Day 648
Paradise, at a price
So we had made it. Ridden all the way across North and Central America. South America was waiting for us! Just the small matter of the Darien Gap to cross. Though this is a land border between Panama and Colombia it has no roads through and at present is considered too dangerous to pass through due to being a hangout for drug runners and the like! So it was fly or sail. At Christmas Tom found a sailing company who would not only take us to Colombia but would stop on route at some of the stunning San Blas Islands. The islands are the home to the Kuna people. The wonderfully talented folk who make the stunning Mola artwork we had seen in the museum in Panama. So we booked on the Wildcard, what could possibly go wrong?
The Wildcard was just about big enough for 20 close friends, which we soon became. Tom and I got the honeymoon suite, well a bed with a curtain and two portholes! Our first briefing was brief and to the point: ‘It’s going to be a bumpy ride!’ Oh my that was some understatement! All other sailings were cancelled but the Wildcard crew were up for the challenge. We were advised eat a big lunch, then an hour before we set sail, take your sea sickness tablets and hope for the best! Needless to say as we left the harbour and the wind and the waves hit us we dropped like flies. I was the first but during the 12 hours crossing to our first island stop 15 more of our team succumbed. Tom and 3 other hardy souls remained unaffected and looked on in sympathy. We learned to crawl not walk, hold on tight to our mattresses to stop us rolling, and laid back and prayed for it to end.
Fortunately we then spent the next 3 days close to the calm waters by 3 of the most beautiful deserted islands that are hard to believe were real. We’d survived, we swam, spotted dolphins, bought crafts from the Kuna who sailed up to us in small canoes, went snorkelling, sun bathed, played various games with coconuts, it was literally paradise!
Well just the small matter of the final 40 hours in open water to get us to Colombia. As soon as we hit open water I went to bed. Many did the same. Those with a hardier stomachs were treated to the sight of a school of dolphins swimming and leaping out of the sea as they swam behind the boat.
We’d been to paradise, but at a price.
