In Colombia I have ran more red lights than I have ever in my life. In fact I think I ran more red lights than green.
There are pros and cons to this extravaganza. Road condition more rough due to unexpected and unearned holes, cracks and uneven road. Very aggressive taxi drivers actually hit me twice. I was so surprised that one taxi driver trying to cross over to my lane during heavy traffic that pushing my leg and passenger's leg with his front bumper and had no problem doing it.
After 10 or 11pm, traffic light become a guideline. Anyone is free to cross red light, you can do it front of police officers.
During the day, delivery motorcyclist run red lights as if they own the license to use traffic lights to their advantage.
There are no stop line for the red light however there are unspoken line which is go as far as you can until you can't see the traffic light anymore.
Pedestrians are expected to run or wait because cars don't stop anywhere.
Yield? What's that? BE AGGRESSIVE BE BE AGGRESSIVE is the Moto. Of course unspoken.
I have seen people taking driver school from the road. However it is questionable how much that they learn because when I obtained my motorcycle license, all I had was medical exam and I got a never expiring "indefinida" license.
Traffic signal happens right before the turn or long before but it's also questionable because people just leave them on and forget about it so I never if they will turn or go straight.
Fancy cars such as BMW, mercedes, Audi and new Hyundai cars are safe to drive near by. They are careful, not aggressive, remind me of moms or middle aged ladies in US.
It is quite common for people to block intersection during traffic for their self advantage to go on their way. Honking is very common.
This is driving in Colombia and Latin America. Corea is quite similar.
Showing posts with label Colombia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Colombia. Show all posts
Friday, August 10, 2012
Friday, June 22, 2012
Motorcycle road trip Quito Ecuador to maracaibo Venezuela
I have been on long distance, fast traveling road trip with a hurry. Goal was to get to Maracaibo, Venezuela from Quito Ecuador. In three days. Instead it took five days
Everything was expected because I have been in this road before. I was moving slow or I set a unrealistic goal. After grueling bumpy ride and fast moving, bike chain got lose and fell off. I quickly put then back on. Bicycle riding days in my youth reminded me how to put the chains on. I hired this kid to tighten it. Paid $1000 pesos. After fifteen min I noticed something is wrong with the bike, as I'd something's dragging the rear tire I thought alignment was not set correct. It's dark so I decided to sleep off on this cheap motel in small town that Name of it doesn't exist on the map. Next day I saw a mechanic, I explained, he had test drive, tightened bolts on the middle of the bike, then problem solved. I asked how much he shyly said tip, I told him to name a price so he said $2000 cop, I gladly paid.
I saw the most incredible view third best next to grand canyon and yellow stone in south of colombia and north of Ecuador. Near pasto.
I arrived in pereira around 730pm. I was behind schedule due to bad traffic in Cali. However I was glad that I arrived in pereira just as sin went down. By now I am accustomed to ride in the dark but don't like. My lights are dim, still don't have protective gear for my eyes for the night. I was annoyed when thd bug hit my left eye.
I think it dries and damages my contacts very fast.
I met with CS member. I unpacked, showered, then we went out to eat, drink and talk then we went home. We might see each other in the future.
I think it's the first time that I had just one night and left in the morning.
Left pereira couple hours later than I wanted. Got lost in manizales. Plus it was Sunday so part of the road was closed for the runners and walkers.
I got to the mountain path, it started raining, as I kept going up, it got colder. Last time I was in this condition of freezing body And wet road I crashed my bike and ripped my leather jacket. It was a typical mountain stretch. I didn't stop to add extra clothes to save time knowing the fact that I will be going through hottest part of Colombia.
When I was at the hot part el dorado, I bought a bag a mango then I realized $50,000 bill COP I thought I had was not there. That changed many of my plan for gas, room and food.
I arrived in bucaramanga around 9pm.
