Panama excitement builds

I've got a nervous excitement going on now that the Panama trip is getting closer.
As I’ve said previously, this will be my first time visiting a country where I don’t speak the language, so yes I’m nervous and excited all at the same time.
When my husband first mentioned his interest in Panama a few months ago, I suppose I had the same response most have, which basically consisted of “Where?” followed quickly by “Why?”
But as we’ve done more research on the country and seen amazing photos of the countryside posted on the web, I’m really looking forward to exploring it.
Most of the sites and blogs we’ve visited, and even newspaper articles we’ve read, stress how inexpensive Panama is and so far we have found that to be true.
Our hotel stays for the entire seven-day trip should be no more than $300. And our car rental plus the additional insurance purchase, which we did through Budget, will cost us under $300 for a mid-size, automatic car.
We figure our most expensive trip costs will be gas, because Panama’s prices are similar to those here in the States, and probably our white water rafting excursion. There’s so much to see and do in such a little amount of time, but we hope to hit the areas we really want to see, namely Boquete and Bocas del Toro. Now my husband’s latest idea is to meet with a Realtor and visit some homes for sale just to get any idea. I’m up for that!

Something unexpected

My husband is testing me. And from what I remember from my school days, I don't like tests.

Here's the story ... The other night we finally stopped into this new community within Lely Resort that we both have admired from our occasional drive-bys. What's always attracted us is the bright colors and the distinct architecture, which is really unlike anything we've seen in Naples, Florida to date.

After driving around a bit, we parked and walked. As my husband knows, I love exploring new places, especially newly-built homes, so I peeked in windows and tried doors in an attempt to see more. No worries, most of the homes are vacant so I wasn't venturing into Peeping Tom status.

Needless to say, the community was awesome! Not only were the homes great, but the town center was definitely the cherry on top.

We found a way to get into the pool area even though most of it was surrounded by locked gates, and we also snuck into the movie theater where we caught the last 15 minutes of "Fracture."

Once we arrived back home, I immediately looked the community up on the internet and found that the homes offered a lot of square footage for a decent price.

So after all my gushing about this amazing Naples find, this is my husband's test: Would simply moving to a new home in Naples quench my need for adventure and change?

Like I said, I hate tests.

I'm Itchy

Some people crave change. I am one of those people.

My husband, not so much. He is content putting down roots and letting them grow so deep that when it comes time to move, it almost takes a bulldozer to budge them.

But I'm not giving him enough credit. I think he may have caught some of my itchiness, too. We talk more and more about leaving Naples and enjoying a not-so-demanding life elsewhere, hence the trip to Panama to see if it may be just that place.

My itchiness, though, has grown to "Hulk-like" proportions. I am pretty much bored with everything. My desk job is far from challenging right now and our house is, well, still the same as it always has been.

I stay at my job because it's nice to have a regular paycheck coming in no matter how meager it may be. We stay in the house because the market conditions continue to make this a great time to buy but not to sell.

I love change because it is scary and fun and inspiring! The good news is that my freelance writing work is keeping me creatively challenged.

Maybe we'll fall in love with Panama as so many other Americans have. Or maybe we'll come back and think of it as a nice place to visit but not to live. If it turns out to be the latter, well then, it is back to the "Where's a cool place to live" stage.

Maybe we'll buy a world map and throw darts at it. Doesn't that work in the movies?

No habla español? No problem!

Not having a grasp, or any grasp for that matter, of the Spanish language, I was concerned about trying to make hotel reservations in Panama. Most hotels and hostels can be found on the web, but some of the smaller, cheaper places did not have any more than a phone number with which to contact them.

I didn’t feel confident enough in myself to phone and say “Hola. Habla ingles?” So instead I searched everywhere for another means of communication.

Email to the rescue!

Every place I emailed responded promptly, letting me know either way if they had availability for the night requested or not. If I emailed over the weekend, some would respond while others waited until Monday, which was fine.

The only place I reserved online, through a service, was Hotel Marparaiso for our one-night stay in Panama City. The rest I have emailed back and forth with the managers and reserved a room that way.

