Author Archives: Mark
We arrived safely in Galápagos
Yea! We arrived safely in Galápagos. The passage from Panama to Galápagos turned out to be one of the most challenging sails were have encountered so far in our wacky journey. The passage requires crossing an area called the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). The area has doldrums and can produce spectacular thunderstorms. I hate lightning. […]
Parting Ways with Panama
One last trip to the big city to return our rental car, check out with immigration and bus back to the marina in San Carlos. Bye-bye Panama! As you read this, Cindy and I are sailing approximately 1,000 miles or 7 days to Galapagos. We have finally left Panama after a very long enjoyable stay […]
Check Ups
A warning to any readers in the United States, this is probably going to upset you. If it doesn’t, it should. In previous posts, I have mentioned more than once about getting Cream Puff ready for our next passage. We are getting ready to go to the boonies. The next two legs will be […]
2019 in Review
I think we might have broken a record in 2019. We only sailed about 700 miles. For two people on a wacky sailing adventure traveling the world, this is pretty pathetic. This has to be some sort of new record. So, why didn’t we move very far? The simple answer is we fell in love […]
Lunch With Friends
We are hanging about on the Puffster. Okay, technically we are not just hanging about. We are working our butts off for a jaunt to Galapagos and French Polynesia. Cindy has done a ton of research about what is available and what is not available on these islands regarding food. I am guessing […]
Crazy Stuff
My brain just gave me a presentation. I had no idea it had access to PowerPoint. One of the slides it emphasized was stating I had 125 days this year where I was sleep-deprived. I disagreed. I said it was 126 because having this conversation in the middle of the night wasn’t going to help. […]
Buenos Aries – Part Four (The Final Installment)
Sleeping on a bed that doesn’t rock me to sleep is taking a little bit of getting used to. We are loving the vacation from our boat and sleeping in a real king-size bed. The high-pressure water in the shower is amazing. Unlimited supplies of hot water: incredible. His and her sofas to stretch out […]
Buenos Aries – Part Three
When we traveled to Portland Oregon a few years ago, I was very impressed with the Saturday (under the bridge) market. I love street markets and I especially love street entertainers. Roaming about these venues is a sort of happy place for me. It is so easy for me to lose track of time and […]
Buenos Aries – Part Two
We are loving it here in Buenos Aries! Springtime in Buenos Aries can be a little bit chilly. We are here as the trees are starting to bloom. Seasons are opposite in the northern and southern hemispheres. Sometimes when the wind blows down the street, it can feel darn right nippy. The locals are bundled […]
Buenos Aries – Part One
Arriving in a new city at midnight can be a little daunting. We do not speak the language and we have no local currency. Argentinean pesos are hard to get outside of the country and somewhat hard to get inside the country; More on this later. Normally, we’d take an Uber from the airport to […]
We’re Going to Buenos Aries
Buenos Aries has been on the bucket list for a while. Often referred to as the Paris of the Americas, I have long wanted to see if it lives up to the reputation. It is quite a long hop from Panama to Buenos Aries, about 7 hours by plane on a direct flight. We’ve watched […]
Pacing in Panama
Why do credit cards have an expiration date? It isn’t like they are going to go stale, moldy, lose their nutritional value, or crumble because of age. Imagine the money the card companies could save if they abolished the expiration date or considered tripling it to extend years into the future. They would no longer […]
Sloths, Bus Stops and Air Conditioning
A visit to the Gamboa Rainforest Resort proved to be a fun day. The resort is a favorite for eco-tourists. As you would expect by the name, it is set in the rainforest on the Chagres River. The hotel offers all sorts of tours for guests and visitors. The attractions that really got our attention […]
Puttering About Panama
I think Panamanian people are born with an umbrella attached to their hand. The few times we ventured off without our umbrella, we’ve been forced to pay the price. Most recently when we went shopping at a massive shopping complex called Albrook Mall, we found ourselves stranded inside for a couple of hours due to […]
Boquete – Panama
The five and a half-hour drive to Boquete treated us to panoramic vistas of the lush green mountainous Panamanian countryside. The main road up and down Panama is the Panamericana Highway. Once away from Panama City the road becomes much less congested and the four-lane blacktop smooth highway makes for an easy drive. In Panama, […]