Found Internet. Contacted CS member. Due to my fast pace or lack of planning or keeping up with my Ambitious plAn, I only had two half assed contact and one phone number from CS. He didn't offered to host me when I called so i found a hostel. There I signed this hostel up for wehostels, and met with young German traveller. Who exchanged dollar for me to pay the hostel. At this point I only have $5900 COP, $120 USD. I thought with a half tank of gas I would make it to Venezuela border and exchange my dollars. It was longest stretch of mountain tops, including one hour wait for the road work. I was cold, way behind schedule because this day I am supposed to arrive in Maracaibo. cold mountain required more gas than I anticipated and I was running really low on gas which slowed me down. Survived with one house selling ACPM to make it out of the cold tops. I spent whats left of me pesos for half a gallon of acpm. At the valley I exchanges money at kitchen equipment shop who bought a dollar with 1600 pesos for.So I exchanged just enough to buy food and gas.
Once I arrived at the border, usual lines, money exchange, traffic slowed me down. It was around 3pm by the time I finished exchanging my $5000 pesos. Dollar could not be exchanged. So I had $25 bolivares.
I was getting back on the road then google direction and locals told me to go to a small mountain villages where no cars go by, steep, curvy. I was surprised that google knew this road. It was definitely a hidden shortcut.
My bike started having chain issues again and I was annoyed because I fixed this near el pasto en Colombia.
Which was few days ago. Which slowed me down and at this point I am so certain that I have a long drive to do at night and I only have 25 bolivars in my pocket and $100usd.
Fixed chain issue, nice tire shop
Guy did it for me for free. Then rear dragging problem occurred, stopped at another tire shop around 8 pm, he did it for free as well. Went to gas station, in this town they required chip to pump gas, so nice family guy with husband and kids gave me gas for free. By this time I am once again thankful for kindness in this country. I stopped in La fria to look for hotel to sleep because it's 9pm, barely anyone on the highway, I sense the danger. No hotels would accept dollars or exchange in this small town. Finally met with street food owner after waiting for an hour. She wanted 6 bolivar for dollar. Cheapest hotel is $150b. After doing Math, I said hell no to that and decided that I cannot sleep or rest until I arrive in Maracaibo. I called my contact in Maracaibo and told my ETA. I got address. So here I go on 8 hours road trip at 10pm at night. I expect to arrive at 3 or 4am. It quickly turned out to be ambitious goal. Too dark, I must be careful, I am high alert. 95octane gas sure keeps me wide awake.
Highway was an excellent condition, paved, flat, no holes, bright lines. So I put on my sunglasses to prepare to go fast. Semi truck went by me as I was gearing up. So I followed this super fast moving semi. I saw this truck turning emergency light on super far away. Then I see big mound of dirt on the road, gravel road, and 20 feet deep empty space on the road. I could have run over the mound, fly high and land in this dark hole and died. I turned my blinkers on to thank him for saving my life.
Eventually we said hi face to face at the peaje. He is going to Maracaibo. He is about 55 years old and knows road conditions well. He warns me about the road with holes so I decided to follow him. He would turn blinkers on to tell me which direction I should go to avoid the holes. I was so glad to have met him. I can go faster, safer from both road and thieves. We were together for about two hours I think. We stopped at truck stop together.
Eventually we went separate ways because I got stopped by nacional guard. It's about 2am and these guys were bored and wanted to more than just checking my paperwork. They took me to a office room, took everything out of my bag, looked at all my coins from different country, looked all over my phone including pictures, talk down to me, strip me naked, try to scare me with possession of marijuana, didn't necessarily ask for money or try to charge me money like other cop who tried to withheld my bike from me. I told him my title and license is valid, main guy who was leading this investigation or molest pushed that I do not have valid paperwork. Then his fellow says its international, I was pretending that I speak very tiny Spanish to pick and choose what i wanted to answer or not. Some of them would ask dumb questions sometimes I completely ignored them. I repeated this process with other officers in Venezuela when they wee unprofessional with me. However 90% of them are not bright, questionable high school graduates, immature, not well educated, do not speak clear Spanish like when I have talked to crazy loud people on the city street.
I was annoyed by the fact that they are simply playing, wasting my time, not giving me credit for foreigner, riding motorcycle, pitch black street.
I told them. "tengo que irme, ustedes vieron todo mis cosas y mis papeles están bien. Es muy tarde en la noche, mi amigo en camioneta esperando para mi porque es muy peligroso para manejar la moto en la noche. Tengo que seguir mi amigo. Dejame salir"
That didn't work at least not at that moment. Eventually they got bored, let me go and told me that I can follow the bus that they are investigating.
