We're here

Great adventures getting here; First the Delta Airlines personnel don't know their own procedures regarding transport of animals, so they say we can't bring them in one crate. Tension ensues....... After checking with their own website to confirm what we are telling them has already been confirmed, we are cleared to go ahead. We had to pay extra as we are overweight on everything, quelle surprise!

The Atlanta airport is so huge, you have to take a train just to get around the Delta wing. Bob got paged and had to go half way back to remove the girls from their crate so customs can check their bedding for guns and drugs. Those schnauzers look suspicious! They did this in Toronto also before we left. Anyway we finally got confirmation they were loaded for the second leg of the trip and the flight was smooth, even though we saw an amazing lightning storm in the clouds we passed by.
After getting checked through with immigration and the vet at Tocumen we got our rental car and made it to the hotel around 10:30 p.m. There was no way to smuggle the dogs into our hotel so they stayed in the car overnight. We were up early again and made it to the toll route, Corredor Sur, by 8:30 which was a thrill for Bob as 20 lanes try to squeeze into 10 lanes to clear the toll boothes. It's every driver for himself.

We made it to Santa Clara and found our little casita, called Chao Pescao. It's rather rustic, with stone floors and only cold water on tap. However, it's only about 5 min to a beautiful wide, mostly deserted beach. We have a bedroom, kitchen, two baths and a bohio.

We've done a lot since we got here and have already been to Panama City on the bus to meet our lawyer. Our immigration application papers have been filed and we should have our visas before we come back to Canada at Christmas. Our lawyer is very well connected and related to the Minister of Immigration so this is a huge plus for us, as many wait 18-24 months and have to make many visits to get their visas.
Our shipment of goods has arrived from Canada, so tomorrow I will contact the agents about getting the stuff to Santa Clara. We also have to go grocery shopping and bring it home on the bus so we will see how all that goes. First two times we had the rental car, so this will be another adventure.
Well, caio for now,

Chris and Bob