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On June 29th we left for the Azuero Peninsula. This was new territory for Colleen and me and we were looking
forward to seeing the area. We headed toward Pedasi and stayed on the beach at Playa Arenal. The turn to the
beach is at a SCUBA supply store and the IPAT (tourism) office. Right next door to the IPAT is a great internet
café.
Playa Arenal is where the fishing boats bring in their fish and then moor. At night there is an armed guard that
makes sure no one steals the motors off the fishing skiffs. There are also really bright lights that, if all are turned
on, can make it seem as bright as daylight. We bought a fresh yellowfin tuna for $5 and a large shark fillet for
dinner. We cooked them on the BBQ and they were delicious.
The next day we had considered renting a boat to take us to Iguana Island, but decided that it was too expensive.
The group that we had left at the Costa Rica/Panama border was about 20 miles down the coast and did go to the
island and said that it was great. Oh well, you can’t always guess right.
On the 30th we went back up the coast to Las Tablas and camped on a cement slab right next to the Texaco
station. We enjoyed driving around the area and seeing Porras’ house (Porras was a president of Panama at the
turn of the century). In town there is a museum that has artifacts from his life. On July 1st it was Mireya Moscoso’s
(she is the current president of Panama) birthday and she was due in Las Tablas to inaugurate the highway from
Las Tablas to Pedasi. We hung out in town until noon to see her and get some pictures as she appeared at the
ceremony. This was the second time that we saw a president of one of the Central American countries during this
trip…the last one was in Belize at a county fair.
From Las Tablas we left at around 1:00 to go to David and stayed at the PriceSmart store in the parking lot (N 8:
26 W 82:28) and did some stocking up on food supplies. The other group was there at the same time and Bruce
and Maria, who went with the original organizers of the trip when the group first divided six days into the trip back
in January, have left their subgroup and are going to hook up with the other group.
We are all playing musical groups and of the original eleven vehicles and seventeen people who left together on
January 2nd, all of them made it to Panama except for 2 vehicles and 3 people. Additionally we picked up one
vehicle and two people in Guatemala. Now, on the return trip we are divided into 4 groups…a group of 6 vehicles,
two groups of two vehicles and one vehicle traveling alone. I think it is pretty fantastic that most of us made it to
Panama.
From David we left for Boquete which is up in the mountains in the Chiriqui Province. This is the most beautiful
area of Panama as far as I am concerned. It is cool, unrelentingly green, and downright gorgeous. It is said to rain
197 inches a year here…no wonder it is so green. This was the second time that Colleen and I visited there and
we liked it even better than the last time. We made arrangements to park on a cement slab between the fire
station and the mayor’s office. Several people helped us find that spot and we felt very welcomed to the city.
One of the men who was helpful, Vidal Suarez, brought one of his friends, John Collins, to visit. John was raised in
Panama on a coffee finca in Boquete, went to the US for college, returned to Panama to work on the finca, went
back to the states for a few years and has now returned to the 900 acre finca to get it back on its feet. He invited
us to visit the finca and we took him up on the offer. He gave us a lengthy tour and explained everything to us and
patiently answered our questions. It was fascinating!!!! He would welcome us back anytime during December to
March to help with the harvest….that might be really fun and very interesting. His coffee is marketed under the
name Lerida Estate Coffee. He plans to create a lodge on the finca where birdwatchers and others could stay
while they hike the Sendero de los Quetzales….a trail that connects Boquete to the town of Cerro Punta on the
other side of Volcan Baru and goes through the Volcan National Park. It is an incredible area and well worth
visiting.
On July 4th we went to a gathering of Americans, Canadians, Panamanians and others at the Santa Lucia
Country Club for a potluck lunch. We met some really nice folks and all of them said how much they loved to live
in the area. A couple that we had met as we were parking at the fire department, Mikey and Hershel, used to be
fulltime Rvers, lived in Albuquerque for many years and they invited us to the party. After the party that evening,
Larry, Joyce and I went to their home so Larry and I could play Bridge with them. Their house is really lovely and
has an incredible view across the valley.
On July 5th we were sorry to leave Boquete, but we still have a lot to see and time is slipping by. We went back
through David, over to Concepcion and up to Volcan where Colleen and I were about 2 ½ weeks before. We
camped on the side of the town park about 2 blocks off the main road (N 8:46 W 82:38). From there we could walk
to the grocery store, the internet and the video rental shop.
The next day we went to Cerro Punta, then to Las Nubes and up to the Parque Internacional La Amistad which is
614,000 hectares in area (1 hectare is 2.5 acres) and is partly in Panama and partly in Costa Rica. We went up to
the ranger station, parked the truck and started hiking. Larry and Joyce took the trail to the top and then back
down and around the loop trail while Colleen and I hiked just the loop trail with some little side trips. Colleen and I
took 2 ½ hours to hike just the loop and Larry and Joyce were into the aerobics of it that day and did all of it in
about the same amount of time. Walking through a really dense, wet, green, muddy jungle has got to be one of
the thrills of the trip. I like jungles, especially ones that are up at altitude because they are very cool and not hot
and humid like the ones at lower elevations.
