Our original plan was to stay in Panama for 1-3 years and then go to southern Florida and set up a home-base as a springboard for further travels. There are so many places we want to go. Well after one year in Panama we decided it was time to make the transition and have some new experiences. There were many variables into that decision and it would be to long of a blog to explain them. One thing we do know is that we will miss Panama. Maybe to be more exact, we will really miss some things in Panama AND we will really not miss some other things in Panama but you find this everywhere. For sure we will miss our friends, the amazing every single day sunrises, and the ability to be on the beach or in the pool in 5 minutes. While in Panama I was very disappointed to learn that sampling the seemingly endless varieties of Rum really doesn’t qualify as an active sport and daily happy hour does eventually come with a level of boredom.
We have been in Florida now for a week, specifically ‘The Villages’, where we rented a villa for 4 months. When we transitioned from Seattle, we sold (downsized) almost all our things but what we couldn’t yet part with we put in a storage unit (10′ x 15′) near our parents in ‘The Villages’. Over the next 4 months one of our chores is to go back through that storage unit and pare down more items we now know we will not need. We will also need to get a car, see about medical insurance, and basically transition back to the noisy and more stressed US lifestyle. Stress? Constant in your face minute by minute advertising, the drama of a Stepford Wife-National Enquirer never ending political race, the always on-line stare at your phone lifestyle, etc…yes it is more stressful in the USA.
So where do we go from here? Immediately, a car, play some friendly tennis, some golf, hit the pool, and purge the storage unit. In a couple of months, find an initial home-base in southern Florida just off the beach most likely in the Boca-Lauderdale area and plan for some near term travels hopefully to see Lisa (Virginia) and Katie/Sean (Seattle). Longer term our current desires are to go and spend some extended time in the Caribbean, Portugal, Spain. It is hard to look forward too far as I know today is here and I feel pretty cocky that tomorrow will come but, hey, next month, all bets are off.
I have enclosed a few pictures of our last week in Panama and a few from our initial arrival in ‘The Villages’. Hope you enjoy em. As always if you have any comments or questions then send them on. Anything you want to know about our experience regarding ex-pat living let me know. I understand some folks have been forwarding and passing around my blog, our experiences. Feel free to do so and I hope you have gotten a break from your daily boredom from it. The last blog was read by someone in France, Poland, Panama, Italy, Mexico, Colombia, Bahamas, USA, Canada, and others. Come on people get a life!
I hope to share some more interesting stories soon from our experiences in ‘The Villages’. How could there not be – herds of cougars, highest rate of STDs, and cheap alcohol. These are bound to make for good stories. Almost makes me feel back home in Coronado, Panama!
RB
Our last sunrise at the Panama beach.
Last morning on the beach.
These pictures are from our last night in Panama at the Riande Aeropuerto Hotel and Casino.
Pictures from being in Florida.
