Capira – Anton – 79 Kilometres ^71
The next morning, we returned to the Pan-American Highway, which was pretty
much the only way to Costa Rica. Meeting other cyclists, thus, didn’t come as a
surprise as it was very much the classic North-South bicycle route. The last time
biking this highway was in Chili, many moons ago. No highway ever made exciting
riding and it became a monotonous and uneventful day.
Anton – Aguadulce – 73 Kilometres
Early morning, a truck driver stopped and offered me a cycling helmet. He told us
the highway was dangerous with many trucks and it was safer to wear a helmet.
What a thoughtful man. Again, we met other cyclists heading to Panama City, which
was the end of their journey. The road flattened out, making it comfortable riding.
The rain we encountered soon cleared, and we made our way to Aguadulce.
Aguadulce – Santiago – 58 Kilometres
Central Panama, situated between the continental divide and the Pacific, was a
sparsely populated area, dotted with farms and ranches. I watched in fascination
how ranchers herded cattle by horseback, which is always a pleasure to observe.
Using a public phone confirmed my camera would be ready the next day and we
stayed put.
Santiago
Early morning, I caught the bus to Panama City, picked up the camera and jumped
on a bus for the return trip to Santiago. This little excursion was a whole day affair
and arriving in Santiago was after dark. At least I had my old, trusted Panasonic
back.