Year: 2009

Well the initial news reports about the Saturday earthquake were fairly accurate, it measured 6.2 on the Richter scale and although a few houses were destroyed along with a couple of bridges there were no serious injuries. Sunday evening we had another quake, this time measuring only 5.3 on the Richter scale, so it hardly counts! Friday 10th July, I went with the local agent to Colon which is the port where Bridget was delivered. We presented various documents together with a dozen copies of each to the authorities late yesterday and they confidently said that I would be able to collect the car today. We duly reported to the main port customs office just after 8:00am and were greeted by a gentleman that seemed to know my agent. We then waited for the statutory minimum three and a half hours before being told the chief honcho was not coming after all and so the man we first met signed our...

There is rapidly increasing tension in Panama City caused by two really stupid shipping agents. Unfortunately until they calm down and sort themselves out Bridget is held captive. My plan had been to collect her today and do a 6,000 mile service tomorrow before driving on to the border with Costa Rica. So unless they get a grip there is every chance of a major eruption from me shortly. Although still a few miles away, I am also keeping an eye on the situation in Honduras which I hope will be peacefully resolved before I get there. Personally I am backing the BRIDGET for PRESIDENTE campaign although she will have to fulfil several overseas visits before getting down to sorting out the domestic issues. We now seem to have wrested the attention of our North American cousins and several invitations have been gratefully received for Bridget to visit. It remains to be seen, however, if they are anywhere near as generous as...

It’s a funny old life, sometimes it would be better to just go back to bed and wait for tomorrow. My first day in Panama and I came down to breakfast early; I had too, the traffic noise outside my bedroom window made it impossible to sleep any longer. The hotel agreed to move me into a quieter room and I should have realised then that it would be best to stay there. Breakfast is normally a very straightforward affair, cereal, fruit juice, toast and marmalade, and coffee. Toast; the most common breakfast item anywhere in the world except Panama. They have a kitchen where the chef will prepare all sorts of delicious dishes from around the globe, but he can’t do toast. I took a taxi to the shipping agent, my first priority, so that any paperwork problems could be sorted out before Bridget arrives on Monday. The agent wants money before he does anything. I explained that all costs have...