OK, real time: Bustimentos, Bocas del Toro, Panama

I´m done with reflection and the delayed gratification of having enough perspective to write with humor and purpose.

This happens in a dreamy little Carribean paradise and I want to share some of that energy... Bustimentos is two water taxis from the rest of the universe. It´s an island, with a small village of afro-Carribean people who speak some Spanish also. I´m facing the first langauge barrier of my trip- although people speak both Spanish and English, neither are my Spanish or English, and there´s a lot of What? either way. Language aside...

The beach is a 30 minute walk from the village, winding between houses and up and over a muddy hill- on the way over I broke the flip flops that cost $1.20 in San Jose. By the time I got to the beach it didn´t matter- light sand and clear water, which is essential for me. After reading 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, I´m afraid of giant squid and sharks and to be perfectly frank, I´m terrified of most living creatures. With clear water, I flopped about in the tide and spent long enough to get the first sunburn of my trip. Lest this ruin my first great beach, I found some shade and made a dent in Huck Finn.

I´m at a hostel that is $6 night, quiet, cool. There´s a thai woman somewhere on the island and I´ve heard she´ll cook on request.

The only stress I have right now is whether to stay one more night or two... Oh Peru and carnaval and big dumb, long trip...