To diverge a bit….we are in the throes of the rainy season. We have made several trips to Central America in
prior years, but they have always been during the Summer or dry season during December to April. The rainy
season, what they call winter, officially starts in May in most areas and can be days of rain without end or, usually,
the day starts out partly sunny and then starts to rain in the afternoon. When it rains here it doesn’t mess
around….it really pours!!!! The lightning flashes, the thunder crashes, the streets run like rivers, the leaves get
heavy and droop and mud is everywhere. We have all decided that if we are going to do and see what there is to
see, we might just have to do it even though it is raining. We all have ponchos, rainjackets and umbrellas which
keep us mostly dry. Colleen has even bought a pair of the ubiquitous rubber boots that everyone wears. We try
for morning sightseeing and are mostly rewarded with pretty good weather. Afternoons we spend catching up on
writing, reading and other quieter pursuits.
We spent 2 nights in Volcan and decided that it is even lovelier than Boquete because it has more of an
expansive feeling about it. There are large beautiful valleys where lots of onions, potatoes, carrots and cabbages
are grown on impossibly steep hillsides and down on the flats too. There are lots of rivers and streams, cows and
horses grazing and beauty everywhere you look. This is an area not to be missed. We filled up with water at the
fire station across the street from where we parked and then headed off to cross the border into Costa Rica.
We had decided that the area north of Volcan and up to Rio Sereno looked more interesting as a border crossing
option than crossing at the usual crossing at Paso Canoas. When we were in Boquete we asked whether the road
was passable and how to deal with the crossing. We were told that the road was new, very steep, winding and a
beautiful route. We got all kinds of hints on how to park and do the paperwork etcetera. We followed the
instructions to the letter and, after a spectacular drive, we arrived at the tiny border town of Rio Sereno. We
walked about a half mile to the Panamanian Immigration Office only to discover that the only people who are
allowed to cross there are Panamanian residents and Costa Ricans. As we were standing there, a man from
Mexico was turned away and he wandered off with his suitcase on wheels.
Apparently this area has been used extensively for illegal crossings for people trying to get to the US and they are
now not allowing foreigners to cross here. We pled our case, and after many phone calls to Panama City on the
part of a charming border official, our passports were stamped and we had just officially exited Panama. The next
step was to go to the Costa Rica Immigration Office and do the paperwork to get in to CR. The passport part of it
was no problem, but when we told the official that we had 2 vehicles also, he told us that we would have to go to
Paso Canoas as there was no aduana for vehicle crossings. Fortunately, Joyce remembered that we had copies
of all of our papers for entering Costa Rica from Nicaragua and they had not expired yet. Phew!!!!! Going to Paso
Canoas would have been a super pain. We got our vehicle inspected in Panama and then continued on down a
gravel road for 6 kilometers and then it was paved again. Later we were reading the travel books about the area
and discovered that the books are very specific about the Rio Sereno crossing and warn that most people and all
vehicles cannot get authorization to cross. I am glad that we hadn’t read the books as we would not have gotten
to see this area that is far off the beaten path and I am also glad that we had such an understanding and
sympathetic border official who really went the extra mile for us. We got to San Vito around 1:30 and camped next
to the Centro Turistico Las Huacas a couple blocks from the center of town (N 8:49 W 82:58).
After spending the night, we had plans to go early to the botanical gardens before it started raining. I was looking
out the front door and saw a woman who looked American walking toward town. After a few minutes conversation,
Jennifer was invited for breakfast and then went with us to the gardens. She has been living in Australia for the
last 8 years and is on a one year odyssey around the Americas. She is mostly traveling alone but has friends and
family join her for segments of the trip. She is 33 years old.
We all went to the local botanical gardens and wandered around for about 2 ½ hours looking at all manner of
palms, bromeliads, cycads, eleconias, and so many more tropical plants from all over the world. The trails were
not well-marked and we got a little lost at times. At one point we were off on a trail that got muddier and steeper
and we appeared to be following the edge of the property line instead of the marked trails. My foot slipped in the
mud and I tumbled off the narrow trail and part way down a bank. Nothing was hurt but my pride and we decided
to turn back.
We went for an early lunch at a local Italian restaurant (San Vito was originally settled by Italians) and then
decided to head to our next stopping point as it was not far down the road and we were off to Sierpe at the
northern end of the Osa Peninsula where we hope to get in some kayaking in the estuaries. Jennifer has decided
to travel with us for a couple of days as she was headed toward San Jose, we are headed in that general direction
too and she is not in a hurry.
