from Rivas, Nicaragua to Panama City in 36 hours

4:00 am: We get up in our hostel at playa Santa Domingo on Las Islas de Ometepe - doesnt feel that bad, actually.
5:00 am: The journey begins: The ATV cab picks us up to bring us to the ferry terminal on the other side of the island. On the road, which is mostly unpaved, really unpaved, we pass chickens, two and more people on one bike and women carrying their goods on their heads on their way to work, abandoned horses, but no other cars.
6:00 am: Ferry ride to San Carlos del Sol, not as exciting as the one to the Island two days ago, when we were barely able to climb back down from the third deck via a tiny ladder in pretty heavy weather.
7:15 am: Cab ride to the bus pick-up in Rivas. Yes, we succeed in negotiating the price and get one dollar discount, probably still paying too much.
8:00 am: The first Tica Bus passes by, which we did not take since it seemed a too tight schedule. Therefore breakfast at a local gas station.
9:00 am: We climb on Tica Bus excecutive class destination San Jose, Costa Rica.
11:00 am: Arrival at Costa Rican boarder.
12:30 pm: It did not feel fast to stand in line twice at the boarder control offices as well as at the baggage check, but we eventually make it back into Costa Rica.
6:30 pm: Arrival in San Jose, Costa Rica. The impression we get of the small area of city, in which we look for an internet cafe, is really positive, and maybe I have to reevaluate my Costa Rica opinion.
9:30 pm: We leave the internet place, which officially closes at 6 pm on sundays. Long live the Costa Rican pura vida! However, both of us feel slightly sick and we are afraid the diarrhea on a bus ride night mare might come true. Some US fast food chain food helps a little.
10:30 pm: Boarding bus number two with destination Panama City. We find a small pillow and a blanket and the cup holders and tilting tables are actually there - excecutive class.
4:30 am: Panamanian boarder. Not too bad, we already made quite some way and slept in the bus. But wait, why is there nobody in the migration office?
6:15 am: Panamanian boarder. Despite having taken some breakfast in a shabby boarder restaurant, nothing has happened at all. We are waiting.
7:00 am: Yes, we proceeded to the Panamanian side of the boarder. Only one more line at their migration office, and we can continue our ride.
7:45 am: Finally at the counter, we are told that we need to show a valid return ticket from Panama, otherwise no entrance permit. We buy a ticket from our bus driver. Do Tica Bus and the boarder control collaborate secretly?
8:15 am: Everybody takes their luggage out of the bus belly and carries them into a circular room, where two gentlemen from the boarder control manually check every bag. One of them is really excited of the first aid kit in my back back and wants to know what pills are for which purpose. He is particularly interested in the emergency light stick in the box, which he really seems to want to unwrap and incent. He does not.
9:15 am: Ok, nobody said, that passing two boarders in Central America in one day would be easy, but more than 4.5 hours for one boarder crossing is ridiculeous. Whatever, we are back on the road, moving.
11:00 am: Police control number two in the middle of nowhere. May passport has never been grabbed as many times before.
5:00 pm: With only two hours delay we arrive eventually in Panama City, yippiee yeah yippie yippie yeah. The next days will show, if this journey was worth it, but I am already pretty confinced. Panama City has the vibes.