Notes from an epic bus journey...

It's a long trip from Granada, Nicaragua to Panama City, Panama. Since we usually only show you the fun stuff, we thought we would share our notes from the 27 hour trip for your entertainment and for our own amusement... enjoy...

8.26.10 - 1:25 PM - Bus is 25 minutes late. Not a good start. Our seats are in the row with the TV, Rich says they're relatively roomy compared to Chicken Buses. Rich successfully negotiates the window seat for the first leg of the journey. The movie is "City of Torment," 3rd time we've seen it down here, not sure why.

4:34pm - First border crossing complete, now in Costa Rica. Mental state still positive. Air conditioning inadequate. Movie needs subtitles but the female action hero fight scenes are easy enough to understand. Cookies and trailmix consumed.

7:00pm - Dinner of peanut butter, honey, and bananna sandwiches. Mental state has declined to neutral and somewhat bored. Seat spring in Rich's ass. Movie is a bad version of "Bring it On" which means it's really bad.

10:10pm - Arrived in the San Jose bus terminal. One hour layover. Last movie on the bus was a CIA action film shut off at the very moment where the triple agent is revealed. Anger ensues. Kendra is positive, but Rich is tired, bored, and terrified we're only 1/3 of the way there...

8.27.10 - 2:05am - Air conditioning is now working but now at an ironically colder-than-hell level. Three blankets and a wrap and still shivering. Doritos and Oreos provide some respite, some sleep but mostly uncertainty lies ahead... mental states deteriorating.

8:20am - Two hours into our Panamanian border crossing and still waiting for a bag inspection... not going well. Anger over being forced by border officials to buy a return bus ticket has impacted our attitudes for the worst. Trying to maintain good spirits but not succeeding.


9:27am - Back on the bus after a 2.5 hour border crossing. Breakfast is a wonderfully healthy deep fried plantains served with hotdogs and mystery sauce, but happy to be on the bus and moving. Food and coffee lifts our spirits.

1:00pm - Stewed chicken with rice, beans, and plantains. Nearing the home stretch. In strangely positive mood, perhaps delirious from monotony.

4:42pm - Finally arrived in Panama City bus terminal which resembles an American airport giving us a strange feeling of nostalgia. Hair disheveled, bodies stenchful. Processing normal thought proving difficult.

7:30pm - One city bus, two taxis, three hostels, and one rainy season soaking later we've arrived at our hostel. Glorious pizza consumed. Early to bed.