Just this past week I saw a post from someone (Canadian?) saying they were interested in driving to Panama in the next few months if they found like minded people who would want to caravan for safety. I did not immediately respond and now lost where I saw this post. I have tried googling it in the search window on this site. Does anyone recall seeing this?
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I drove down with my former wife in '06.
Whew. What a trip.
wryawry
Howard, I belong to several Yahoo groups as well as ning and delphi. I haven't seen anyone posting for a caravan type trip from Canada or the US for over a year. That one arrived months ago. Unless you speak pretty darn good Spanish I wouldn't advise it. It's not just the bandits you have to worry about, it's the bribes the customs and police will try to extract from you in just about every country you have to pass through. I have talked to a couple of people that made the land trip and they said they would never do it again.
Just a heads up. It's really not worth it.
On my first trip to Boquete I met a man on MC who had done the trip from northern US....his biggest problem was that he forgot the title to the MC , and had to bribe his way across every border at about $200 a pop...then when in Boquete he trashed the bike , ripped part of the engine open and couldn't get it repaired , had to buy a new MC to ride home on.....this guy here in the red shirt...he said it was a harrowing trip.
LOL....
Sorry Bernie...
I have read to many post about terrorism theats in Boquete recently... It seems that only half of my brain is working properly
my sincere apologies
No sweat. Understood.
Most recommendations are not to do it. Great volatility in some of the countries you will drive through.. Robberies, private militias, extortion and worse possible, etc. Yes, people do it, but the bulk of advice I have seen on the subject on the Ning over the past couple of years says, don't. What safety is there in a caravan of expats with little to no Spanish etc. Not a semantics argument, Howard, just a recollection of the bulk of advice when I asked the same question a couple of years ago.
Bernie, sorry to ask but what are you talking about?
It is not like going to the Darien or something, just to use your car to go from David to Panama city! People do it all the time, and indeed, you might get in touch with some kind of militia - we call them the Policia or el Transito - who will give you a ticket if you are speeding.
I agree that a Caravan is not necessary as you'll find yourself in a huge Caravan composed by all the people - in private cars or in Buses - that are heading to the same destination, that is the Capital.
Stephane. he's asking about driving from North America to Panama; not about driving from David to Panana City.