I kept on riding. Sun is rising, it's getting brighter. I asked the vendor of street food who is preparing how far Maracaibo is. He says one hour. He suggested that I grab a coffee. I must be looking really tired. I don't have any bolivares left to buy anything. $25 bolivares I had, I bought food at the la fria.
I put on my sunglasses to prepare to go fast. Instead I found myself pulling over 5 or 6 times because I kept on falling asleep. Danger was calling. Straight road with holes and bumps, now fast moving vehicles are passing by me, some honks and shine flash high beam at me. Drivers are rough I must be close to Maracaibo.
I got some sleep, stretched, finally I arrived in city level where there is morning traffic and people walking. 7:30am Found Yoli s house, strangely faster than I expected. I was surprised my ability to find places with map and address.
I was filthy, dirty, smelled like street, dirty polluted car, my pants have not been washed for days collecting all kinds of grimes from the road. My face is black except for the part that was covered with cloth and glasses.
I washed my face, took of my lenses, slept till 4pm.
Everything was expected because I have been in this road before. I was moving slow or I set a unrealistic goal. After grueling bumpy ride and fast moving, bike chain got lose and fell off. I quickly put then back on. Bicycle riding days in my youth reminded me how to put the chains on. I hired this kid to tighten it. Paid $1000 pesos. After fifteen min I noticed something is wrong with the bike, as I'd something's dragging the rear tire I thought alignment was not set correct. It's dark so I decided to sleep off on this cheap motel in small town that Name of it doesn't exist on the map. Next day I saw a mechanic, I explained, he had test drive, tightened bolts on the middle of the bike, then problem solved. I asked how much he shyly said tip, I told him to name a price so he said $2000 cop, I gladly paid.
I saw the most incredible view third best next to grand canyon and yellow stone in south of colombia and north of Ecuador. Near pasto.
I arrived in pereira around 730pm. I was behind schedule due to bad traffic in Cali. However I was glad that I arrived in pereira just as sin went down. By now I am accustomed to ride in the dark but don't like. My lights are dim, still don't have protective gear for my eyes for the night. I was annoyed when thd bug hit my left eye.
I think it dries and damages my contacts very fast.
I met with CS member. I unpacked, showered, then we went out to eat, drink and talk then we went home. We might see each other in the future.
I think it's the first time that I had just one night and left in the morning.
Left pereira couple hours later than I wanted. Got lost in manizales. Plus it was Sunday so part of the road was closed for the runners and walkers.
I got to the mountain path, it started raining, as I kept going up, it got colder. Last time I was in this condition of freezing body And wet road I crashed my bike and ripped my leather jacket. It was a typical mountain stretch. I didn't stop to add extra clothes to save time knowing the fact that I will be going through hottest part of Colombia.
When I was at the hot part el dorado, I bought a bag a mango then I realized $50,000 bill COP I thought I had was not there. That changed many of my plan for gas, room and food.
I arrived in bucaramanga around 9pm.
Found Internet. Contacted CS member. Due to my fast pace or lack of planning or keeping up with my Ambitious plAn, I only had two half assed contact and one phone number from CS. He didn't offered to host me when I called so i found a hostel. There I signed this hostel up for wehostels, and met with young German traveller. Who exchanged dollar for me to pay the hostel. At this point I only have $5900 COP, $120 USD. I thought with a half tank of gas I would make it to Venezuela border and exchange my dollars. It was longest stretch of mountain tops, including one hour wait for the road work. I was cold, way behind schedule because this day I am supposed to arrive in Maracaibo. cold mountain required more gas than I anticipated and I was running really low on gas which slowed me down. Survived with one house selling ACPM to make it out of the cold tops. I spent whats left of me pesos for half a gallon of acpm. At the valley I exchanges money at kitchen equipment shop who bought a dollar with 1600 pesos for.So I exchanged just enough to buy food and gas.
Once I arrived at the border, usual lines, money exchange, traffic slowed me down. It was around 3pm by the time I finished exchanging my $5000 pesos. Dollar could not be exchanged. So I had $25 bolivares.
