Sunday 8th June 2025 Coloncito to Aguadulce
Nice to have an authentic Panamanian meal at last, must admit more by luck than judgment, guy in the hostel, just pointed over the road to a shopping mall thing, luckily passed a little road side shack, never served beer but next door did, lovely couple sorted a vegetarian meal for me and whatever was on the grill for Bingo. Nice basic food, just what we wanted, rice, beans, and a fresh salad, washed down with a couple of cold ones from next door top – dinner.

Away before 6 this morning, getting light slightly earlier now, as we head north on Highway 1 and stay on it all day, even I can’t get lost today, really nice in the early morning, not much traffic and a little bit cooler, still a sultry 32 degrees C, so not cool by any means. just keeping the pace steady, no climbing today but a bit up and down nothing serious just a bit difficult to get into the groove, maybe a few songs might help, who knows what will happen, not me for sure. Good news is that my knee, from the self inflicted injury is feeling a bit better, no pain killers, just grin and bear it, the pain is there for a reason to warn you, so they say or you can do what I do and ignore it, no impact so its got to be doing it good, thats my prognosis, from Dr House. Well thats the first song of the day sorted Dr Feelgood aptly named, “Milk and Alcohol” not sure where that come from throw back to my two eldest brothers banging out albums all the time, but good tune nerveless, though I cant recall any of the lyrics except for “They got me on milk and alcohol” that will be in my head all day now, but helps me get through the day, as dodge in and out of the potholes in the road, not a great road, with a bit of a hardshoulder sometimes, then it disappears just as I loose concentration, which is quite often.

I call the first stop after about 20 miles, for some reason seem to be very thirsty this morning, sit on the step outside a supermarket with a soft drink and a Snickers bar, you can tell I went in the shop, them shelfs before the check out are designed for people like me! we need the energy boost and its to early for beer. Little break then off again pace picking up as the condition of the road improves, Bingo eyes peeled for any type of bird or animal, just as he says not much going on this morning, I say look out on the little rivers we regularly cross, this is crocodile country! Then have a little giggle to myself, we met an American couple on a boat in the Galapagos islands, first thing the girl said to Sandra was are they twins? No Bingo said, trying to prove he was 3 yrs younger, then the girl said are you Australian as you both look like “Crocodile Dundee” Bingo was distraught I just laughed and had a vegemite sandwich thats a lyric in a song by Men at Work “Down Under”:

Buying bread from a man in Brussels
He was six-foot-four and full of muscle
I said, “Do you speak-a my language?”
He just smiled and gave me a Vegemite sandwich
And he said
“I come from a land down under
Where beer does flow and men chunder
Can’t you hear, can’t you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover

Like I said I have the attention span of a chocolate teapot, but made me have a little giggle to myself, little things please little minds, back on the bird animal spotting game now after that little interlude, next bridge we cross over Bingo spots a magnificent Kingfisher, lovely sight, I was pleased as I actually seen it, usually he spots them then takes me an age to see it. Then the next bridge he only spots an otter, moving toward the river brilliant I actually see that to, usually my glasses are all smudged can hardly see out of them. On we press eagled eyed for more wildlife , nothing spectacular as the pace increases, usually to do with a beer on the horizon, always puts an extra couple of mph on, also helped with a flat roads and good surface we are flying, pull over with less than 10 mile to go, once again that only means one thing, food is second on the agenda, lots of calories in beer so it is a good energy source. We pull off on the side of the road in a little bar / cafe “Vía Panamericana, Río Grande” nothing grand about it really, except for the beer fridge and the air conditioning felt lovely and cool in there. few bits pf light refreshment and a bit of food, then on the trail again for the last 10 miles.

Mate it felt hot we we came back out, but feels good knowing you only have a little bit to ride, soon back on the pace and smash the last bit, into the surprisingly large town Aguadulce, find the hostel, it does look a bit like them love hotels, but it is in the town so should be fine, hopefully. All booked in and it wasn’t a love hotel so we can relax a bit, next thing you know we have rigged up a washing line, all our clothes had a good wash, so had to stay in the room for a while as we had nothing to wear, had a few bevvies waiting for the clothes to dry in the 40 degree heat, did not take long.

For a big town Aguadulce was very quieton a Sunday night, not many of the restaurants open, ended up walking miles, well about a mile, nice place food was pretty good but the service was really poor, then the long walk back to the love hotel, mate it was only just before nine, I was asleep as I cleaned my teeth, slept like a log, next thing I know its morning ready for another adventure.