Panama wasn´t really on my hit list of countries to visit, but so many people mentioned the Bocas in Panama, that I decided to go. From Costa Rica, there is a border crossing just south of Puerto Viejo. I couldn´t face another bus journey so I took a taxi down. The taxi driver was telling me about the area, and that most of it was a big banana and plantain growing area for Del Monte (You know the man in white outfit that says ´yes´). The taxi guy told me that they employ mostly native indians from Panama, who cross the boarder illegally for work, and that the average daily wage is $10 USD. When we arrived at the border, the taxi guy pulled up next to a bunch of dodgy looking guys, and said "these are my friends, they´ll look after you". Not what I really wanted! It turned out that at the other side of the crossing there were no busses, and these taxi drivers were passing customers across the border. The area around the boarder was sketchy, with lots of people standing around, not doing too much. The border crossing its self was a long steel framed bridge, with a wooden floor. I guess it was originally a railway crossing. With a few long hard looks from the officals in a hut, I got a stamp out of Costa Rica, and then crossed the bridge (with the taxi driver in tow). At the other side a few more hard long looks and a visa application, and I got my stamp though! There was a tired looking white guy on the other side, who turned out to be German, and also spoke good English & Spanish. We were both heading to the Bocas, so we shared the taxi to the dock. This turned out to be great fun, as the boat was a really fast speed boat, that took us through the small mangrove waterways and out onto the caribbean sea, and onto the Bocas. The German guy was called Mario! and he wanted to go to the Island of Bastimentos first. I didn´t really know anything much about this place, so I joined him. Bastimentos has a real Caribbean feel about it. The Island is mainly jungle, with several untouched beaches around it. There are only a few houses, that are all built on stilts and stretch out into the sea. The language spoken is English, but you´ll never ever understand it. There was a hostel, a supermarket and a couple a decent restaurants. Just around the bay was a Scuba diving school, that were offering the PADI certification really cheap, so I decided that I would stay on for three more days, and try that! The dive school was owned by a Dutch guy, and was called the Dutch Pirate. Though, he didn´t look like too much of a pirate! To complete the PADI, you have to pass a 50 question test, complete 4 training dives, and various emergency procedures. So, after 3 days I am now a PADI certified openwater diver! After 5 days on Bastimentos, I returned to the main island called Colon, and stayed for one more night, befrore travelling onto Panama City.