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Week 3
Day fourteen, Sunday 12/2/2007 I drove 483km from Caldera, Costa Rica, N9 55.899 W84 43.171 to Ciudad Neily, Costa Rica, N8 38.901 W82 56.547 Due to the long wait at the border I did not have time to get to my planed destination, San Jose. Instead I turned off the main road just before dark and headed toward the ocean looking for another resort. What I found was an old beach shack hotel in Caldera. I paid my $32.00 and was happy to be off the road before dark. Then I walked down the beach to a restaurant. The best sea food I have ever eaten. I got up early and changed the oil in the parking lot, then went on my way. There was a road shown on the map going south along the coast, but it looked like it was not paved. So instead I stayed inland on the CA2. This road took me into the highlands of Costa Rica which is beautiful but slow driving. I arrived at the Panama border just before dark, I decided to turn around and go back a few kilometers to Ciudad Neily where I got a nice room at a Hotel with internet and a restaurant.
Day fifteen, Monday 12/3/2007 I drove 538km from Ciudad Neily, Costa Rica, N8 38.901 W82 56.547 to Panama City, Panama, N8 58.607 W79 32.078 Costa Rica, Ciudad is only a few miles from the Panama border. I crossed into Panama with no problems. Panama, The roads in Panama were in better condition than in Costa Rica. Panama has their own money called the Balboa, the value is fixed to the dollar and most people use the dollar, no need to exchange money here. I did have a lot of trouble finding my way around in Balboa, Panama City. There are lots of one way streets. I did not have a city map, and the GPS does not show city streets in Central America. After several failed attempts to navigate the toll roads and in a self-induced panic, I found an old Hotel just about dark. This cost me $44.00. they did have a mediocre restaurant, and an internet connection in the lobby.
Day sixteen, Tuesday 12/4/2007 I drove 216km from Panama City,N8 58.607 W79 32.078 to Colon and back to Panama City,N8 58.607 W79 32.078 This morning I headed toward Colon. When I arrived in Colon, it was raining too heavily to do any site seeing and picture taking. The weather maps showed rain for the next several days. I decided to return to Panama City, where it was not raining. This picture was taken in Panama City. I was prepared to continue on to South America if I could, but I decided to turn back north as I was tired of trying to speak English to people who only understand Spanish. I hope to continue with the trip to South America in a couple of years when my wife retires. She understands more Spanish than I do.
Day seventeen, Wednesday 12/5/2007 I started back home. I drove 456km from Panama City, Panama, N8 58.607 W79 32.078 to David, Panama, N8 26.630 W82 25.106 The Motel I stayed at in David was a short walk from a TGI Fridays, where I ate dinner.
Day eighteen, Thursday 12/6/2007. I drove 254km from David, Panama, N8 26.630 W82 25.106 to Quepos, Costa Rica, N9 25.865 W84 09.585 Panama, before leaving David, I purchased more oil for an oil change then drove on to the border with Costa Rica. Costa Rica, I decided to take the dirt and gravel road along the coast that I did not take last time. I did not want to take the mountain road again. While on the dirt road this family walking toward the car almost ran me off the road trying to get my attention so they could ask me to stop. They asked me if they could take pictures of the car. I stopped and let them take all the pictures they wanted too. I arrived in Quepos just as darkness fell. The Hotel I stayed at was a short walk from town. I walked into town for dinner and stopped at an internet cafe to call my wife. When I could I used the internet to make phone calls, this costs less than three cents a minute.
Day nineteen, Friday 12/7/2007 I drove 307km from Quepos, Costa Rica, N9 25.865 W84 09.585 to Liberia, Costa Rica, N10 37.529 W85 26.746 The road along the Costa Rica coastline is very picturesque. When I drove into Liberia I discovered a Best Western just off the main road. The Hotel had a casino and a nice restaurant, also internet.
Day twenty, Saturday 12/8/2007 I drove 302km from Liberia, Costa Rica, N10 37.529 W85 26.746 to Leon, Nicaragua, N12 25.458 W86 51.997 Costa Rica, I headed toward the border with Nicaragua. Nicaragua, Crossing into Nicaragua took almost three hours, even now that I know the routine pretty well. I continued driving north on CA1, arriving in Leon before dark. Lago de Nicaragua is in the background. The hotel had a nice BBQ restaurant.
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