voulenteering in Boquete, Panama
29.02.2008
25 °C
Well, im in Panama!
I´ve kept in cotact with this english bloke i met the first day i arrived to Costa rica.
Just arround the time i left for Cabo Blanco he told me about this amazing project in Panama, close to the Costa rican border but up in the mountains.
I travelled down on tuesday, spending a total of 10 and a half hours, most of the time on my bottom before getting in to a town called David.
Tired and eager to find a place to sleep i managed to find a cabdriver who advised me to go to this pension as it was cheap ( 5 dollars) adn would do for the night.
(btw, in Panama they use Dollars as the national currency)
A lady showed me to my room, no normal doorlock, this was basically a school locker thingy.
SHe opened the "door" and voila i found a bed, a thin matress, no sheets a fan and that was the room!
A late night adventure you might say
Next morning i got out of there as soon as i could and headed for the bus terminal.
Found a bus that could take me to Boquete, an hours drive away and enjoyed the trip passing luxury houses, local indians in their national costume and breathtaking mountains.
Arrived in the town center, checked my email and turned out my mate lived in a hostel 2 blocks away.
Checked in and got a taxi up to where he is working.
Paradise Garden is an animal refugee center, taking in abused or donated animals.
The owners are two brits that moved here 3 years ago.
Paul and Jenny are two special people giving up all they ever owned back in England to retire in Panama.
They bred exotic birds back home such as parrots and macaws and took alot of them with them as this is ideal conditons for them.
Paradise Garden is NOT a zoo, it is a place where any animal is taken care of and always the mission is to try see them return to where they belong, in nature.
So here i am, after my first proper day.
I´m a tour guide for visitors showing them all the different animals living there.
This includes, monkeys, all kinds of macaws, parrots, kinkajous, a margyle similar to an ocelot or large cat.
Today i guided an elderly couple from the Czech Republic and some americans living in Panama.
Maisie a baby howler monkey is about 9 months old and is very active.
I´ve been so lucky to have her crawl under my tshirt for a little nap and carry her around on my shoulder.
Nothing will ever beat the first time i held her little hands for the first time.
So soft, human-like and cute its unbelivable!
I´ve arrived in a good time as she will be set out in the free in the next 2 weeks.
This is for her own best as it never was ment for her to live with the english family.
Im over the moon!
Finally i´ve found a project i want to do 100% and if nothing else happens in Costa Rica im going to stay here more than two weeks.
However, this voulenteer work is starting to play with my wallet!
But maybe i´ll be able to head on over to Cuba, Havana sometime in April.
Im going to finish off as i have a barbeque date with the hostel and im really hungry too!
Hope you are all fine back home.
Take care
Tom
Skrevet av tomkong3 15:36 Arkivert i Panama Tagged volunteer
