10 November 2010

This morning I woke up at four and laid in bed for a bit as the day began to dawn. I took waking up early as a sign and quickly and quietly packed up my things and left Punta Banco at 5 a.m. in a slight drizzle. Though the road was better in some parts it was still absolutely horrid. At one spot I got stuck on a bridge and was scared I was about to go over but I managed to wiggle out. At a steep incline the bottom of the car started dragging which stuck the car. Some guys helped me push it up. I was angry the whole way and started screaming at the top of my lungs and gunning the car as fast as I could. Anything to get out of the jungle. I was overcome with rage that I even decided to follow Neil. By the time I made the 18 kilometers to Conte my strut was completely thorough the rear and my tire was scrapping the wheel well. There was no way I would make it to Golfito so I asked at the supermarket for a mechanic and was pointed to one just down the road.

This mechanic, Reynaldo, was fantastic. He was head first deep in a car’s engine when I pulled up. In three hours he had taken everything apart, welded it back together, and placed everything back. He also strummed my guitar for a second. He was a good player. For all his labor, welding, he only wanted twenty dollars. So I gave him forty. It was a relief to have my car fixed properly and to be on my way again. Many times when I think it’s the end it’s only the beginning of something new. God has answered all my prayers for safety.

With the car patched up the ride was a whole lot smoother. No dragging and scraping. Outside of the border town of Pasos Canoas I got a car wash. All the mud finally gone as well as the “FUCK YOU” someone scrawled in the dirt on my roof in Granada. He even cleaned the under carriage and I looked under there to assess the damage from the road. Aside form he scrapes and scratches everything was intact.

While I was waiting on the car I was talking to this guy and I ended up showing how to make stop motion videos with a cellphone video camera. 

I got disoriented at the border because I did not come down the Pan American Highway but up from the south. I pulled up to the cop station and asked a lady wielding a machine gun where customs and immigration were. Exiting Costa Rica was easy. Entering Panama was easy as well. All the services were in one location. I also did not get swamped by hordes of tramitadors offering to get me through for a fee.  Though there was a s guy I had heard about in Golfito named Joel who helped show me around then asked for a tip.  I gave him a five.

I drove all the way to David after unknowingly missing the turn for Puerto Armulles. I’m staying at the Purple House Hostel.  Everything here is purple and Hebrews 13:2 is quoted on the wall outside “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” I met and had dinner with an old man, 69, from Boston. He was really kind of gross. A dirty old man.