later. I checked I could still have a lower bunk and I could so I stupidly said yes. In hindsight I maybe shouldn't have, as while not a huge faff it would maybe have been as easy to just change hostels.
Skipping ahead, I had been toying with putting in two nights at the hostel on Playa Estero right on the beach. But they have no availability Sat night - nor does this hostel. Other hostels do. Plus even putting availability aside, the extra night here (Thu) and two extra nights elsewhere means I'd be checking out on Sunday, ie shit bus day. Now if - as I've toyed with but not investigated - I get a private shuttle out this is maybe not an issue, but otherwise it could be a pisser.
Private shuttles not cheap but if they save me eg spending the best part of a day to get to Santiago and spending USD20ish for a dorm bed in Santiago then they're maybe not a bad option.
Before I try to resolve this accom dilemma let me write today up.
So I left almost everything including both phones in hostel and took daypack with sunblock and swimming gear over to Playa Estero. And plastering myself with sunblock I got some jogging in and then went in the sea - I wore my bandanna/headscarf thing to keep sun off head BTW, and the red T-shirt too. My head *still* feels like it got burned, which makes no sense, but it may be a salt water thing on a smallish cut I think I have on there. TBH I half expect to find I've got burned in various places but fingers crossed it is not going to be too horrific given I was fairly diligent with sunblock.
I spent about half an hour in water, as I'd been told it did slope pretty gently and bottom was nice firmish sand and no rocks. So I'd wade out til roughly chest deep - getting deeper as some of the substantial waves came over, but I realised if I sort of "jumped" into them I'd float over them - and swim back. Arms knackered and after the first few times I stopped quite making it all the way. But it's all exercise and first time in sea as such and not bad all round. I did feel I was swallowing a bit of sea water but I made an effort to turn my head a bit more to get it clear of water when breathing and it kind of helped. Sort of fun being bounced around by the waves when not swimming too.
Maybe a fool's paradise but it didn't feel dangerous, with it being relatively shallow and no obvious undertow and with the waves pushing strongly towards the shore. TBH on that beach I could easily envision myself (fitness permitting) having a surfing lesson and then hiring a board and spending an hour or two practicing - the waves to my utter non-expert eye looked significant enough to push you along OK but not insanely dangerous or anything.
I then did a tiny bit more jogging and - feeling perhaps a little dehydrated and/or heat affected - walked back to main part of town, wearing shoes/socks but otherwise keeping swimming stuff on to dry. I got a beer at minisuper nearish town beach and had that on town beach, then I went and got another beer and some snacks and had them too before coming back to hostel for shower and mildly surreptitious uw wash. Was quite nice sitting on beach edge in shade with nice breeze, eg watching three dogs swim and seeing their heads bob up as a wave went past.
I am now here and mildly bored. In some ways boredom/relaxation is nice but since looking at accom and realising about Sun I am feeling vaguely stressed.
I had toyed with asking about a Spanish lesson but there is music playing in the truly shady part I'm currently sitting in and out in main open terrace I made a test call with parents and apparently it's not great and given the accom/Sun stress I no longer have the same appetite for it anyway.
1518 Finger break then let's think about accom/Sun.
1520 Right, so while it is also kind of boring here, I was warming to the idea of spending a few lazy-ish days, doing a bit of swimming and watching sunset and having a few beers.
In hindsight I should probably not have booked here for tomorrow night and should just have booked the (not amazing, but location) one of estero beach for the next two nights. I had been think three nights here then two nights at beach one, but - let me just double check - I think this is booked up, and there's also the Sunday issue (unless private shuttle avoids that).
It does feel like I have a smallish scab on head. Not sure where it came from - I don't think I bumped it today - but fingers crossed that is what I'm feeling not a burn.
Oh, and except for first 15ish mins after taking cap off, I had sunblock on my head as well as the (effectively two layers) bandanna.
A quick Google fails to turn up anything about a festival here but that means very little. Lost a lot of faith in the accuracy of Google results lately, not to mention the festival may be minor enough to have negligible publicity on web.
