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Published: March 15th 2009
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The bus ride to David, Panama took us to different types of climates in the highlands and in the dry humid areas of Costa Rica, soon as we got down the mountains it was quite hot and we struggled , the bus is not airconditioned. While having a lunch stop, we chatted with a local truck driver going to panama to pick up his load, we met Hannah, the only other backpacker in the bus, from NZ, very friendly, she thought of going to Boquete with me but changed her plans later. Daniel is still undecided.. At the border we got out of CR easily then at the Panamanian side, Hannah and i have to buy a visa for $5, so we have to go through all this paperwork, while Daniel a brit got a stamp right away he does not need a visa. We have to bring out our backpacks and have it inspected by customs, took a good 45 minutes maybe.. then off we go again, by this time the bus is only half full, most got off at the border town, we dont understand why people want to live there it is so hot, there is no air.
I saw on the window posted at immigration we need to buy a return ticket for a bus back to Costa Rica, but somehow we were not asked to, either that or i did not understand his Spanish and he just let me go to save time.
Arriving in hot steamy David, Daniel decided to stay cause he wants to watch a football game tomorrow on cable and he doesnt think Boquete has a sports bar. I left them and i took a chicken bus to Boquete almost 2 hours for $1.40. As we go up the mountains the weather changed quickly, now its cool and a bit cloudy and rain is a threat. Arriving in town i found the Refugio del Rio quite easily, this place highly recommended by Thomas, the Austrian i met in Volcan Tenorio. This hostel is apparently new and very nice. My first impression as well was it was a cool place to stay, very promising, I booked a 6 bed dorm but i was put on the 10 bed dorm, it is a big room but since almost all beds are single beds the room looked crowded and has no lockers!! There
BOQUETE
REFUGIO DEL RIO HOSTEL is an ensuite bathroom but did not get to use it as my luck had it, there were also a bunch of Israelis staying there, loud and annoying they crowd the ensuite toilet all the time and lock themselves in there, dont know what they are doing there. I said it before and i say it again I have no problems with them in fact I made lots of friends with them and is still in touch with some, but they have a reputation in the backpacker´s circuit to be loud and annoying when they travel in groups and they mostly keep to themselves sort of very clicky. This group unfortunately is no exception. iwas tired from a long day trip and all i wanted is some peace and quiet that is why i went to this place, but no, they have their own speaker system and put on music inside the dorm, and played some instrument like a didgeridoo(cant spell) so loud. I ignored them and saying anything will amount to nothing anyway, i should have tried but i know this type of travellers theyre calloused.´Eventually after midnighte they all went to bed and i got to het some
zzzzs myself, so nice to sleep hearing the sound of a stream which is just outside my dorm.
The next morning the Israelis woke me up, chatting not whispering. Got up and went for a walk trying to look for another hostel, i eventually found a new hostel called momba hostel, the dorm is small but looks very quite and Gabriella the receptionist is very friendly and helpful and on top of it all, no Israelis! Quickly got back to Refugio del rio talked to the muchacha of the house and i checked out, she initially said i cant get money back since I already paid for 2 nights, i told her i am checking out before the deadline time, she called someone and eventually relented and gave me my money back. Picked up my stuff and left in a hurry.
Walked around town after checking in at Nomba Hostel, very small and cramped dorms but people are nice and no Israelis. I noticed this town is full of SUVs brought by people mostly Americans who decided to retire here, the scenery here is quite nice, fresh mountain air and a occasional mists evey now and then, this
BOQUETE
REFUGIO DEL RIO HOSTEL town as small as it is is quite modern with all the amenities in life available. I followed the stream for a bit then walked in to the garden place just outside of town called "mi jardin es su jardin", really nice flowers and stuff, good to past the time by, then came down and chill at the hostel, the wind picked up a bit that night and quite a bit chilly and the dorm room got more crowded, 2 people we encountered in isla de ometepe showed up and we had chat a bit about our travels then I cooked pasta for dinner cant finished it so gave it to the receptionist. Off to bed early, been a long day, tomorrow I head to the lost and found hostel in the middle of the jungle.
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