Took a while for me to write this blog after the excitement of going through the canal. This has been a week of frustration, torrential downpours, sweltering heat, emotional downers and 7 hour round trips to achieve very little.
However, Mark and I have now pulled ourselves together and attempting to look at what we have achieved and got rather than what we haven't achieved or got. We have fixed the wind generator. We have fashioned a water catcher (of sorts) We have been up the mast again and diagnosed the problem of the AIS (now for fixing it) We have taken down the main halyard and measured it (now for replacing it) It is really difficult to get anything here in Panama City without a few hours round trip in taxis.
Mia and Lochy have linked up with Emma and Joshua from Gruffalo (and for a while there, Lochy and Emma were planning getting married) and it has been great linking up with a boat that has already done this once before. Ame and Darren have been great in imparting their knowledge and also been equally as frustrated as us here in Panama. It's great to say "this is crap - I'm not having fun" to them and them saying "I know" rather than "well, that's what sailing is all about; it's part of the challenge" I know it's part of the challenge it would just be nice if SOMETHING could work without breaking.
We're looking forward to the next leg and Galapagos; even though it's going to cost us a fortune. Sorry, this is a moaning blog, but it's costing us about $1000 to visit and we're sailing there ourselves and staying on our boat when we get there. All of a sudden you need an agent now, and I still haven't established what they actually do for you.
Thank you for letting me get that off my chest. I think I had better finish now, but just be glad I didn't write this three days ago - this is me on a good day :-) Hoping to leave Panama on Tues/Wed.