1536 Right, except for one good reviews but a bit "near Estero but not on it and a bit set back from the road" hostel, nowhere has cheap beds for Fri+Sat night. That includes current hostel - they still have one bed for Fri. I *could* stay at the one on the beach Friday night only. This is mildly shit but not terrible - not that I'm desperate but given it is a modest walk from here, I'd be there about midday and could presumably leave bag - the actual "disruption" is not much different than having to change dorm here tomorrow. I could go to the beach (tides permitting) late-ish afternoon and watch the sunset from there that night. It's hardly the relaxing stay I had in mind but for whatever reason (bad luck, weekend, some mysterious festival) that's just obviously not on the cards for SC right here and now.
This would see me leaving on Saturday, which (tho I might be getting a private shuttle anyway) would sidestep bus concerns.
Why don't I rush into booking this one bed before it disappears and then regret it? It's not end of world but in hindsight I should have not added the extra night here and put in tomorrow and Fri nights at the beach place - still not super relaxed but would have been better. But it's OK. And I'm certainly not exercised enough about it to write off tomorrow night's booking.
1543 This doesn't appeal. I am a bit bored. I have swum and can swim tomorrow again. I can watch sunset on town beach tonight and tomorrow. There's nothing relaxing about dashing over to this other hostel - which also may not have dorm a/c - for a single night. Or adding another night here with no further option to extend (and for all I know yet another dorm/bed change Fri morning). I'm not doing the tours here, not this time anyway. If I want beer+sunset+beach type stuff there's a fair chance of that with less pressure over at Bocas del Toro for a start.
Gut feeling is I'm gonna leave here on Friday.
Of course you never know what might happen, but maybe I should have booked for at least 3 nights to start - two nights with the first day being travel heavy is nothing, yes hostel may suck but it's never gonna be horrific. And if I'd done that I might have avoided the dorm change tomorrow. But of course it's also possible I'd have not got a lower bunk due to the way availability fell, or I'd have got it but had to change as I am now.
OK, the guide book recommended company will take me to Boquete for USD35 on Friday (dep 1pm, arrive 6pm - but it's prob door to door drop off so borderline OK) if I want.
1600 FFS booking.com shows 93% accom booked in Boquete for three nights starting Fri and there's one cheap hostel (dorm only) with 2 beds left. Goddamnit, I hate this pressured shit.
Chill. Worst case I go to the slightly out of the way hostel here for three nights or something. Let's try to step back and make some more rational choices.
1617 Fucking hell, I've just booked the one cheap dorm in Boquete for 4 nights starting Fri. Have free cancellation til midnight. Bearing in mind I haven't been to Panama "much" before and thus seeing the tourist routes first isn't a terrible idea, guide book promotes little south of David. There is stuff between David and Boquete but never mind. Boquete sounds cool (if a bit stressful both in terms of organisation and physically) with awkward volcano hike options etc - but just have to see how tour agencies look once I'm there - and it's en route to BdT and Panama is small enough if I do run out of stuff to do round Boquete/BdT before I run out of time, it's "only" an extra day to get more or less anywhere. I booked for four nights cos the Fri is written off with travel and depending on how accessible the various cool things are I might want to stay a while and with only one cheap hostel (I experimentally searched a few days ahead but even then not loads of cheap options and 73% booked up whatever that means) and this horrible "shortage of accom and shortage of space" feeling meaning I maybe have to start committing to stuff days in advance any less felt like a bit of a gamble. As it is it's feeling like Panama is going to be one continual accommodation stress.
I will book the private shuttle later tonight I guess. The trouble is that tho it does probably come out a wash at USD35 for shuttle vs USD20-25 for hostel in Santiago and buses between here and Santiago and Santiago and Boq, the saving also saves a day, which means an extra night's accom to find, sort of, maybe. But while the cost, style (dorms) and availability of Panama accom is annoying, I do probably just about have more money than time wrt this kind of thing.
Wrt hiking etc in Boq and environs, while if there are lots of super cool things I really want to do that's fair enough, I otherwise need to remember the thing is to do *something*, not that I have to do everything. I dunno if there are small towns in that region other than Boq you might stay in which might (hahahaha) have cheap decent accom but I guess worry about that once I'm there and see what's happening.
Boq is also apparently chock full of US retirees which I'm sure doesn't help prices. But it does sound pretty decent, and I think the weather is cooler there too.
