I am about to send a fax, part 1 of a journal of my stay in Costa Rica
where I learn the gentle art of being blissed out in the present moment.
I will tell the story in instalments. Starting now...

The bus finally stops at San Vito and I see a low row of single story shops with that home-made look like you might build an outhouse back in Aus. Back at the border of Panama and Cost Rica I tried to bypass the rules for renewal of visa - leave the country for 72 hours - and plead ¨mi barco is necessitas reparaciones por favor, est possible mi regressar¨- I had a letter in Spanish - but it didn´t work! They said - or wrote on a 2" square piece of paper - 72 hours.

So I step out over the pebbles of the washed out streets of this border town, alive with people, huge semitrailers, stalls selling watches and drinks, street vendors with umbrella-mounted bicycles selling coconut milk in the nut, headed for the Costa Rican Immigracion. Forgetfully I had left the boat´s papers behind, so the Panamanian jefe read my letter ... and he did not refuse my request to waive the 72 hours, but asked for ship´s papers. Phoning Adrienne in Columbus, Ohio, made it possible she could fax a copy to the jefe - but things started to turn into obstacles. It wasn´t a fax number. I rang them on it - no english. Rang Spanish-speaking Tony back at the anchorage --- it WAS a fax - AND a phone number, anyway - as I approached the queue for the Salida (Exit Panama) window and asked: How do I say ¨I am about to send a fax?¨ a nice man said ¨Necessitas mando un fax¨so Adrienne in snowbound Columbus tried it, and, at last - it went through!

But it didn´t save me. Seventy-two hours. Okay.

Bus to Ciudad Neilly. then 3 hours wait for the bus to hilltop San Vito. While waiting at the terminal, an old man was loudly preaching, in Spanish, his hands caressing a home-made text, his eyes seemingly blind.

Allie, the German welder said it was beautiful up there in the hills.

More in part 2: The bus climbs into the hills and winds toward San Vito. I find a $14 a night cabina with the most original hot water maker in the world. Dinner at a one-table ¨Restaurante¨.

Note: Image is misleading. Put it there to attract your attention.