Bocas del Toro

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At last the beach!!!
Another early start to catch the 4.5hr bus ride to Changuinola, another small cramped bus that stops every 5minutes to pick up short stop passengers. The air con is so high, I´m freezing but luckily a woman with a baby complains so they open the windows to let the heat in. I arrive at 2 and the boat isn´t until 3.30 so I stop for some lunch. I get a taxi to finca 64 and run for the boat which I can see in the ´dock´. Unfortunately it´s full so I have to wait for the last one of the day at 5.30!! The ´dock´is one jetty with a shack selling tickets and the boat is a 10 seater motor boat. At 5.30 we climb aboard and start the hour trip, it´s mainly through swampy rivers so the scenery is pretty good. We arrive in the town which consists of mostly one large sand road. I had been recommended a crazy hostel so I make my way there to find out it´s jungle night... Everyone seems to be wearing parts of the jungle! I´m not surprised though as you do get drinks discounts if you are in costume! As I arrive the water has run out so I have to go down the road to the sister hostel for a shower! This is common as the water supply is not on all day so everywhere runs off tanks, which they fill while it´s on. After the evening beach rush, before happy hour, the water often runs out. The jungle juice is great although worrying as it tastes just like juice. Not too much of a crazy night though.
The next morning I get up early trying to find a boat to take me somewhere. A guide tells me of a 4 island boat trip with snorkelling for 9 dollars, we find out on the boat he was lying and it´s actually 20, but haggle down to 15. First we go to dolphin bay where there are about 10 dolphins swimming about us. Then through a small channel where the water is so clear we can watch the fish and star fish from the boat. The guide picks up a starfish for us to look at but is very careful that we put it in the water after 10 seconds so that it doesn´t die. Another 30minutes on and we arrive at Zapatillas, apparently the most beautiful island of the Bocas archipelago. The snorkelling is straight from the beach and it´s diificult at some points to avoid the coral as it´s so shallow. The fish are amazing and so easy to see at that depth. We have 2 hours relaxing on the beach and then another boat trip to a snorkelling spot. The coral here is bigger and there are loads of sea cucumbers. I did not partake in the practise of stroking them until their white stomach comes out.... (not harmful just humorous) Then another ride to hospital point for more snorkelling then back to Colon for 4pm. A tiring day! This time I rush to the showers though, I´m not going down the road again! Saturday has no set theme in the hostel, so we start drinking rum and playing dominos, we are now proper Caribbeans... Later we go to a few bars and clubs, Barco has a deck out the back which encases a ship wreck below the water. Most people sit around it chatting, a few drunk girls swim around it and all end up with cuts and scrapes!
Sunday is a lazy day, so I get a boat to the next island for a dollar and laze on a deserted beach. It´s too hot though so a lot of time is spent sitting in the sea. It´s Smoking Sunday in the hostel so hookahs are free all night, when said out loud that does encourage many people to the bar until they read the spelling...
Monday is time to leave before I get sucked into the beach culture forever!

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