We are camped alongside the local soccer field (N 8:52 W 83:28) in front of the Soda Sierpe in the town of Sierpe
at the end of the road. From here the only way to go any further is to take boats down the Sierpe River. There are
many outfitters here that take travelers out to Drake Bay and to other points where there is access to the Osa
Peninsula and Corcovado National Park. We stayed in town for two nights and kayaked up the Sierpe River and
into various estuaries. The area is a tidal backwater many miles from the coast, but the river rises and falls with
the tide. Sometimes the river runs one way and sometimes the other depending on whether the tide is rising or
falling. The water wasn’t suitable for swimming, but provided many hours of beautiful kayaking.
During one five mile round trip up the Estero Azul we got to watch white faced monkeys and a spider monkey as
they were inspecting us curiously. I imagine they were hoping for a snack, but we didn’t have anything to give
them. Additionally, the first night we were there we hired some local kids to take us out looking for crocodiles. The
tide was up and there were none to be seen. It was kind of spooky putting along in a boat in the dark with just
flashlights.
From Sierpe we were headed to Punta Uvita and the Ballena National Park. We knew that there was a bridge that
was under repair on the other side of Punta Uvita and that the temporary crossing occasionally washes out when
there are heavy rains. We decided to take our chances with the crossing. Along the way there was another bridge
under repair and the temporary one was just wide enough for our rigs to cross with very little room to spare. As
Larry crossed it there was a bit of a dip and his 5er started bouncing up and down. I thought it was rather bad
form to be jumping on a bridge that looked sort of precarious to begin with. We both got across that one okay and
on we went. We tried to find somewhere to boondock that wasn’t right alongside the road, but were unsuccessful
and went on to Dominical. That meant we had to cross the other crossing we had been warned about. It was just a
heap of gravel running over some large culverts with excess river flow washing out part of it. We have some great
pictures of these ‘bridges’.
Colleen and I went ahead into Dominical and found a hotel, the Sundancer, with a long driveway in front of it;
there is just enough room for us and a tourist bus. For 5000 colones per night for both rigs we can use the
swimming pool and the showers. We are camped here very near the beach with access to the restaurants and the
town. We will make day trips back down the coast to Punta Uva and will be here for two or three days.
We stayed in Dominical for 3 nights. On the morning we were going to leave Dominical, Larry discovered that the
brakes on one wheel had worn down to nothing and had baclly scored the rotor. This was the same wheel whose
brakes had given him trouble back in Belize. So we were off to a delayed start as Larry changed the brake pads
on that wheel. I have to say that Larry has come very well-prepared with spare parts and it’s a good thing as he
has had many mechanical problems on this trip. Their rig is a New Horizons 5th wheel which is a very sturdy rig
and has all kinds of trick systems on it. Some of those trick systems seem to be giving him a lot of problems. I
would have been really grumpy by now if our rig had been giving us this much trouble. They have been without a
refrigerator (just an ordinary RV frig) for a couple of months because it finally failed for good even after they had
returned to Tucson at the beginning of the trip to get it taken care of. Joyce doesn’t mind eating out more
frequently and they store some important things like ice cream bars in our freezer. Larry and Joyce are
maintaining their good humor and the delays are no problem for us because we are not in a hurry to get
anywhere.
Leaving Dominical we headed for San Isidro de El General. Originally we were going to stop in that area and
spend some time in the mountains, but because of Larry and Joyce's brake problems we decided to head directly
back to San Antonio de Belen near San Jose. In order to get there we had to cross the Cerro de la Muerte (Death
Hill) which is the highest point on the Pan American Highway at over 11,000 feet. On roads like this one is when I
am really grateful that we have the diesel engine and the exhaust brake….it is really easy to just glide down the
steep mountains only having to apply the brakes on tight curves.
We returned to the same trailer park in San Antonio so Colleen could get some additional dental work done with
the same dentist and Larry could deal with his brakes. Larry had the rotor turned and while he was at it the
mechanic noticed that one of his tires had tread that was separating from the casing. He had been watching that
tire as it had been wearing differently from the others. So the tire was removed and the spare put on which now
left him with no spare. We had the mechanic check our brakes and they are wearing fine. We also changed the oil
and all the filters on the generator…the total cost for us including oil (we had the filters with us) was 10,000
Colones (about $23). Jennifer, the young woman we met in San Vito, was still with us and was going to travel in
the area for a few days while she waited for her mom to arrive from California to travel with her for 2 weeks. Larry
arranged for Jennifer’s mom, Janice, to bring down a spare tire when she arrived in about a week and Larry and
Joyce would meet her at the airport when she arrived.