I was getting back on the road then google direction and locals told me to go to a small mountain villages where no cars go by, steep, curvy. I was surprised that google knew this road. It was definitely a hidden shortcut.
My bike started having chain issues again and I was annoyed because I fixed this near el pasto en Colombia.
Which was few days ago. Which slowed me down and at this point I am so certain that I have a long drive to do at night and I only have 25 bolivars in my pocket and $100usd.
Fixed chain issue, nice tire shop
Guy did it for me for free. Then rear dragging problem occurred, stopped at another tire shop around 8 pm, he did it for free as well. Went to gas station, in this town they required chip to pump gas, so nice family guy with husband and kids gave me gas for free. By this time I am once again thankful for kindness in this country. I stopped in La fria to look for hotel to sleep because it's 9pm, barely anyone on the highway, I sense the danger. No hotels would accept dollars or exchange in this small town. Finally met with street food owner after waiting for an hour. She wanted 6 bolivar for dollar. Cheapest hotel is $150b. After doing Math, I said hell no to that and decided that I cannot sleep or rest until I arrive in Maracaibo. I called my contact in Maracaibo and told my ETA. I got address. So here I go on 8 hours road trip at 10pm at night. I expect to arrive at 3 or 4am. It quickly turned out to be ambitious goal. Too dark, I must be careful, I am high alert. 95octane gas sure keeps me wide awake.
Highway was an excellent condition, paved, flat, no holes, bright lines. So I put on my sunglasses to prepare to go fast. Semi truck went by me as I was gearing up. So I followed this super fast moving semi. I saw this truck turning emergency light on super far away. Then I see big mound of dirt on the road, gravel road, and 20 feet deep empty space on the road. I could have run over the mound, fly high and land in this dark hole and died. I turned my blinkers on to thank him for saving my life.
Eventually we said hi face to face at the peaje. He is going to Maracaibo. He is about 55 years old and knows road conditions well. He warns me about the road with holes so I decided to follow him. He would turn blinkers on to tell me which direction I should go to avoid the holes. I was so glad to have met him. I can go faster, safer from both road and thieves. We were together for about two hours I think. We stopped at truck stop together.
Eventually we went separate ways because I got stopped by nacional guard. It's about 2am and these guys were bored and wanted to more than just checking my paperwork. They took me to a office room, took everything out of my bag, looked at all my coins from different country, looked all over my phone including pictures, talk down to me, strip me naked, try to scare me with possession of marijuana, didn't necessarily ask for money or try to charge me money like other cop who tried to withheld my bike from me. I told him my title and license is valid, main guy who was leading this investigation or molest pushed that I do not have valid paperwork. Then his fellow says its international, I was pretending that I speak very tiny Spanish to pick and choose what i wanted to answer or not. Some of them would ask dumb questions sometimes I completely ignored them. I repeated this process with other officers in Venezuela when they wee unprofessional with me. However 90% of them are not bright, questionable high school graduates, immature, not well educated, do not speak clear Spanish like when I have talked to crazy loud people on the city street.
I was annoyed by the fact that they are simply playing, wasting my time, not giving me credit for foreigner, riding motorcycle, pitch black street.
I told them. "tengo que irme, ustedes vieron todo mis cosas y mis papeles están bien. Es muy tarde en la noche, mi amigo en camioneta esperando para mi porque es muy peligroso para manejar la moto en la noche. Tengo que seguir mi amigo. Dejame salir"
That didn't work at least not at that moment. Eventually they got bored, let me go and told me that I can follow the bus that they are investigating.
I kept on riding. Sun is rising, it's getting brighter. I asked the vendor of street food who is preparing how far Maracaibo is. He says one hour. He suggested that I grab a coffee. I must be looking really tired. I don't have any bolivares left to buy anything. $25 bolivares I had, I bought food at the la fria.
I put on my sunglasses to prepare to go fast. Instead I found myself pulling over 5 or 6 times because I kept on falling asleep. Danger was calling. Straight road with holes and bumps, now fast moving vehicles are passing by me, some honks and shine flash high beam at me. Drivers are rough I must be close to Maracaibo.
