Bocas del Toro

Central American rainy season was in full swing when I board my bus to Bocas del Toro, Panama. The overnight bus dropped me off just before sunset at the boat doc where I waited for a small speed boat ("taxi") to take me to the Bocas del Toro archipelago. The questionably stable boat, took sharp turns and whizzed past many house on stilts and many houses whose stilts had failed. The sun began to rise as the boat bounced past one very tiny island after another until we slowed down to dock at the main township of Bocas del Toro. The town still asleep (it was only 5am), had an odd calm as it looked out across the green water. I found a hostel that would let me check in very, very early and immediately went to sleep.

I woke up a few hours later to the sound of my hostel roommates, packing their ridiculously large suitcases and speaking very loudly in Hebrew. I decided to get out and explore the island that so many of my fellow travelers recommend. I soon found my way to a local dive shop where I asked several questions about diving before finding myself on a boat headed to a "really awesome" drift dive. My first dive was not a drift dive, it was merely a shallow reef dive complete with jellyfish and not much else. Disappointed I was not convinced the second dive would be much better and then as the boat pulled us to our departure point I noticed something i've never seen before, I could see the drift current in the water. The fast moving current of very warm water was a slightly different color than the surrounding water. I could tell that this dive would be an adventure. I jumped in and was immediately taken into the current. I relaxed my body and decided to see where it would lead. I did something I never do I let the water have control. The surges in the current shot me back and forth over the beautiful coral and marine life for at least fifteen minutes and then suddenly the ride came to an end as I was shot out of the current into a sand bed about 18 meters deep. There I waited for my fellow divers to join me before exploring the cave that was starring at me and calling my name. The cave was amazing because it was home to at least twelve nurse sharks all resting in neat stacks. On the cave floor were several large lobster and a dead infant hammer head shark. Indeed, one of the coolest dives I've experienced and the reason that I am buying an underwater dive camera when I get home.

I returned back to my hostel on an adrenaline high and very hungry. Hoping I to make some friends, I began to make a very large bowl of pasta hoping I could share with someone, but nobody would talk to me. I felt like the kid picked last for a sport. Then I began to notice something odd. Everyone, and I mean everyone in my hostel was speaking Hebrew. It was as if every Israeli in Panama was staying at this hostel. I tried to start a conversation with a few people but they quickly moved away favoring spending time with other Israeli travelers. It was so peculiar, nobody would talk with me or eat with me, because I was not from Israel. I still can't figure out why. But the social isolation was the reason I chose to switch my hostel the next morning to the Aqua Lounge, a hostel on an nearby island built entirely over the water, with a view from a postcard.

The people at the Aqua Lounge were friendly and laid back and with easy swimming access I stayed for 3 days. Relaxing and doing nothing felt great. But after three days another problem arose. Sand-flies, my little buddies from Honduras, except these sand-flies were more itchy and more painful than their Honduran cousins. My legs were covered in bites and after 3 days of them feasting on me, I felt like I was on fire. It was time to say goodbye to Panama.