It's just a shame I'm not doing this with a feeling of chilled drifting along, but the accom just isn't working out like that. It may all turn out for the best in terms of having more time later for somewhere I really like.
I don't desperately intend to but it's not inconceivable I'd put some time in in SC towards end of trip as I return to PC - it's out of the way, but either via private shuttle or public buses via Santiago it is doable and it's a kind of OK side-trip for a day or two which isn't a million miles from PC.
1638 I was going to watch sunset with a soft drink but since I'm only here two more nights and Boq sounds cooler I guess fuck it, will have a beer tonight.
It's fine but undeniably this hurry-scurry business with a constant shortage of accommodation is a bit sucky. CR dorms were even more expensive than here, but there was at least an ample supply almost everywhere. ISTR being slightly rushed out of Montezuma due to accom issues - not insuperable, but inconvenient chopping and changing would have been required and it wasn't worth it - but unless it's just rose tinted glasses it generally felt price and thus need for dorm was a pisser, but I didn't feel I couldn't get accom at a borderline approx price. Here so often there's a handful at best or even just one cheap option and everything being sold out feels a real option. To be scrupulously fair the situation here in SC is Montezuma-ish - there is a dorm bed available (tho not many, afaics) if I want to stay extra nights, but it all just feels unsatisfactory enough that I might just as well move on.
Wearing trousers and ls top now btw. Did toy with keeping trunks+ss shirt on after shower but I wanted to water-only rinse the shirt (even tho I intend to wear it into sea again tomorrow) and I wanted to put phones in pockets and in the end I didn't. Maybe a comfort zone issue but not entirely - and did already push cz eg walking back from Estero in "beach" clothes and going into shop twice and sitting on town beach wearing them.
Some guy is squeezing limes and the smell is amazing. Makes me wish I were in Mexico enjoying a beer+lime (tho after my visit in Guadalajara in 2007 I don't ever remember being offered limes to squeeze into beer again).
To be fair the Boquete dorm is about USD15/night (maybe tax on top, not sure) which isn't bad value. But there was no private option, and this was the *only* cheap place that hadn't sold out - I do get feeling Boq is touristy enough and "backpackery" enough there will be other cheapish hostels, but maybe I misremember that search for the dates further ahead.
With the 4 nights in Boq, when I check out I will have about two weeks left. (Maybe a day extra, not trying to be precise here.) I guess this probably works out, eg if I want I could do a week in Boq/environs and then a week in BdT and not be going hell for leather to get back to PC in time.
1656 Got confirmation and another one of those pre-registration "requests" . As before it says it can be completed any time up to check in so I'm just going to ignore it, best case is I don't have to do it and worst case I have to do it on arrival.
Trying not to let all this (accom stuff generally, not this pre-reg wank) get me down. It's still cool to be here (in Panama, and in SC). Even with dorm change crap, I still have a lazyish day tomorrow. etc
And I am probably "gonna do stuff" in Boq and have as noted given PDs a kick today and it's fine. I am perhaps if anything going to "do more" than I otherwise would, which may make more/better memories even if it's not as chilled as I'd like. And I will probably splurge on a private at some point even if it doesn't get appealingly priced, although I'm talking like USD40-50/night for 2-3 nights, not USD100/night. To be fair the dorm business really isn't that big a deal, the main bugger is when it interferes with laundry and as I've seen that can be an issue with private+shared bathroom too.
I do have some control and when/if I get tired of being bounced around by accommodation concerns there is the option to splurge. But I really don't want to be splurging into high double figures a night unless it *really* gets me something I want.
FWIW the 2019 Eng language lonely planet central america guide on table in dorm in Santiago only mentioned Chiriqui and BdT provinces (IIRC; think those two anyway, both west end of country) and Panama City, the whole rest of country was omitted. Obviously space at a premium in a whole CA guide but I think this shows how the "primary" tourist attractions are spread round Panama.
Not ruling out a future visit at some point which may get more off the beaten track, but it would obviously depend on the availability of cheap accom and gut feeling is there are lots of other places I'd rather go first. But you know, I could see perhaps popping over the border from CR. And of course I am not going to exhaust the stuff which is listed in the guide book this trip, so another on-the-beaten-path visit in future not off cards either, tho as an expensive-feeling destination (it's almost entirely the accom - nothing else feels insanely priced) I am not likely to come back that soon, unless maybe mixing Panama with some other country.