Once it was determined that the night I wanted was available and the rate was OK, I followed up by saying I would take the room and asked what information they needed from me to hold the reservation.

The answer: Nothing!

I’m not too worried about the reservation being honored once we arrive. Maybe I am being too trusting of a third-world country, but I’m not a glass-half-empty kind of person, so I remain optimistic.

Plus, I’ll pack the printouts of our email communication just in case.

So I planned a little

I couldn’t help it! The old me tackled the new me and made some hotel reservations.

But just some. The whole trip is not completely planned out, so I feel OK about letting the old me have some say.

Basically we will be traveling out of Panama City on a Sunday morning, which Jessica my Panamanian resource said would be best since most city dwellers head out to the beaches for the weekend and all clamor back into the city on Sunday. So we’ll be heading in the opposite direction of the mob, which is fine by me.

Depending on how long we choose to drive and what sights we see, it’s anyone’s guess at this point where will stay Sunday night. That night is for the new me.

Come Monday we hope to be in David, which is 6 or 7 hours away from Panama City. I have an email out to Hotel Alcala to see if they have a room available that night. I’ve heard and read that it is cheap and clean. I love that combination!

Tuesday and Wednesday we hope to be up in Boquete, which is about 45 minutes away from David. On Tuesday we will be staying at Pension Topas for $32 including tax. Too cool!

And on Wednesday in Boquete we decided to splurge and stay at Villa Marita for $66.

Thursday we start heading back across the Interamericana. We’ll stay someplace along the road that night and be back in the city on Friday. We fly out early Saturday morning.

A little bit of a plan, but not too much. My Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde compromised.

The planner in me goes bye-bye

The other night my husband and I were sitting around discussing our Panama trip and I casually threw out there that I don’t really want to plan every waking moment of our trip.

I went on to explain that I just want to drive along the Interamericana Highway (I’ve read and seen photos, so yes, I think it is OK to refer to it as a highway) and stop off wherever we choose to lay our weary, sight-filled heads for the night. I’m not even opposed to the idea of dorm-room-esque hostels.

Fortunately for us, we have not seen the movie “Hostel” so I’m OK with staying at one or many, whatever the case may be. Plus they are cheap, and I’m all about not spending lots of money.

My husband just stared at me with this glazed look. Thinking he wasn’t comprehending, I tried to continue my diatribe, but he stopped me with “But you like to plan everything?!”

I asked him if this was a problem and he immediately answered no. He just couldn’t believe it. My thinking is, this will be a trip like none other and I want it to be fun and exciting and undefined! Thankfully he’s on board.

We’ll see how long I last.

Waiting is the hardest part

After the last post, you are probably wondering what in the heck I’m complaining about. Or you’re saying just sell your house and move into a condo.

Nice idea, but easier said than done.

With the market as it is, we couldn’t sell our home now and make anything decent on it, or anything at all really. So we are waiting … unfortunately not so patiently.

Isn’t that always the way – when the market rocks and you can make a pretty penny on your property, you choose to stay. Then the market turns and all you can think about is moving.

Also, while the downturn in the market has made real estate more affordable here, it is certainly not reasonable enough for us. Naples is an expensive community with a lot of rich folks owning second and even third homes here. That doesn’t help the little guy ... namely us.

We’ll move someday. It’s not like it isn’t going to happen. Now is just not the right time.

Our mission is to find a fantastic place in the world where the cost of living is much, much cheaper. Panama might just be that place.

Life with Less Stuff

Some of you reading this might think we are too young to be considering a life of leisure. That we haven’t ‘paid our dues’ as they say.

While leisurely days do sound fantastic, it is really just a slower pace and a less cluttered life we are ultimately wanting. Why is it necessary to work your life away, gathering possessions you don’t really need, only for it to be too late and you to be too old to enjoy what really matters in life?

Here’s a peek at our life now:
We live in a single-family home.
Our house has 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths.
We have a dining room we use once a year.
We have no children.
We have 2 indoor cats: a fat, lovable one and a pissy, biting one.
My husband runs his own business.
We own lots of big, expensive equipment for that business.
I work out of the house full time.
We own 3 vehicles.