I got some sleep, stretched, finally I arrived in city level where there is morning traffic and people walking. 7:30am Found Yoli s house, strangely faster than I expected. I was surprised my ability to find places with map and address.
I was filthy, dirty, smelled like street, dirty polluted car, my pants have not been washed for days collecting all kinds of grimes from the road. My face is black except for the part that was covered with cloth and glasses.
I washed my face, took of my lenses, slept till 4pm.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Portobelo panama
Llege en el puerto portobelo. Yo he dejado casa de Carlos a las 920am. He esperado para bus por una hora pero no hay bus. Tuve suerte porque yo encontré hitch hike. Una persona de colon, muy fuerte actitud y mala ingles pero el conductor estaba paciente y quiso hablar conmigo. Nombre de el e Ricardo. El sabe de Carlos y su padre también. El me dijo que padre de Carlos le ha enseñado como a cultiva vacas y caballos. Compre cinco caballos de el.
El me dijo que yo puedo encontrar lancha rápido de fort sherman. Pero lo es lejos y no hay bus para ahí.
Encontré otro lift, hitchhike y llegue en sherman puerto. Nice mexicano familia with two kids who habe Been living in Panamá For three months gave me a ride.
There very four fancy motor boats but they were heading north. I went to the office but this egotistical guy who made a lot of assumptions about me gave me some information. Some were helpful and told me if I am
Adventurous take horses to each village where I was told there are no roads. I forgot to ask if that was out of his imagination.
I took the bus from gatun locks to Colon for $.90. I saw a most beautiful sail boat with five tall poles. Some rich life on the boat these people are having. It's not for me though. I found open ocean quite boring.
I finally arrived in Portobelo. Decided to stay in captain jacks hostel. Famous one. Have a connection with Darien gapsters. Nice website. As I expected typical hostel with a boat, tv, wifi. Not my scene but for the same of wifi decided to stay here.
$11 for dorm. $3 for wifi all day. $6 for big salad plate with bread.
Full of tourists. They organize San blas island boat trip here for $550.
Read plenty about island and kuna indigenous people. It's cool but not for that price, doing pretty much nothing on exotic beautiful beaches and speaking English all day is not my thing.
$40 cargo ship sounds more intriguing to me. Tomorrow morning I will head out to miramar to find a boat to puerto obaldia. Boat that I found from a note in Nicaragua, Brazilio said that it's not actually going to puerto obaldia. It could turn into a big problem, or I could get lucky.
El me dijo que yo puedo encontrar lancha rápido de fort sherman. Pero lo es lejos y no hay bus para ahí.
Encontré otro lift, hitchhike y llegue en sherman puerto. Nice mexicano familia with two kids who habe Been living in Panamá For three months gave me a ride.
There very four fancy motor boats but they were heading north. I went to the office but this egotistical guy who made a lot of assumptions about me gave me some information. Some were helpful and told me if I am
Adventurous take horses to each village where I was told there are no roads. I forgot to ask if that was out of his imagination.
I took the bus from gatun locks to Colon for $.90. I saw a most beautiful sail boat with five tall poles. Some rich life on the boat these people are having. It's not for me though. I found open ocean quite boring.
I finally arrived in Portobelo. Decided to stay in captain jacks hostel. Famous one. Have a connection with Darien gapsters. Nice website. As I expected typical hostel with a boat, tv, wifi. Not my scene but for the same of wifi decided to stay here.
$11 for dorm. $3 for wifi all day. $6 for big salad plate with bread.
Full of tourists. They organize San blas island boat trip here for $550.
Read plenty about island and kuna indigenous people. It's cool but not for that price, doing pretty much nothing on exotic beautiful beaches and speaking English all day is not my thing.
$40 cargo ship sounds more intriguing to me. Tomorrow morning I will head out to miramar to find a boat to puerto obaldia. Boat that I found from a note in Nicaragua, Brazilio said that it's not actually going to puerto obaldia. It could turn into a big problem, or I could get lucky.