2022 Just booked shuttle to Boquete. Of course it's USD35+tax but what can you do?
I had two beers at sunset. I feel a bit odd but cannot be fucking drunk surely. Sunset not bad. Shouldn't have had beers just on diminishing specialness grounds.
Was gonna try La Perla after but I wandered up steps with two empty beer cans in hand (cos I'd not seen a bin since beach and wasn't gonna chuck them on beach) and a guy with his mouth full wandered up and seemed to glare at me and I asked if they had a table and he said something through the food so I left. Oh, for bonus points I also stumbled on top step - I'd had 2x355ml cans, I honestly don't think I was drunk. Fuck 'em. TBH they may not have been serving, it's not obvious this was cos he thought I was drunk but who fucking knows.
So went to place ate yday and it was nearly empty (is this the extra delay from hanging on an extra 20ish mins at sunset???) and they had no chicken but I got a surprisingly decent roast pork (steak/chop) with chips - but the guy didn't ask me if I wanted anything to drink, so I didn't ask for one and did without, so USD5 and 1 tip. I'd sneaked cans into a random bin by this point and find it hard to believe this down to any mild drunken appearance I might have had.
Got two big bottles water at minisuper by hostel, was gonna get some bread snack ring things but I asked and felt 1.70 was silly price.
Vague plan for tomorrow is to be up 7ish, have breakfast, pack everything into bag but leave it chained to bunk and continue to leave stuff in locker by bed. There's a fair chance I'll be back by 11am checkout given I hope to be up an hour earlier and worst case I really don't see how much of a fuss they can kick up about a locked bag chained to bunk and and a locked locker - none of this stops them making the bed etc. And this feels safer than leaving bag with reception, esp since as plan to go to beach as I did today I want to leave almost everything here (split between bag and locker) rather than losing absolutely everything because reception don't keep an eye on my bag. I haven't asked if I can do this, it just seems ultra reasonable on my side and in unlikely event they kick off I will just apologise. (I mean, I've already paid for another night, so what harm am I doing?)
Got confirmation for shuttle Fri, I hope/assume I can hang around in courtyard here for the 2h post technical checkout. Will presumably have to pay driver in cash.
Everything OK, I just feel "odd" after those beers - but like I say, I just can't be significantly or obnoxiously drunk on two beers, esp considering I snacked on junk this afternoon so hardly an empty stomach. Meh.
Still, at least the Boq trip is now booked. Fingers crossed tomorrow morning will be faff-free in practice.
Plan is no alcohol tomorrow. Not because I feel odd now - was formulating plan before this - but because if I drink too often it just feels routine. *Maybe* I'll want a beer when I get to Boquete, and if not that will be at least two days off.
I am gonna have to see what tours are available but gut feeling is the thing I'd most like to do in Boq if it's feasible is the 6-8hish hike up the volcano, which may involve hiking up overnight or camping or something. But I'll just have to see what tour options are available.
Some businesses here (inc minisuper by hostel - snapped a poor photo) have a notice seeming to suggest if *consumers* do not demand a receipt they can be fined!? What the arseholing fuck? Maybe I'm misreading it.
Looks like new hostel may actually be location of former Boq branch of PC hostel (which used to have more but they were all "circle with bar" crossed out on the map outside), judging from OM.
I feel "OK" happinessy but not great. Meh. Maybe those beers playing a role. Yawning. Sucks not to just have the proper "full" day at this hostel tomorrow I am paying for, but in reality with a little strategic pseudo-non-compliance re dumping my bag at reception and an early start it will most be a non-issue.
2054 I am not nec going to bed but given I want to be up earlyish and am yawning and mildly fed up I am going to go clean my teeth - I am only drinking water so this doesn't "commit" me - and may move towards bed soonish and will send this now and if there is anything else tonight it can go in tomorrow's entry.
Slept fairly well, did wake up in night but nothing major. Got up mildly unwillingly 8, kitchen empty and tried to cook (mistakenly) a big UK style thin pancake but it accidentally turned into two lumpy thick pancakes which were edible anyway.