We left San Antonio for Playa Junquillal on the Pacific Coast of the Nicoya Peninsula. This is Colleen’s and my
favorite beach in Costa Rica and we had spent 2 days there about a month ago while the rest of the Loose
Chickens went to Monteverde. It was only about 175 miles to the beach with the last 10 miles being a slow dirt
road. We got off to an early enough start, but along the way Larry’s brake controller finally gave up the ghost. He
had been having trouble with it for weeks and now it was no longer working. He is driving a one ton Chevy truck
with duallys but the trailer is really heavy for that truck…you guessed it, he had a special brake system put on and
now it didn’t work. So we proceeded very slowly toward the beach and spent the night along the way at the
Gasolinera Rio Tempisque (N 10:07 W 85:21). In the morning we continued to Playa Junquillal an additional 46
miles.
We camped at the end of the road in Junquillal (I forgot to get the GPS coordinates, but you can’t miss it) next to
the Bar Restaurante Junquillal right on the beach. At the bar they have showers for 200 colones (435
colones/US$) and they had a water spigot for us to fill before we leave. We love this beach…you can walk for
miles either direction, boogie board with some great waves, sit in hot tubs in the lava rock tide pools at low tide,
watch incredible sunsets, take side trips to other beaches and just dream about living here forever.
Larry had to deal with his brake controller failure and made arrangements for an entire new system to be shipped
to Janice, Jennifer’s mom, for her to bring down when she came. She was now bringing a 55# spare tire, a 40#
brake controller, and some odds and ends…this is one generous woman!!!! We all had a great time for about 5
days and then Joyce and Larry headed back to San Jose in the truck with their tent to pick up Janice and to take
some day trips to Irazu and the area around Cartago and Orosi that we visited when the others were in
Tortuguero. Colleen and I stayed at Junquillal….poor poor us…hah!
They returned after two nights away and brought Janice, Jennifer, a new brake controller and a spare tire with
them. Jennifer and Janice stayed with us. Janice is a high school math teacher at Torrey Pines High School near
Carlsbad, California where she lives. She was delightful…we already knew she would be…and it was fun getting
to know her. We stayed at Junquillal for another couple of days (10 nights in all) and then dropped Jennifer and
Janice off in Santa Cruz for them to catch a bus to another Nicoya beach called Montezuma as we headed for
Granada, Nicaragua. Along the way we did our second ‘jungle dump’ of the trip into a cow pasture.
In Granada we camped behind the Restaurante Boricua in the Turicentro down by the Malecon (N 11:55 W 85:56)
for 175 Cordobas for both rigs for 4 nights (17 Cordobas/US$). Colleen and I got our bicycles down and were able
to pedal around town to the internet and various places.
We also got the kayaks down and took them to a boat launch to paddle around the Isletas of Lake Nicaragua.
That was a delightful trip as we used the GPS to leave waypoints as we made turns around the little islands so we
could find our way back. We paddled for a couple of hours, ate lunch at a comedor on a little island and enjoyed
the reasonably cool and slightly overcast day. As we headed home carefully following our electronic breadcrumbs,
it started to rain and then it poured!!!! This was one of those rains that come straight down like a curtain of rain.
We paddled as fast as we could hoping that we’d get there before the kayak filled with water to where we would
have to start bailing. We looked like the proverbial drowned rats as we arrived back at the launch point.
On getting back to the rig we found a large puddle of water on the floor that we thought had been caused by the
bathroom vent being left partially open, but figured out that it was more than that. We had lost our refrigerator
cover up on the roof (we think we know which tree limb got it) and the downpour we had just paddled through had
rained straight in around the frig. We put a board and a rock on it leaving a space for it to continue venting and
Larry helped me design a new cover to be made from sheetmetal. It is easy and cheap to make repairs down here
because Central Americans repair homes, appliances and vehicles to have them last far beyond what we consider
a useful life in the States and the labor rate is very low. With the design in hand we drove around Granada asking
for an ‘hojalateria,’ a sheetmetal shop. We found one and the next day and $9 later we had a replacement.
When I returned to where we were camped after picking up the new frig cover I was extremely hot and since Larry
was within 10 feet of our rig working on his projects, I left the bike parked without locking it. It disappeared within
15 minutes and we were unaware that there was anyone around. It was my own laziness that lost me the bike….
we have been so careful about not leaving things out without locking them and, when I was a little careless, the
bicycle was whisked away. We had not had any troubles for 7 months. I think what irritated me the most was that I
had the bike greased and oiled that morning while I was in town and it was working better than it had for a long
time.
Leaving Granada we drove 180 miles to San Marcos, Honduras where we parked for the night on the street in
front of a hardware store. It cost us $32 per rig for border fees. We didn’t put out our slides as the area was pretty
narrow and it was just an overnight stop. It happened that this day was the Fiesta of the Patron Saint of San
Marcos and there was a great carnival down the road a ways and we all walked there. Kids and carnivals and
families are the same everywhere you go…the only thing that changes is the food.
