After an early start I began my journey to the Bocas del Toro Isalnds in Panama. I'd heard from a girl at Spanish school that Bocas has two rules that everyone breaks...1) I'm leaving tomorrow, 2) I'm only having one drink. So obviously Bocas was my next destination. Using the shuttle from Peurto Viejo I headed to the boarder between Costa Rica and Panama. Here we got out the van and went to customs. I'd heard alot of stories about the boarder with people ready to scam you and imigration grilling you about your return and charging exit taxes but I got through easily without problems and headed across the boarder to Panama. To cross the boarder you have to walk across a very old wooden foot bridge with very large holes where planks were missing. It felt very unoffical and odd that the other side of this Indian Jones-esque bridge was a different country. Once across we headed to another town where we got the boat to the islands. The whole journey took around four hours and was quite interesting chatting to the other travellers on the shuttle (American and Venezuelan).

Once on the mainland I took a water taxi to the island opposite where I was staying in Aqua Lounge. The hostel looked amazing with hammocks, sunbeds, holes in the terrace to the ocean and the swings and large trampoline straight into the crystaline water. I checked in and met the super friendly staff then relaxed in the sun. That night I ate with Vivienne (a German girl staying in my room) on the terrace, the views were so pretty with sunset and the reflections on the sea. We then predrank with a group of Isreali guys who were travelling after their national service. After we headed to Iguanas, the main club over on the main island. I loved the water taxi door to door service, it seemed sereal with nice smooth clear water straight to a club without queues or cover charge! At about 4am we headed back to Aqua Lounge where we all jumped in the sea from the trampoline before heading to bed!

The next morning I got up early ready to meet some people at 9:30am for a boat tour to the other islands. After chatting to Khrissy (another girl in my dorm) I realised it had been a while - this is where she told me that Panama was an hour ahead of Costa Rica! As I had walked across the boarder I didn't even consider there could be a time difference! Although I missed my planned trip it all worked out amazingly well. After talking with Khrissy for longer I decided to volunteer with her for a week, leaving Monday. She worked for a non-profit organisation in Costa Rica at a biological station just North of Tortuguero, to protect sea turtles! She was in Bocas on her visa run (where you have to leave Costa Rica for threes days to get a new stamp in your passport). After deciding this I headed off to find a different tour when Tony the security guard told me about his tour with two Austrailian guys from the hostel. I decided to go along due to the time and the guys seemed cool!

Tony's 'tour' was amazing seeing dolphins in the ocean, snorkling on the amazing coral reefs at numerous sites, stopping at the best places! We then headed to Zapatoa island just behind Isla Bastimentos (the island with the most famous beaches). Here the entire island is a national park and was like heaven. Tony got us some fresh coconuts from the palm trees shading the white sandy beaches using a giant stick. Here we put them in our cool box ready for later while enjoying the local beer (Panama) that we brought from the hostel. Here Tony's friends from the main island came over. We all chatted and cooled down in the sea which was bath temperature! Once the coconuts were cooled, Fulo (one of the friends) brought over abuelo, the local rum, and mixed it with the coconut water. This was amazing like homemade good quality Malibu! His other friend, Jay, was from the States and was working in Bocas as a Scuba Diving instructor. We all enjoyed the sun and rum then headed back to the island but stopping to see sloths and more dolphins on the way! It was amazing day despite the inevitable sunburn!

That evening it was the notorious Aqualounge party (they have one every Wednesday and Saturday). The rest of the bars on the island didn't open on these days as everyone went to Aqua. With free drinks for girls between 9:30 - 10:30 we all started early. However despite strong efforts (I think it's the British training) I was not as drunk as the other girls and sat on the front deck talking to others with a few more drinks. Here I met Jay again and after talking for a while decided to tdo the PADI openwater course. After mentioning I was wanting to do it in Belize I found out it was drastically cheaper here and he offered to train me in the next 3 days which was perfect! I couldn't say no. So after rule number 1 broken (I was not going to leave tomorrow) I joined in the with dancing. Reluctantly practising my salsa skills when the music changed! The dance floor wasn't covered so while dancing we could see the amazing lightening storm over head. Eventually the unevitable happened and the heavens opened. The dance floor seemed to turn into a huge communal shower and everyone was wet through. So with nothing to lose we headed to the swings and jumped into the ocean! The party was perfect making this days one of most unforgettable so far!

The next morning was slightly difficult to get to the dive shop for 9am but I made it and started my training. Video and quizes for the morning then lunch before the water. As I can't even put my head in salt water normally because of my eyes I was beginning to feel slightly apprehensive and second guessing my decisions about diving. After a few attempts for some of the confined waterskills -removing my mask at the bottom imparticualry I completed the required tasks for the day (mainly as I needed the loo and Jay wouldn't let me get out to go till I was all done!) So after my slightly extended skill session it was 6pm so after I headed back to get changed then went to the Reggae Boat Party.

With Day 2 of the course underway I completed my third confined water (alot more quickly) and headed out for my first dive. Other than struggling to controll my bouyancy I really enjoyed it! Seeing so many fish, corals and shellfish. I only nearly freaked out when both Jay and Khrissy forced/surprised me with animals! Jay decided to stick my head in a little hole in the rocks to 'make sure' I'd seen the octopus (which I had but deliberately was not getting close too!) and Khrissy who tapped me on the shoulder and when I turned around was a giant lobster in my face! After I explained clearly I like to observe from a distance, especially on my first few dives! After a lunch break we headed out for my 2nd dive, this again was more relaxed and I enjoyed it more and more. In order to complete my course before I left I had to do the next two videos and tests and ended up staying at the shop till pretty late. After a quick change I enjoyed some rum and pineapple with the girls from the hostel before heading over to Iguanas to meet Jay, Fulo and some others from the hostel. After another late night we decided to start our third day a little late and meet at 11 the next day for my last two dives!

By this day I was excited to go out and loved the dives, even when I was laughing and letting water in my mask and regulator! As it was my last day Jay took me for dinner at a Thai restaurant as I was going on about how much I missed pad thai been away! I then headed back to Aqua ready for the 5am wake up to travel back to Costa Rica with Khrissy to help save the turtles.

Once awake and packed it became obvious that Khrissy was too ill to travel, with a fever and flu we moved to a private room on the main island where she could rest. I however was also pleased to stay as i got to fit in my two free dives, so I went back to Starfleet and luckily they could fit me in! On this dive we saw lots of puffa fish, rays, seahorses, tropical fish and a dead black tip shark! it was amazing, both the coral reefs and ship wreck! As Khrissy was still ill I headed out with Jay again for pizza and played pool in a local sports bar. As I'd stayed so much longer than expected it was already Wednesday (party at Aqua) but as I was leaving early the next day I said I'd only have one drink (forgetting the second rule everyone breaks!) and as expected I broke the rule with a few sambukas, jagers and tequilas we found ourselfs back at the Aqua party for another great night! After another amazing day and night I felt rather sad to leave Bocas but I knew it was time! I headed back and got everything ready for the 5:30am boat. Bocas will always have a special place in my heart x