On a whim, having slept well and everyone in dorm seeming fine (not that they ever haven't) I asked about extending for one night. And I could, *but* I have to change dorm and thus check out at 11 and leave my bag there and check in again later. I checked I could still have a lower bunk and I could so I stupidly said yes. In hindsight I maybe shouldn't have, as while not a huge faff it would maybe have been as easy to just change hostels.
Skipping ahead, I had been toying with putting in two nights at the hostel on Playa Estero right on the beach. But they have no availability Sat night - nor does this hostel. Other hostels do. Plus even putting availability aside, the extra night here (Thu) and two extra nights elsewhere means I'd be checking out on Sunday, ie shit bus day. Now if - as I've toyed with but not investigated - I get a private shuttle out this is maybe not an issue, but otherwise it could be a pisser.
Private shuttles not cheap but if they save me eg spending the best part of a day to get to Santiago and spending USD20ish for a dorm bed in Santiago then they're maybe not a bad option.
Before I try to resolve this accom dilemma let me write today up.
So I left almost everything including both phones in hostel and took daypack with sunblock and swimming gear over to Playa Estero. And plastering myself with sunblock I got some jogging in and then went in the sea - I wore my bandanna/headscarf thing to keep sun off head BTW, and the red T-shirt too. My head *still* feels like it got burned, which makes no sense, but it may be a salt water thing on a smallish cut I think I have on there. TBH I half expect to find I've got burned in various places but fingers crossed it is not going to be too horrific given I was fairly diligent with sunblock.
I spent about half an hour in water, as I'd been told it did slope pretty gently and bottom was nice firmish sand and no rocks. So I'd wade out til roughly chest deep - getting deeper as some of the substantial waves came over, but I realised if I sort of "jumped" into them I'd float over them - and swim back. Arms knackered and after the first few times I stopped quite making it all the way. But it's all exercise and first time in sea as such and not bad all round. I did feel I was swallowing a bit of sea water but I made an effort to turn my head a bit more to get it clear of water when breathing and it kind of helped. Sort of fun being bounced around by the waves when not swimming too.
Maybe a fool's paradise but it didn't feel dangerous, with it being relatively shallow and no obvious undertow and with the waves pushing strongly towards the shore. TBH on that beach I could easily envision myself (fitness permitting) having a surfing lesson and then hiring a board and spending an hour or two practicing - the waves to my utter non-expert eye looked significant enough to push you along OK but not insanely dangerous or anything.
I then did a tiny bit more jogging and - feeling perhaps a little dehydrated and/or heat affected - walked back to main part of town, wearing shoes/socks but otherwise keeping swimming stuff on to dry. I got a beer at minisuper nearish town beach and had that on town beach, then I went and got another beer and some snacks and had them too before coming back to hostel for shower and mildly surreptitious uw wash. Was quite nice sitting on beach edge in shade with nice breeze, eg watching three dogs swim and seeing their heads bob up as a wave went past.
I am now here and mildly bored. In some ways boredom/relaxation is nice but since looking at accom and realising about Sun I am feeling vaguely stressed.
I had toyed with asking about a Spanish lesson but there is music playing in the truly shady part I'm currently sitting in and out in main open terrace I made a test call with parents and apparently it's not great and given the accom/Sun stress I no longer have the same appetite for it anyway.
1518 Finger break then let's think about accom/Sun.
1520 Right, so while it is also kind of boring here, I was warming to the idea of spending a few lazy-ish days, doing a bit of swimming and watching sunset and having a few beers.
In hindsight I should probably not have booked here for tomorrow night and should just have booked the (not amazing, but location) one of estero beach for the next two nights. I had been think three nights here then two nights at beach one, but - let me just double check - I think this is booked up, and there's also the Sunday issue (unless private shuttle avoids that).
It does feel like I have a smallish scab on head. Not sure where it came from - I don't think I bumped it today - but fingers crossed that is what I'm feeling not a burn.
Oh, and except for first 15ish mins after taking cap off, I had sunblock on my head as well as the (effectively two layers) bandanna.
A quick Google fails to turn up anything about a festival here but that means very little. Lost a lot of faith in the accuracy of Google results lately, not to mention the festival may be minor enough to have negligible publicity on web.