Basically what this all boils down to is too much stuff for 2 people. We look around our house these days and ask ourselves, “Do we really need this stuff?”

Sure the house is nice, but it really only comes in handy when we have company.

Yes, we like having a yard, but it’s just another thing to take care of. And all of the items that are required to care of that small piece of land we so proudly call ours, crowds up the garage.

Now we’re thinking a condo would be ideal. We don’t require much space and we’d love to have someone else take care of the grounds.

In our opinion, less stuff equals a happier life.

A Panama feast

Isn't it funny how when you decide to buy something, travel somewhere, or try something new, how many people you discover who have or want the same thing?

For instance, we bought a Honda Pilot a few years back, and at that time I had never heard of or even seen the car before my husband started researching it. As soon as I knew what it was, it was suddenly everywhere. It seemed as though everyone had one. In marketing, I believe this is referred to as a trigger event.

The same thing has happened now that we are traveling to Panama. When mentioning our plans to friends, family and co-workers, suddenly there's someone they know who just moved there, is planning to relocate there, or grew up there. From this, we've made some great, and much needed, connections.

To date, I've shared emails with a woman in Aspen, Colorado, who just built a casita in Panama and who is hoping to permanently relocate there soon. And just this past week, I had lunch with a girl who was born and raised in Panama City and whose family still resides there.

Both were full of fantastic information. So far we've gotten advice on where to stay, what to do, where to shop, and where and what to eat.

Jessica, the Panamanian girl, gushed over the food. It reminded me well ... of me! Everytime I talk about my Jersey hometown, I always go on about the food. And, just like me, Jessica is the first to admit that she misses the food the most (second only to her family, of course).

Her ravings about Panamanian food got me even more excited about the trip ahead. Sure there are McDonalds and KFCs there, but who needs fast food when you can get amazing, traditional Panama food.

Let's see ... our menu is filling up fast!

Guarapo: sugar cane juice

Hojaldre: a breakfast pastry that goes best with cheese or fried eggs

Tamales: unlike the Mexican tamales we have grown to love

Langostinos al ajillo: prawns with garlic

Patacones: fried green plantains with salt

Tajadas: fried ripe plantains

And only 7 short days to feast!

Who's doing chores?

My husband made a good point (and, yes, he will be happy that I am giving him kudos). In my last post, I vented a bit about how homeownership was similar to a second job.

While my husband didn’t dispute this point, he noted that I tended to complain about the laundry and interior cleaning duties. He pointed out that these are chores that will never go away whether we own a home or live in a small condo. Grudgingly, I had to agree.
Chores like mowing grass, cleaning out the cluttered garage, and maintaining the landscape will cease to exist when we go condo. Of course, these are all his chores. Definitely a disappointment…

Life is no Easier by the Beach

We live in Florida, which you would think being one of the retirement capitals of the U.S. would mean a quieter and more relaxing atmosphere. Unfortunately, you would be wrong.
Coming from the Northeast where traffic is horrendous and the gray, cold days of winter seem to go on forever, Florida was a welcome change, at least for a little while.
I remember flying in to the Fort Myers airport on that February day knowing that we had just left the 20-degree bitter cold of Philadelphia and were now arriving to 80-degrees and eye-squinting sunshine that had me quickly shedding my winter attire.
From the plane windows you could see boats sprinkled across the sparkling Gulf of Mexico and there wasn’t a cloud in sight. I couldn’t believe this was going to be our new home.
The only cause for concern was all the people seated on the plane reminding us of our grandparents. But we were willing to overlook that.
We quickly fell into the routine of going to the pool in the late afternoons followed by a walk on the beach to watch the setting sun. Then we bought a house.
Now I’m not saying that buying a house was a complete destruction of life as we knew it, but pretty close. It’s just that being a homeowner is like taking on another job. Of course, we didn’t realize this at the time. We just knew we wanted a house and that was that.
Late afternoons at the pool were replaced with bill paying and laundry. And instead of driving to the beach for our sunset stroll, we walked around the neighborhood.
We were content, but life no longer resembled a vacation. Today, traffic and work dominate our lives. And that sunshine that draws so many people here, I see from my windows at work and sometimes on the weekend when the laundry’s done.