This brings us to July 31st and the end of this chapter of the travelogue.
forward to seeing the area. We headed toward Pedasi and stayed on the beach at Playa Arenal. The turn to the
beach is at a SCUBA supply store and the IPAT (tourism) office. Right next door to the IPAT is a great internet
café.
Playa Arenal is where the fishing boats bring in their fish and then moor. At night there is an armed guard that
makes sure no one steals the motors off the fishing skiffs. There are also really bright lights that, if all are turned
on, can make it seem as bright as daylight. We bought a fresh yellowfin tuna for $5 and a large shark fillet for
dinner. We cooked them on the BBQ and they were delicious.
The next day we had considered renting a boat to take us to Iguana Island, but decided that it was too expensive.
The group that we had left at the Costa Rica/Panama border was about 20 miles down the coast and did go to the
island and said that it was great. Oh well, you can’t always guess right.
On the 30th we went back up the coast to Las Tablas and camped on a cement slab right next to the Texaco
station. We enjoyed driving around the area and seeing Porras’ house (Porras was a president of Panama at the
turn of the century). In town there is a museum that has artifacts from his life. On July 1st it was Mireya Moscoso’s
(she is the current president of Panama) birthday and she was due in Las Tablas to inaugurate the highway from
Las Tablas to Pedasi. We hung out in town until noon to see her and get some pictures as she appeared at the
ceremony. This was the second time that we saw a president of one of the Central American countries during this
trip…the last one was in Belize at a county fair.
From Las Tablas we left at around 1:00 to go to David and stayed at the PriceSmart store in the parking lot (N 8:
26 W 82:28) and did some stocking up on food supplies. The other group was there at the same time and Bruce
and Maria, who went with the original organizers of the trip when the group first divided six days into the trip back
in January, have left their subgroup and are going to hook up with the other group.
We are all playing musical groups and of the original eleven vehicles and seventeen people who left together on
January 2nd, all of them made it to Panama except for 2 vehicles and 3 people. Additionally we picked up one
vehicle and two people in Guatemala. Now, on the return trip we are divided into 4 groups…a group of 6 vehicles,
two groups of two vehicles and one vehicle traveling alone. I think it is pretty fantastic that most of us made it to
Panama.
From David we left for Boquete which is up in the mountains in the Chiriqui Province. This is the most beautiful
area of Panama as far as I am concerned. It is cool, unrelentingly green, and downright gorgeous. It is said to rain
197 inches a year here…no wonder it is so green. This was the second time that Colleen and I visited there and
we liked it even better than the last time. We made arrangements to park on a cement slab between the fire
station and the mayor’s office. Several people helped us find that spot and we felt very welcomed to the city.
One of the men who was helpful, Vidal Suarez, brought one of his friends, John Collins, to visit. John was raised in
Panama on a coffee finca in Boquete, went to the US for college, returned to Panama to work on the finca, went
back to the states for a few years and has now returned to the 900 acre finca to get it back on its feet. He invited
us to visit the finca and we took him up on the offer. He gave us a lengthy tour and explained everything to us and
patiently answered our questions. It was fascinating!!!! He would welcome us back anytime during December to
March to help with the harvest….that might be really fun and very interesting. His coffee is marketed under the
name Lerida Estate Coffee. He plans to create a lodge on the finca where birdwatchers and others could stay
while they hike the Sendero de los Quetzales….a trail that connects Boquete to the town of Cerro Punta on the
other side of Volcan Baru and goes through the Volcan National Park. It is an incredible area and well worth
visiting.
On July 4th we went to a gathering of Americans, Canadians, Panamanians and others at the Santa Lucia
Country Club for a potluck lunch. We met some really nice folks and all of them said how much they loved to live
in the area. A couple that we had met as we were parking at the fire department, Mikey and Hershel, used to be
fulltime Rvers, lived in Albuquerque for many years and they invited us to the party. After the party that evening,
Larry, Joyce and I went to their home so Larry and I could play Bridge with them. Their house is really lovely and
has an incredible view across the valley.
On July 5th we were sorry to leave Boquete, but we still have a lot to see and time is slipping by. We went back
through David, over to Concepcion and up to Volcan where Colleen and I were about 2 ½ weeks before. We
camped on the side of the town park about 2 blocks off the main road (N 8:46 W 82:38). From there we could walk
to the grocery store, the internet and the video rental shop.
The next day we went to Cerro Punta, then to Las Nubes and up to the Parque Internacional La Amistad which is
614,000 hectares in area (1 hectare is 2.5 acres) and is partly in Panama and partly in Costa Rica. We went up to
the ranger station, parked the truck and started hiking. Larry and Joyce took the trail to the top and then back
down and around the loop trail while Colleen and I hiked just the loop trail with some little side trips. Colleen and I
took 2 ½ hours to hike just the loop and Larry and Joyce were into the aerobics of it that day and did all of it in
about the same amount of time. Walking through a really dense, wet, green, muddy jungle has got to be one of
the thrills of the trip. I like jungles, especially ones that are up at altitude because they are very cool and not hot
and humid like the ones at lower elevations.