1536 Right, except for one good reviews but a bit "near Estero but not on it and a bit set back from the road" hostel, nowhere has cheap beds for Fri+Sat night. That includes current hostel - they still have one bed for Fri. I *could* stay at the one on the beach Friday night only. This is mildly shit but not terrible - not that I'm desperate but given it is a modest walk from here, I'd be there about midday and could presumably leave bag - the actual "disruption" is not much different than having to change dorm here tomorrow. I could go to the beach (tides permitting) late-ish afternoon and watch the sunset from there that night. It's hardly the relaxing stay I had in mind but for whatever reason (bad luck, weekend, some mysterious festival) that's just obviously not on the cards for SC right here and now.
This would see me leaving on Saturday, which (tho I might be getting a private shuttle anyway) would sidestep bus concerns.
Why don't I rush into booking this one bed before it disappears and then regret it? It's not end of world but in hindsight I should have not added the extra night here and put in tomorrow and Fri nights at the beach place - still not super relaxed but would have been better. But it's OK. And I'm certainly not exercised enough about it to write off tomorrow night's booking.
1543 This doesn't appeal. I am a bit bored. I have swum and can swim tomorrow again. I can watch sunset on town beach tonight and tomorrow. There's nothing relaxing about dashing over to this other hostel - which also may not have dorm a/c - for a single night. Or adding another night here with no further option to extend (and for all I know yet another dorm/bed change Fri morning). I'm not doing the tours here, not this time anyway. If I want beer+sunset+beach type stuff there's a fair chance of that with less pressure over at Bocas del Toro for a start.
Gut feeling is I'm gonna leave here on Friday.
Of course you never know what might happen, but maybe I should have booked for at least 3 nights to start - two nights with the first day being travel heavy is nothing, yes hostel may suck but it's never gonna be horrific. And if I'd done that I might have avoided the dorm change tomorrow. But of course it's also possible I'd have not got a lower bunk due to the way availability fell, or I'd have got it but had to change as I am now.
OK, the guide book recommended company will take me to Boquete for USD35 on Friday (dep 1pm, arrive 6pm - but it's prob door to door drop off so borderline OK) if I want.
1600 FFS booking.com shows 93% accom booked in Boquete for three nights starting Fri and there's one cheap hostel (dorm only) with 2 beds left. Goddamnit, I hate this pressured shit.
Chill. Worst case I go to the slightly out of the way hostel here for three nights or something. Let's try to step back and make some more rational choices.
1617 Fucking hell, I've just booked the one cheap dorm in Boquete for 4 nights starting Fri. Have free cancellation til midnight. Bearing in mind I haven't been to Panama "much" before and thus seeing the tourist routes first isn't a terrible idea, guide book promotes little south of David. There is stuff between David and Boquete but never mind. Boquete sounds cool (if a bit stressful both in terms of organisation and physically) with awkward volcano hike options etc - but just have to see how tour agencies look once I'm there - and it's en route to BdT and Panama is small enough if I do run out of stuff to do round Boquete/BdT before I run out of time, it's "only" an extra day to get more or less anywhere. I booked for four nights cos the Fri is written off with travel and depending on how accessible the various cool things are I might want to stay a while and with only one cheap hostel (I experimentally searched a few days ahead but even then not loads of cheap options and 73% booked up whatever that means) and this horrible "shortage of accom and shortage of space" feeling meaning I maybe have to start committing to stuff days in advance any less felt like a bit of a gamble. As it is it's feeling like Panama is going to be one continual accommodation stress.
I will book the private shuttle later tonight I guess. The trouble is that tho it does probably come out a wash at USD35 for shuttle vs USD20-25 for hostel in Santiago and buses between here and Santiago and Santiago and Boq, the saving also saves a day, which means an extra night's accom to find, sort of, maybe. But while the cost, style (dorms) and availability of Panama accom is annoying, I do probably just about have more money than time wrt this kind of thing.
Wrt hiking etc in Boq and environs, while if there are lots of super cool things I really want to do that's fair enough, I otherwise need to remember the thing is to do *something*, not that I have to do everything. I dunno if there are small towns in that region other than Boq you might stay in which might (hahahaha) have cheap decent accom but I guess worry about that once I'm there and see what's happening.