Friday, March 23, 2012
From Panama to Colombia
April 2012
Option1. Take the Boat - cheap
$25 to Carti (San blas)
$50 to estupo (much close to Colombia)
$? Puerto Obaldia (panama)
Getting to Colombia, your goal is to get to Puerto Obaldia to get your passport stamped and take the boat to go to Capurgana (Colombia)
Go to miramar find cargo boats. Bus will drop you off Near the dock. It's a very small town. Boat people are a bit crazy but they are not all bad.
You will see cargo boats loading the goods for kuna people. Every boat goes to different locations so ask. Look for the captain or someone who is second in command because captain is usually in Colon handling logistics.
San Blas is the famous beautiful islands with world class beaches. You can be dropped off at an island that nobody lives and camp there for days.
Downside is that you have to look for another boat from there to get to Puerto Obaldia. Everything costs more once you leave the mainland and don't have much bargaining power for the price to get to Puerto Obaldia. Direct boat to puerto obaldia is rare. If you have no luck finding a boat, you can go to another dock in miramar front of the Chinese grocery store (ocean king). There is a small cargo boat which operates by captain brazillio. They charge $50 to get to estupo but it takes six days. It's a tiny crappy boat. There are four workers. They have a kitchen and bathroom on the boat. Paying $50 would include food for six days. But I didn't take this boat.
You can also find cargo boats from
Colon and Portobelo. It seems that you find captains in Colon but take the boat else where. I waited at Portobelo at the dock but only found expensive sail boat.
Option2 sailboat $450 - $550
There are number of boats operate this through mamallena hostel(panama city) captain jacks hostel (Portobelo). There are also sail boats waiting to take travelers at the dock of Portobelo. Sailboat is clean, beautiful nice, visit all San Blas islands, provide food and housing. Take you to the border. You will find many foreigners who speak English who are from US and Europe.
Option3 fly to Puerto Obaldia $90
I chose this option. One hour flight from Marcos Gelabert airport (not tocumen) through Air Panama
Usually it's booked out for two to three weeks so you need to make a reservation. From puerto obaldia, take a boat to Capurgana (Colombia) then boat to Turbo.
So I arrive at the airport to check in. Receptionist tells me that flight schedule changed and it's going to depart at 4pm instead of 10:15am . I am slightly annoyed but after traveling for five months in Latin America, gotten used to disorganization. Still they should have sent me an email or a call. The more funny thing happen at around 11am. I decided to just stay in airport coffee shop directly across from reception desk and receptionist tells me that now plane will depart at noon. WTF, what if I left the airport and not come back till 2:30pm as she had instructed me when I arrived. Then I would have completely missed a plane.
I passed through security check at 12:40pm. It's 1:13pm and still have not departed yet.
After arriving in Puerto Obaldia. I directly went to the immigration to get my passport stamped. when you leave the airport, go one block over, make a right (can only make a right), then you will see immigration office on your left, its a block or two away from the beach. Need a paper copy of the passport because they dont have a computer with internet, so they collect paper copy of the passport. I tried to hike to Sapzurro, but I was stopped by the military officer. Boat dock to Capurgana is near the immigracion.
$15 from Obaldia to Capurgana
When i arrived in turbo, there were bunch of people waiting to take passengers for the next popular touristic destination
I have heard of people taking four wheel drive but don't don't understand because lots of area are filled with Trees and swamp everywhere.
I have researched this option.
1. Go to Meteti, take the boat that goes toward Caribe. Once the river ends hike toward nearest town pito
2. Go to Yaviza, take the boat toward Limon o Payita. There are no roads as far as I know but river works as road and they are every where just look at the map. Rumor has it that dangerous guerilla will kidnap you but when I talked to locals, they were clueless. When I talk to military personnel, he mentioned but without full confidence.
One day I will cross the border safely and write a book about it. There is a book from a guy who was captured for nine months and released. No ransom.
http://dare2go.com/shippinginfo1.shtml
http://www.paisatours.com/panama-to-colombia.htm
http://www.travelblog.org/Topics/1849-1.html
http://www.roadtrippin.com/content/new-cruiser-expedition-goes-vancouver-south-america#comment-972
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/panama/travel-tips-and-articles/1541
http://megan-lyles.suite101.com/sailing-from-panama-to-colombia-a52030
Option1. Take the Boat - cheap
$25 to Carti (San blas)
$50 to estupo (much close to Colombia)
$? Puerto Obaldia (panama)
Getting to Colombia, your goal is to get to Puerto Obaldia to get your passport stamped and take the boat to go to Capurgana (Colombia)
Go to miramar find cargo boats. Bus will drop you off Near the dock. It's a very small town. Boat people are a bit crazy but they are not all bad.