To diverge a bit….we are in the throes of the rainy season. We have made several trips to Central America in
prior years, but they have always been during the Summer or dry season during December to April. The rainy
season, what they call winter, officially starts in May in most areas and can be days of rain without end or, usually,
the day starts out partly sunny and then starts to rain in the afternoon. When it rains here it doesn’t mess
around….it really pours!!!! The lightning flashes, the thunder crashes, the streets run like rivers, the leaves get
heavy and droop and mud is everywhere. We have all decided that if we are going to do and see what there is to
see, we might just have to do it even though it is raining. We all have ponchos, rainjackets and umbrellas which
keep us mostly dry. Colleen has even bought a pair of the ubiquitous rubber boots that everyone wears. We try
for morning sightseeing and are mostly rewarded with pretty good weather. Afternoons we spend catching up on
writing, reading and other quieter pursuits.
We spent 2 nights in Volcan and decided that it is even lovelier than Boquete because it has more of an
expansive feeling about it. There are large beautiful valleys where lots of onions, potatoes, carrots and cabbages
are grown on impossibly steep hillsides and down on the flats too. There are lots of rivers and streams, cows and
horses grazing and beauty everywhere you look. This is an area not to be missed. We filled up with water at the
fire station across the street from where we parked and then headed off to cross the border into Costa Rica.
We had decided that the area north of Volcan and up to Rio Sereno looked more interesting as a border crossing
option than crossing at the usual crossing at Paso Canoas. When we were in Boquete we asked whether the road
was passable and how to deal with the crossing. We were told that the road was new, very steep, winding and a
beautiful route. We got all kinds of hints on how to park and do the paperwork etcetera. We followed the
instructions to the letter and, after a spectacular drive, we arrived at the tiny border town of Rio Sereno. We
walked about a half mile to the Panamanian Immigration Office only to discover that the only people who are
allowed to cross there are Panamanian residents and Costa Ricans. As we were standing there, a man from
Mexico was turned away and he wandered off with his suitcase on wheels.
Apparently this area has been used extensively for illegal crossings for people trying to get to the US and they are
now not allowing foreigners to cross here. We pled our case, and after many phone calls to Panama City on the
part of a charming border official, our passports were stamped and we had just officially exited Panama. The next
step was to go to the Costa Rica Immigration Office and do the paperwork to get in to CR. The passport part of it
was no problem, but when we told the official that we had 2 vehicles also, he told us that we would have to go to
Paso Canoas as there was no aduana for vehicle crossings. Fortunately, Joyce remembered that we had copies
of all of our papers for entering Costa Rica from Nicaragua and they had not expired yet. Phew!!!!! Going to Paso
Canoas would have been a super pain. We got our vehicle inspected in Panama and then continued on down a
gravel road for 6 kilometers and then it was paved again. Later we were reading the travel books about the area
and discovered that the books are very specific about the Rio Sereno crossing and warn that most people and all
vehicles cannot get authorization to cross. I am glad that we hadn’t read the books as we would not have gotten
to see this area that is far off the beaten path and I am also glad that we had such an understanding and
sympathetic border official who really went the extra mile for us. We got to San Vito around 1:30 and camped next
to the Centro Turistico Las Huacas a couple blocks from the center of town (N 8:49 W 82:58).
After spending the night, we had plans to go early to the botanical gardens before it started raining. I was looking
out the front door and saw a woman who looked American walking toward town. After a few minutes conversation,
Jennifer was invited for breakfast and then went with us to the gardens. She has been living in Australia for the
last 8 years and is on a one year odyssey around the Americas. She is mostly traveling alone but has friends and
family join her for segments of the trip. She is 33 years old.
We all went to the local botanical gardens and wandered around for about 2 ½ hours looking at all manner of
palms, bromeliads, cycads, eleconias, and so many more tropical plants from all over the world. The trails were
not well-marked and we got a little lost at times. At one point we were off on a trail that got muddier and steeper
and we appeared to be following the edge of the property line instead of the marked trails. My foot slipped in the
mud and I tumbled off the narrow trail and part way down a bank. Nothing was hurt but my pride and we decided
to turn back.
We went for an early lunch at a local Italian restaurant (San Vito was originally settled by Italians) and then
decided to head to our next stopping point as it was not far down the road and we were off to Sierpe at the
northern end of the Osa Peninsula where we hope to get in some kayaking in the estuaries. Jennifer has decided
to travel with us for a couple of days as she was headed toward San Jose, we are headed in that general direction
too and she is not in a hurry.