Boq is also apparently chock full of US retirees which I'm sure doesn't help prices. But it does sound pretty decent, and I think the weather is cooler there too.
It's just a shame I'm not doing this with a feeling of chilled drifting along, but the accom just isn't working out like that. It may all turn out for the best in terms of having more time later for somewhere I really like.
I don't desperately intend to but it's not inconceivable I'd put some time in in SC towards end of trip as I return to PC - it's out of the way, but either via private shuttle or public buses via Santiago it is doable and it's a kind of OK side-trip for a day or two which isn't a million miles from PC.
1638 I was going to watch sunset with a soft drink but since I'm only here two more nights and Boq sounds cooler I guess fuck it, will have a beer tonight.
It's fine but undeniably this hurry-scurry business with a constant shortage of accommodation is a bit sucky. CR dorms were even more expensive than here, but there was at least an ample supply almost everywhere. ISTR being slightly rushed out of Montezuma due to accom issues - not insuperable, but inconvenient chopping and changing would have been required and it wasn't worth it - but unless it's just rose tinted glasses it generally felt price and thus need for dorm was a pisser, but I didn't feel I couldn't get accom at a borderline approx price. Here so often there's a handful at best or even just one cheap option and everything being sold out feels a real option. To be scrupulously fair the situation here in SC is Montezuma-ish - there is a dorm bed available (tho not many, afaics) if I want to stay extra nights, but it all just feels unsatisfactory enough that I might just as well move on.
Wearing trousers and ls top now btw. Did toy with keeping trunks+ss shirt on after shower but I wanted to water-only rinse the shirt (even tho I intend to wear it into sea again tomorrow) and I wanted to put phones in pockets and in the end I didn't. Maybe a comfort zone issue but not entirely - and did already push cz eg walking back from Estero in "beach" clothes and going into shop twice and sitting on town beach wearing them.
Some guy is squeezing limes and the smell is amazing. Makes me wish I were in Mexico enjoying a beer+lime (tho after my visit in Guadalajara in 2007 I don't ever remember being offered limes to squeeze into beer again).
To be fair the Boquete dorm is about USD15/night (maybe tax on top, not sure) which isn't bad value. But there was no private option, and this was the *only* cheap place that hadn't sold out - I do get feeling Boq is touristy enough and "backpackery" enough there will be other cheapish hostels, but maybe I misremember that search for the dates further ahead.
With the 4 nights in Boq, when I check out I will have about two weeks left. (Maybe a day extra, not trying to be precise here.) I guess this probably works out, eg if I want I could do a week in Boq/environs and then a week in BdT and not be going hell for leather to get back to PC in time.
1656 Got confirmation and another one of those pre-registration "requests" . As before it says it can be completed any time up to check in so I'm just going to ignore it, best case is I don't have to do it and worst case I have to do it on arrival.
Trying not to let all this (accom stuff generally, not this pre-reg wank) get me down. It's still cool to be here (in Panama, and in SC). Even with dorm change crap, I still have a lazyish day tomorrow. etc
And I am probably "gonna do stuff" in Boq and have as noted given PDs a kick today and it's fine. I am perhaps if anything going to "do more" than I otherwise would, which may make more/better memories even if it's not as chilled as I'd like. And I will probably splurge on a private at some point even if it doesn't get appealingly priced, although I'm talking like USD40-50/night for 2-3 nights, not USD100/night. To be fair the dorm business really isn't that big a deal, the main bugger is when it interferes with laundry and as I've seen that can be an issue with private+shared bathroom too.
I do have some control and when/if I get tired of being bounced around by accommodation concerns there is the option to splurge. But I really don't want to be splurging into high double figures a night unless it *really* gets me something I want.
FWIW the 2019 Eng language lonely planet central america guide on table in dorm in Santiago only mentioned Chiriqui and BdT provinces (IIRC; think those two anyway, both west end of country) and Panama City, the whole rest of country was omitted. Obviously space at a premium in a whole CA guide but I think this shows how the "primary" tourist attractions are spread round Panama.
