Provisions are done, the car returned. Life on a farm has begun. I feel as if I am cruising: it’s hot, swims are frequent and so are happy hours. Nature is all around, including pesky chiggers that bite without mercy in the evening. Diefenbaker! Mornings start leisurely, with a 10 AM breakfast on the balcony. BTW, the new header picture on the blog IS the view from the balcony. There are no fixed plans for a day – some kind of agenda emerges naturally. Daily chores leave enough time for reading, making bread, watching a movie or socializing. Most of the cruising fundamentals are there except that we remain in one place. It all sounds idyllic: life has acquired a certain unhurried quality. We have no choice but to be green as our rural area has no garbage collection. Maciek burns whatever he can; the organics make it to the compost pile; bottled beer is purchased by case, the bottles reused, like milk in the old days. Flory, one of the employees, takes away our cans. All the rest of the waste, and it’s not much, is taken to the city. Perhaps we will have a chance to learn some woodworking skills, as Jack offered to build a bookcase for us from a local hardwood, called laurel.
One more commonality with cruising is the fact that we remain fairly isolated from the outside world, within our comfort zone, among Canadians. In some respects it is bad (limited experience), in some good (sense of security)…It’s not possible to break into a Spanish speaking world without knowing the language. Everything in its own time…
Of course, 1100 square foot condo is much more comfortable than any boat. Unlimited supply of water and power, AC, internet, a pool outside, plumbing, a fridge/freezer, washer, dryer…And all that in the tropics! We are getting seriously spoiled. Why go cruising at all? Perhaps we will need a push to kick into a more intense gear when the time comes? Where is the greatest award: in a challenge or a peaceful, uneventful life?

Latest pics from rural life in Panama