We are camped alongside the local soccer field (N 8:52 W 83:28) in front of the Soda Sierpe in the town of Sierpe
at the end of the road. From here the only way to go any further is to take boats down the Sierpe River. There are
many outfitters here that take travelers out to Drake Bay and to other points where there is access to the Osa
Peninsula and Corcovado National Park. We stayed in town for two nights and kayaked up the Sierpe River and
into various estuaries. The area is a tidal backwater many miles from the coast, but the river rises and falls with
the tide. Sometimes the river runs one way and sometimes the other depending on whether the tide is rising or
falling. The water wasn’t suitable for swimming, but provided many hours of beautiful kayaking.
During one five mile round trip up the Estero Azul we got to watch white faced monkeys and a spider monkey as
they were inspecting us curiously. I imagine they were hoping for a snack, but we didn’t have anything to give
them. Additionally, the first night we were there we hired some local kids to take us out looking for crocodiles. The
tide was up and there were none to be seen. It was kind of spooky putting along in a boat in the dark with just
flashlights.
From Sierpe we were headed to Punta Uvita and the Ballena National Park. We knew that there was a bridge that
was under repair on the other side of Punta Uvita and that the temporary crossing occasionally washes out when
there are heavy rains. We decided to take our chances with the crossing. Along the way there was another bridge
under repair and the temporary one was just wide enough for our rigs to cross with very little room to spare. As
Larry crossed it there was a bit of a dip and his 5er started bouncing up and down. I thought it was rather bad
form to be jumping on a bridge that looked sort of precarious to begin with. We both got across that one okay and
on we went. We tried to find somewhere to boondock that wasn’t right alongside the road, but were unsuccessful
and went on to Dominical. That meant we had to cross the other crossing we had been warned about. It was just a
heap of gravel running over some large culverts with excess river flow washing out part of it. We have some great
pictures of these ‘bridges’.
Colleen and I went ahead into Dominical and found a hotel, the Sundancer, with a long driveway in front of it;
there is just enough room for us and a tourist bus. For 5000 colones per night for both rigs we can use the
swimming pool and the showers. We are camped here very near the beach with access to the restaurants and the
town. We will make day trips back down the coast to Punta Uva and will be here for two or three days.
We stayed in Dominical for 3 nights. On the morning we were going to leave Dominical, Larry discovered that the
brakes on one wheel had worn down to nothing and had baclly scored the rotor. This was the same wheel whose
brakes had given him trouble back in Belize. So we were off to a delayed start as Larry changed the brake pads
on that wheel. I have to say that Larry has come very well-prepared with spare parts and it’s a good thing as he
has had many mechanical problems on this trip. Their rig is a New Horizons 5th wheel which is a very sturdy rig
and has all kinds of trick systems on it. Some of those trick systems seem to be giving him a lot of problems. I
would have been really grumpy by now if our rig had been giving us this much trouble. They have been without a
refrigerator (just an ordinary RV frig) for a couple of months because it finally failed for good even after they had
returned to Tucson at the beginning of the trip to get it taken care of. Joyce doesn’t mind eating out more
frequently and they store some important things like ice cream bars in our freezer. Larry and Joyce are
maintaining their good humor and the delays are no problem for us because we are not in a hurry to get
anywhere.
Leaving Dominical we headed for San Isidro de El General. Originally we were going to stop in that area and
spend some time in the mountains, but because of Larry and Joyce's brake problems we decided to head directly
back to San Antonio de Belen near San Jose. In order to get there we had to cross the Cerro de la Muerte (Death
Hill) which is the highest point on the Pan American Highway at over 11,000 feet. On roads like this one is when I
am really grateful that we have the diesel engine and the exhaust brake….it is really easy to just glide down the
steep mountains only having to apply the brakes on tight curves.
We returned to the same trailer park in San Antonio so Colleen could get some additional dental work done with
the same dentist and Larry could deal with his brakes. Larry had the rotor turned and while he was at it the
mechanic noticed that one of his tires had tread that was separating from the casing. He had been watching that
tire as it had been wearing differently from the others. So the tire was removed and the spare put on which now
left him with no spare. We had the mechanic check our brakes and they are wearing fine. We also changed the oil
and all the filters on the generator…the total cost for us including oil (we had the filters with us) was 10,000
Colones (about $23). Jennifer, the young woman we met in San Vito, was still with us and was going to travel in
the area for a few days while she waited for her mom to arrive from California to travel with her for 2 weeks. Larry
arranged for Jennifer’s mom, Janice, to bring down a spare tire when she arrived in about a week and Larry and
Joyce would meet her at the airport when she arrived.
