Panama and the San Blas islands.

We originally intended to motor through Panama quickly to get our car shipping started but a last minute decision took us over the mountains to the Caribbean coast to Bocas del Toro. Bocas is an island town and acts as the hub for the archipelago. The drive was stunning on the trip over, the road winding through incredible mountains. We were really struck by the natural beauty of Panama, something we weren't expecting. We had a ball in Bocas, especially being our first trip to the Caribbean. It was typical warm and drizzly tropical weather, not what we'd hoped for but still an awesome experience.

A big dam wall on the way to Bocas.

On our way to Playa del la Estrella (starfish beach).

These guys were everywhere, hence the name. We obeyed the signs and left them alone. About 2 hours later a boatload of locals arrived and started playing with them and wearing them as hats etc. Weird.

This was the back deck of our hostel. It was awesome to sit out and have a beer over the Caribbean. The whole town is like this, just sitting on the water.

Yep, its friggin steep.

Loaded and ready to go... I had to escape out the back. For the uninitiated, the small Darien national park between Panama and Colombia renders overland travel between the two virtually impossible, or at least highly inadvisable. Its a jungle marshland with a maze of rivers littered with guerilla camps forced there after the military squeezed them out of the rest of the nation. Everyone travelling between either flies or boats across the "gap". We were concerned about the process as we'd heard reports of weeks wasted in paperwork and bureaucracy. After a day and a half we were sorted and booking a yacht to Colombia for the next morning!

Excuse the window glare, we realised we were leaving central America with hardly any pics of the chicken buses. We'll miss these. Its an unbelievably efficient, effective and profitable form of public transport, honestly.

First of many Caribbean island pics. The San Blas are exactly as tropical islands should be.

See!

We sailed on the Sacanagem, a modern 43 foot French skiff ( sailed by a Colombian, captain Tilson). We ended up spending an extra day and a half in the islands due to a storm somewhere south. We certainly weren't complaining. We spent 4 and a half days enjoying the islands and then sailed for two days to Colombia on open water.

Getting ready for a snorkel on one of the cool shipwrecks. Really good diving, but the number of wrecks was a little disconcerting.

 

More sunsets...

Laura watching the sunset.

Postcard beaches were all we saw really. 

The local Kuna people were really friendly and live off the sea the same way they always have. I can't believe how they live on these tiny islands with a handful of people and no space on the land. For Australians it goes against our ethos, "boundless plains" and all that. Plus every time you kick the footy you have to swim out and get it back.

Just floating about. This was our favourite spot.

Gone fishing. Only Tilson caught anything worth mentioning.

Kyak-paddleboarding. Pretty serene way to get around.

Market day in the San Blas.

Got Lobster? The food was amazing!

Captain Tilson, captaining... He was about 5 foot nothing and loved to sail whilst singing along to the blaring stereo at the top of his voice (in nonsensical spanglish), especially to the likes of Gotye and Jimmy Buffet.

Arriving in Cartagena on wobbly sea legs.

Our first view of South America.

Our awesome boat crew. We had a ball with these guys swimming, sailing, making bonfires, drinking copious amounts of rum and dancing all night to salsa and reggae beats. Also pictured; salchipapa, a meal of about 15 kinds of meat, a pound of cheese and fried plantain. Delicious.

Next up, Colombia proper.