Hola amigos!

So, I have been unable to write for the last few weeks due to the incredibly intense heat and humidity of Panama City... yep, thats my excuse. But seriously, RIDICULOUSLY humid! Disasterous for my hair - think as wide as it is long... niiiiice.

But despite melting on an hourly basis I loved Panama from the moment I flew in. I normally avoid looking out of the window due to my intense hatred of flying BUT coming in over the rainforests and mountains was awesome. SO so green! And driving through all the tiny one way cobblestone streets in the old part of the city to get to my hostel just made me love it more. The vegetarian restaurant I discovered with amazing plates of food for $2 just topped it off!

I spent a week at a spanish school taking individual lessons to attempt to remind my brain that it had in fact studied spanish last year at Uni. I think its coming back... slowly! Definitely made better by 4 hours of class a day where no english is spoken. My teachers were great though and I learnt loads about Panamanian culture, food, traditions and history.

I am now up in a little mountain town - El Valle. It reminds me a bit of Lushoto in Tanzania although not nearly as cold. Mountains surround the town and at times you can barely see anything when the clouds descend low over the valley. I am couchsurfing here with an American family (www.couchsurfing.com - awesome!) and yesterday they took me out hiking. We walked through the rainforest, past the petroglyphs carved into a huge boulder, and up onto the surrounding hills. We walked to the top of La India Dormida (the hills look vaguely like the outline of a sleeping woman) and then slid the slippery path back to town. Well, actually, the others managed to stay upright but I may have done a rather impressive bail in the mud... elegant as always.

The town has a cute market with all sorts of plants, fruit and veges and a crafts section. I got chatting to a guy who did amazing paintings on feathers. My budget didnt stretch to buying one of his gorgeous paintings but having talked to him for so long and asking to much about his painting, life and the area etc I felt I should buy something. This is why I now have a very brightly patterned oven glove...