We left San Antonio for Playa Junquillal on the Pacific Coast of the Nicoya Peninsula. This is Colleen’s and my
favorite beach in Costa Rica and we had spent 2 days there about a month ago while the rest of the Loose
Chickens went to Monteverde. It was only about 175 miles to the beach with the last 10 miles being a slow dirt
road. We got off to an early enough start, but along the way Larry’s brake controller finally gave up the ghost. He
had been having trouble with it for weeks and now it was no longer working. He is driving a one ton Chevy truck
with duallys but the trailer is really heavy for that truck…you guessed it, he had a special brake system put on and
now it didn’t work. So we proceeded very slowly toward the beach and spent the night along the way at the
Gasolinera Rio Tempisque (N 10:07 W 85:21). In the morning we continued to Playa Junquillal an additional 46
miles.
We camped at the end of the road in Junquillal (I forgot to get the GPS coordinates, but you can’t miss it) next to
the Bar Restaurante Junquillal right on the beach. At the bar they have showers for 200 colones (435
colones/US$) and they had a water spigot for us to fill before we leave. We love this beach…you can walk for
miles either direction, boogie board with some great waves, sit in hot tubs in the lava rock tide pools at low tide,
watch incredible sunsets, take side trips to other beaches and just dream about living here forever.
Larry had to deal with his brake controller failure and made arrangements for an entire new system to be shipped
to Janice, Jennifer’s mom, for her to bring down when she came. She was now bringing a 55# spare tire, a 40#
brake controller, and some odds and ends…this is one generous woman!!!! We all had a great time for about 5
days and then Joyce and Larry headed back to San Jose in the truck with their tent to pick up Janice and to take
some day trips to Irazu and the area around Cartago and Orosi that we visited when the others were in
Tortuguero. Colleen and I stayed at Junquillal….poor poor us…hah!
They returned after two nights away and brought Janice, Jennifer, a new brake controller and a spare tire with
them. Jennifer and Janice stayed with us. Janice is a high school math teacher at Torrey Pines High School near
Carlsbad, California where she lives. She was delightful…we already knew she would be…and it was fun getting
to know her. We stayed at Junquillal for another couple of days (10 nights in all) and then dropped Jennifer and
Janice off in Santa Cruz for them to catch a bus to another Nicoya beach called Montezuma as we headed for
Granada, Nicaragua. Along the way we did our second ‘jungle dump’ of the trip into a cow pasture.
In Granada we camped behind the Restaurante Boricua in the Turicentro down by the Malecon (N 11:55 W 85:56)
for 175 Cordobas for both rigs for 4 nights (17 Cordobas/US$). Colleen and I got our bicycles down and were able
to pedal around town to the internet and various places.
We also got the kayaks down and took them to a boat launch to paddle around the Isletas of Lake Nicaragua.
That was a delightful trip as we used the GPS to leave waypoints as we made turns around the little islands so we
could find our way back. We paddled for a couple of hours, ate lunch at a comedor on a little island and enjoyed
the reasonably cool and slightly overcast day. As we headed home carefully following our electronic breadcrumbs,
it started to rain and then it poured!!!! This was one of those rains that come straight down like a curtain of rain.
We paddled as fast as we could hoping that we’d get there before the kayak filled with water to where we would
have to start bailing. We looked like the proverbial drowned rats as we arrived back at the launch point.
On getting back to the rig we found a large puddle of water on the floor that we thought had been caused by the
bathroom vent being left partially open, but figured out that it was more than that. We had lost our refrigerator
cover up on the roof (we think we know which tree limb got it) and the downpour we had just paddled through had
rained straight in around the frig. We put a board and a rock on it leaving a space for it to continue venting and
Larry helped me design a new cover to be made from sheetmetal. It is easy and cheap to make repairs down here
because Central Americans repair homes, appliances and vehicles to have them last far beyond what we consider
a useful life in the States and the labor rate is very low. With the design in hand we drove around Granada asking
for an ‘hojalateria,’ a sheetmetal shop. We found one and the next day and $9 later we had a replacement.
When I returned to where we were camped after picking up the new frig cover I was extremely hot and since Larry
was within 10 feet of our rig working on his projects, I left the bike parked without locking it. It disappeared within
15 minutes and we were unaware that there was anyone around. It was my own laziness that lost me the bike….
we have been so careful about not leaving things out without locking them and, when I was a little careless, the
bicycle was whisked away. We had not had any troubles for 7 months. I think what irritated me the most was that I
had the bike greased and oiled that morning while I was in town and it was working better than it had for a long
time.
Leaving Granada we drove 180 miles to San Marcos, Honduras where we parked for the night on the street in
front of a hardware store. It cost us $32 per rig for border fees. We didn’t put out our slides as the area was pretty
narrow and it was just an overnight stop. It happened that this day was the Fiesta of the Patron Saint of San
Marcos and there was a great carnival down the road a ways and we all walked there. Kids and carnivals and
families are the same everywhere you go…the only thing that changes is the food.
This brings us to July 31st and the end of this chapter of the travelogue.
Copyright - All Rights Reserved
2005
2005
July 2004
Around the World with Kathe and Colleen