Ziplines and a wicked cold
Saturday, January 5th, 2008Our second day in boquete took us to boquete tree trek, a zip-line company. The pricetag wasn’t cheap: $60.00, on the high side for this type of excursion but we needed some adventure and we sure got it. We were taken via 4WD high up in the rainforest where we found both forest (amazing, towering, green forest) and rain (wet and cold). This did wonders for the senses but little for my health.
I had ziplined once before, over cenotes in the yucatan of MX, but these ziplines were in a completely different league. They were longer, higher, faster. Also, ones “breaks” with leather covered hands which takes some doing. But a good time was had by all (or almost all, since some got more than they bargained for).
we dined with samuel, an israeli that provided me with a much needed non-travel related conversation the evening prior. Samuel is a diamond broker and since the usual cast of travel-talking characters were out on an excursion I took the opportunity to delve into the world of diamonds and ended the evening with a refreshing conversation about wealth and happiness. We both marveled at the arbitrary value placed on items such as diamonds and diesl jeans. He and his bosses are fond of saying that they owe their business to stupid women and whores. I had to add “and cheating husbands” who cough up diamonds to make up for their indiscretions, but I suppose that may fall into the “stupid women” category. stupid for allowing themselves to be bought with rocks. I say he is an israeli but he lives in LA. This also makes for an interesting culture conflict to probe.
Overnight my cold worsened and I lay awake deciding whether I could make our planned trip to the other side of volcan baru, to the small town of cerra punta. I realized I couldn’t and worried about disappointing janae, who only has several more days in panama. But I decided I couldn’t risk getting worse, especially since the territory I will ply after I leave boquete will be far more rugged for at least several weeks.
In the morning I broke the news to jenae who completely understood and she made plans to head to panama city for some fun there before she flies out. I found a new hostel with far superior beds and a lovely backyard facing the river. In addition to the comfy bed my room at hostel boquete has a private bathroom and balcony – all for only $20. Less in total than the room at nomba that after 3 days looked shabbier and shabbier and left my back aching. I am very pleased and will likely settle here to recuperate for a few days.
Peggy Rehm