Not ruling out a future visit at some point which may get more off the beaten track, but it would obviously depend on the availability of cheap accom and gut feeling is there are lots of other places I'd rather go first. But you know, I could see perhaps popping over the border from CR. And of course I am not going to exhaust the stuff which is listed in the guide book this trip, so another on-the-beaten-path visit in future not off cards either, tho as an expensive-feeling destination (it's almost entirely the accom - nothing else feels insanely priced) I am not likely to come back that soon, unless maybe mixing Panama with some other country.
2022 Just booked shuttle to Boquete. Of course it's USD35+tax but what can you do?
I had two beers at sunset. I feel a bit odd but cannot be fucking drunk surely. Sunset not bad. Shouldn't have had beers just on diminishing specialness grounds.
Was gonna try La Perla after but I wandered up steps with two empty beer cans in hand (cos I'd not seen a bin since beach and wasn't gonna chuck them on beach) and a guy with his mouth full wandered up and seemed to glare at me and I asked if they had a table and he said something through the food so I left. Oh, for bonus points I also stumbled on top step - I'd had 2x355ml cans, I honestly don't think I was drunk. Fuck 'em. TBH they may not have been serving, it's not obvious this was cos he thought I was drunk but who fucking knows.
So went to place ate yday and it was nearly empty (is this the extra delay from hanging on an extra 20ish mins at sunset???) and they had no chicken but I got a surprisingly decent roast pork (steak/chop) with chips - but the guy didn't ask me if I wanted anything to drink, so I didn't ask for one and did without, so USD5 and 1 tip. I'd sneaked cans into a random bin by this point and find it hard to believe this down to any mild drunken appearance I might have had.
Got two big bottles water at minisuper by hostel, was gonna get some bread snack ring things but I asked and felt 1.70 was silly price.
Vague plan for tomorrow is to be up 7ish, have breakfast, pack everything into bag but leave it chained to bunk and continue to leave stuff in locker by bed. There's a fair chance I'll be back by 11am checkout given I hope to be up an hour earlier and worst case I really don't see how much of a fuss they can kick up about a locked bag chained to bunk and and a locked locker - none of this stops them making the bed etc. And this feels safer than leaving bag with reception, esp since as plan to go to beach as I did today I want to leave almost everything here (split between bag and locker) rather than losing absolutely everything because reception don't keep an eye on my bag. I haven't asked if I can do this, it just seems ultra reasonable on my side and in unlikely event they kick off I will just apologise. (I mean, I've already paid for another night, so what harm am I doing?)
Got confirmation for shuttle Fri, I hope/assume I can hang around in courtyard here for the 2h post technical checkout. Will presumably have to pay driver in cash.
Everything OK, I just feel "odd" after those beers - but like I say, I just can't be significantly or obnoxiously drunk on two beers, esp considering I snacked on junk this afternoon so hardly an empty stomach. Meh.
Still, at least the Boq trip is now booked. Fingers crossed tomorrow morning will be faff-free in practice.
Plan is no alcohol tomorrow. Not because I feel odd now - was formulating plan before this - but because if I drink too often it just feels routine. *Maybe* I'll want a beer when I get to Boquete, and if not that will be at least two days off.
I am gonna have to see what tours are available but gut feeling is the thing I'd most like to do in Boq if it's feasible is the 6-8hish hike up the volcano, which may involve hiking up overnight or camping or something. But I'll just have to see what tour options are available.
Some businesses here (inc minisuper by hostel - snapped a poor photo) have a notice seeming to suggest if *consumers* do not demand a receipt they can be fined!? What the arseholing fuck? Maybe I'm misreading it.
Looks like new hostel may actually be location of former Boq branch of PC hostel (which used to have more but they were all "circle with bar" crossed out on the map outside), judging from OM.
I feel "OK" happinessy but not great. Meh. Maybe those beers playing a role. Yawning. Sucks not to just have the proper "full" day at this hostel tomorrow I am paying for, but in reality with a little strategic pseudo-non-compliance re dumping my bag at reception and an early start it will most be a non-issue.
2054 I am not nec going to bed but given I want to be up earlyish and am yawning and mildly fed up I am going to go clean my teeth - I am only drinking water so this doesn't "commit" me - and may move towards bed soonish and will send this now and if there is anything else tonight it can go in tomorrow's entry.
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