Panama, here I come!

ByGrace Alexander

And I’m off!  I’m heading down to Panama for the InterAmericas Hash.  This means I’ll be at an all-inclusive resort for a long weekend plus shoulder days in Panama City.

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Playa Blanca Resort from their website

My packing list for 6 days in Panama:

  • 8 changes of underwear
  • 3 pairs of socks (mostly wearing Vibrams or sandals
  • 2 pairs of workout pants
  • 7 t-shirts
  • 1 pair jeans
  • 2 bathing suit bottoms
  • 2 bathing suit tops
  • basic toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, deodorant, tooth brush, hair brush, tweezers, razor)
  • Mug (AKA vessel in the hashing world)
  • headlamp (we sometimes go on trails at night)
  • bug spray! Sun block!
  • vibrams
  • sandals
  • sweatshirt
  • iPad fully stocked with iTunesU courses. I’m loving Harvard’s CS50.  IPhone loaded with a fresh audiobook for my book club (Orange is the New Black).
  • Passport with snazzy Yellow Book (although I won’t need that per se, but it’s just a permanent fixture in there)
  • Cash (it’s nice that they just use US currency.  Makes it a lot easier).
  • Aleve…and maybe some Pepto if I remember to go pick some up.
  • Sense of adventure

What did I do to prepare:

Well, since I don’t pay international roaming I decided to investigate how to download maps to my iPhone since the GPS works without data.  This post explained it pretty well so I pulled up the airport, my hotel, where I’m meeting the shuttle to take me to the resort.  I then printed out the route map of the bus that goes from the airport to the Hilton Garden Inn.  Now I just have to hope I can find a kind soul to tap their MetroCard for me (or have these materialized at the airport over the last month?)

The first night will probably just feel like Anywhere, USA since I’ll be at a Hilton Garden Inn, but once I get out to Playa Blanca and I’m surrounded by drunk Americans I will definitely feel right at home…except I’m not sure if I’ll like Balboa or Atlas beer so I may have to drink something else.

I was trying to ride my beloved Airport Sprinter, but since I can drive 15 minutes or take the bus for 1 hour and I have an early flight I think I’ll pay for parking and know I’ll get there on time, then I’ll skip the cab and take the bus in Panama City.  I love people watching on city buses.

 

Thank you United for a 35,000 mile + $67.50 ticket and thank you TSA for allowing PreCheck on international itineraries.

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