A few overlanders we met in South America that are heading north are planning to meet in Panama for Christmas 2002. We are shipping in from Venezuela, and the others are shipping in from Ecuador and Colombia. If you want to find out where/when, or can suggest a good meeting hotel, please click the send email icon above.

Not sure about New Years -- maybe Costa Rica if not too expensive...

Ride safe, ride far, ride often,
Chris & Erin Ratay
www.UltimateJourney.com



[This message has been edited by ultimatejourney (edited 30 October 2002).]

hi erin, hi chris,

I won´t attend to your x-mas meeting, because of the darien gap and I will maybe go south to ecuador from here in a few weeks.

maybe I make it to el fin del mundo for new year, vamos a ver.

greetings from bogota MIKA

Mika, sorry to hear you won't be around -- safe travels wherever you spend the holidays!

Our esteemed Chris Bright has offered a suggestion for meeting in Panama:

..when in panama, stay at the hotel 'central' in the seedy old town. the
neighbourhood is a bit dodgy at night (but then again, where isn't in panama?), but take a taxi and you'll be fine. bike parking in foyer. get some house bricks from the park oppisite to build ramp to get onto
sidewalk to get into front door. from 3rd floor front facing balcony you can see right into cathedral opposite.

he sent me another email to confirm parking
...you could fit 100 bikes in the foyer, although there probably aren't 100 rooms. the hotel was 5 * 100 years ago when panama was in its prime. not much has been done since, so it is a bit basic if you expect a lot of luxury. it has a very bohemian feel to it. the woman at the reception is miserable, but everybody else is fine.
---

So, looks like we have a meeting place for Xmas 2002 in Panama -- hope you can make it!


------------------
Ride safe, ride far, ride often,

Email: bmw @ ultimate journey .com (no spaces)
Website: <A HREF="http://www.UltimateJourney.com
" TARGET=_blank>www.UltimateJourney.com
</A> 1999-2003 World Tour

Got out of Caracas before we got stuck there and just arrived in Panama yesterday -- Chris & Simi (Belgium A.Twin) arrived this afternoon from Ecuador. Waiting on news from a few other travellers...
The Hotel Central has closed down, so we are looking for a new site for our Xmas celebration -- hope to update this space in a few days.

For the rest of you -- Feliz Navidad!!



------------------
Ride safe, ride far, ride often,

Email: bmw @ ultimate journey .com (no spaces)
Website: <A HREF="http://www.UltimateJourney.com
" TARGET=_blank>www.UltimateJourney.com
</A> 1999-2003 World Tour

We will be in Boquete, north of David on the way to Bocas del Toro. Boquete is some 150kms from the CR border.
Pension Topaz -- Camping for $5/tent, Rooms are $10 (2 person) shared bath, and $20 private bath.

Otherwise, Feliz Navidad!!



------------------
Ride safe, ride far, ride often,

Email: bmw @ ultimate journey .com (no spaces)
Website: <A HREF="http://www.UltimateJourney.com
" TARGET=_blank>www.UltimateJourney.com
</A> 1999-2003 World Tour