August 14, 2007

It was hard to say goodbye to Boquete’s perfect Spring-like climate, and the cinnamon buns from the market, but after three days it was time to descend from our 1,000 metres of elevation and move on.

It took us only 90 minutes to drive from Boquete to the border. And from the commercial hub of David west, the Inter-Americana Highway was divided with four-lanes and very little traffic, a rare luxury in Mexico and Central America.

We were pleasantly surprised at how un-chaotic the Pasa Canoas border was, given it is the main crossing and on the Inter-American Highway. Not a single guide swarmed us when we parked the van and there was an orderly system that could be easily followed.

But that’s not to say things went entirely smoothly.

While we completed the necessary steps on the Panama side in about 15 minutes, things came to a grinding halt on the Costa Rica side.

It turns out that when we had driven into Panama at the tiny Sixaola/Guabito border crossing on the Caribbean coast a few weeks prior, the Costa Rican official had entered us improperly (or not at all) into the computer system.

After two and half hours of cooling our heels while they tried to figure out the best “work-around”, we exploded into the “Jefe’s” office and demanded he do something. Five minutes later, after a quick call to Sixaola, the problem was resolved and we were allowed to go on our way.

But not before we had to buy the mandatory Costa Rican vehicle insurance for a second time, as the same official who had not entered us into the system had also confiscated our insurance receipt when we left Costa Rica (over Adrienne’s protest).

The mechanics of this border crossing were:

1. Park the van

2. Get our passports stamped at the Panamanian immigration and return the tourists cards

3. Purchase a sticker ($1/person)

4. Get our passports stamped for the van

5. Get another document stamped

6. Pull forward to the Costa Rica side, going through the fumigation ($5).

7. Get our passports stamped and fill out tourist cards

8. Have the van papers filled out.

9. Buy vehicle insurance ($15).

10. Have information about the van entered into a ledger and receive an exit slip

11. Pull forward and give the exit slip to the last official.

Key Facts & Figures:

Panama Border

-passport stickers: $1/person
-fumigation: $5

Costa Rica Border

-vehicle insurance: $15