Travelling around the world - Bocas del Torro bound

Friday – on the 8pm night bus to Bocas del Torro
After a brief stop over at Panama City (which has a great China town - def worth a visit even just for people watching) we're on our way to Bocas del Torro, another small group of island off the east coast of Panama which border Costa Rica. We didn't stay long as I'd picked up a bit of a fever but am sure it will go away soon.

11:25pm

It’s cold. Really really cold. Aircon. Are people’s bedrooms really this cold in Panama?!?! Stupid question. Mmmmm sleep time.

Saturday – Mundo Taitu hostel, Bocas del torro 3.42pm
I went straight to sleep when we finally arrived at 9am and awoke a few minutes ago to find my fever gone. Wahoo praise God! I finally feel alive again. The islands are beautiful, cone shaped thatched huts set on jetties poking out of the water. The water is a clear greeny blue and I can't wait to jump in. We're hopefully going to do a dive later on too.

Monday – back at the hostel pooped 01.33
We went on an all day scuba trip today. It was great to be diving again. A 2 tank dive and more for the log book. We also got to go to Red Frog Beach, a tranquil yellow sand beach which was stunning, absolutely incredible. The ocean felt amazing, literally softer and more silk like than any I have ever swum in before in my life. I am not joking. Playa Blanca was a little too perfect for me, the sea too blue, the sand too white. Red Frog on the other hand was yellow sanded, palm tree studded, a gentle slope down to the warm clear turquoise blue waters. My idea of perfection anyway.

So, to the diving. People who say snorkeling is no better than diving obviously have not ever been diving. It’s a completely different experience. with snorkeling you are looking in from above. Even with free diving you are limited, restricted, whereas with scuba a whole other world is opened up.

These dives were my first in the Caribbean and I must say I was very impressed with the coral formations on the reef. A veritable underwater jungle illuminating the surroundings with a whole host of bright (yes bright, despite the 15 metres we were below the surface) pinks, blues and greens. An over-sized pink, black and white fish with explosive markings round it eyes just lazily swam past my eye line. Gently moving lilac sponge like fingers stretch their way upwards towards the light, their fond undulating in the seas´ current. Strange cabbage like formations protrude at all angles, their generally dusky rose pink colour forming the canvas for more spectacular shades to shine. Enormous greenish cones in random collective bouquets reach out from the oceans floor, their smooth ends tapering down to meet the sand's embrace. Small shoals of fabulously coloured fish dart here and there, the sunlight reflecting brilliantly off their scales. Intermittent clouds of bubbles erupt from the side of our regulators, fighting each other in their rush to break the surface. The very essence of the ocean is in my ears.