You will see cargo boats loading the goods for kuna people. Every boat goes to different locations so ask. Look for the captain or someone who is second in command because captain is usually in Colon handling logistics.
San Blas is the famous beautiful islands with world class beaches. You can be dropped off at an island that nobody lives and camp there for days.
Downside is that you have to look for another boat from there to get to Puerto Obaldia. Everything costs more once you leave the mainland and don't have much bargaining power for the price to get to Puerto Obaldia. Direct boat to puerto obaldia is rare. If you have no luck finding a boat, you can go to another dock in miramar front of the Chinese grocery store (ocean king). There is a small cargo boat which operates by captain brazillio. They charge $50 to get to estupo but it takes six days. It's a tiny crappy boat. There are four workers. They have a kitchen and bathroom on the boat. Paying $50 would include food for six days. But I didn't take this boat.
You can also find cargo boats from
Colon and Portobelo. It seems that you find captains in Colon but take the boat else where. I waited at Portobelo at the dock but only found expensive sail boat.
Option2 sailboat $450 - $550
There are number of boats operate this through mamallena hostel(panama city) captain jacks hostel (Portobelo). There are also sail boats waiting to take travelers at the dock of Portobelo. Sailboat is clean, beautiful nice, visit all San Blas islands, provide food and housing. Take you to the border. You will find many foreigners who speak English who are from US and Europe.
Option3 fly to Puerto Obaldia $90
I chose this option. One hour flight from Marcos Gelabert airport (not tocumen) through Air Panama
Usually it's booked out for two to three weeks so you need to make a reservation. From puerto obaldia, take a boat to Capurgana (Colombia) then boat to Turbo.
So I arrive at the airport to check in. Receptionist tells me that flight schedule changed and it's going to depart at 4pm instead of 10:15am . I am slightly annoyed but after traveling for five months in Latin America, gotten used to disorganization. Still they should have sent me an email or a call. The more funny thing happen at around 11am. I decided to just stay in airport coffee shop directly across from reception desk and receptionist tells me that now plane will depart at noon. WTF, what if I left the airport and not come back till 2:30pm as she had instructed me when I arrived. Then I would have completely missed a plane.
I passed through security check at 12:40pm. It's 1:13pm and still have not departed yet.
After arriving in Puerto Obaldia. I directly went to the immigration to get my passport stamped. when you leave the airport, go one block over, make a right (can only make a right), then you will see immigration office on your left, its a block or two away from the beach. Need a paper copy of the passport because they dont have a computer with internet, so they collect paper copy of the passport. I tried to hike to Sapzurro, but I was stopped by the military officer. Boat dock to Capurgana is near the immigracion.
$15 from Obaldia to Capurgana
When i arrived in turbo, there were bunch of people waiting to take passengers for the next popular touristic destination
I have heard of people taking four wheel drive but don't don't understand because lots of area are filled with Trees and swamp everywhere.
I have researched this option.
1. Go to Meteti, take the boat that goes toward Caribe. Once the river ends hike toward nearest town pito
2. Go to Yaviza, take the boat toward Limon o Payita. There are no roads as far as I know but river works as road and they are every where just look at the map. Rumor has it that dangerous guerilla will kidnap you but when I talked to locals, they were clueless. When I talk to military personnel, he mentioned but without full confidence.
One day I will cross the border safely and write a book about it. There is a book from a guy who was captured for nine months and released. No ransom.
http://dare2go.com/shippinginfo1.shtml
http://www.paisatours.com/panama-to-colombia.htm
http://www.travelblog.org/Topics/1849-1.html
http://www.roadtrippin.com/content/new-cruiser-expedition-goes-vancouver-south-america#comment-972
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/panama/travel-tips-and-articles/1541
http://megan-lyles.suite101.com/sailing-from-panama-to-colombia-a52030
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