"Available for immediate occupancy: cozy house with excellent location, well out of reach of local cats. No credit check needed. Families welcome."
Yes, we're home now. Even though flying time from Cartagena to Panama is less than an hour, the trip was long and tiring anyhow. I'd advise you to get to the airport very early when flying out of Colombia; security procedures are strict. Two or three rounds of questions (just the normal questions, like purpose of trip, etc), two metal detectors, two pat downs, a drug residue detector, careful checking on their computers, and some people get their bags opened and searched as well. I believe they are looking for mules smuggling cocaine out of the country.
Then on the flight back Salma gave us a hard time again, screaming and shrieking at times, trying to grab the arm of the woman in front of me, and then flirting playfully with any passenger who would look at her. And then shrieking some more. Crazy kid of mine.
We arrived in Panama at 5:40 pm. It was good to be back in a familiar place, and a place that in comparison to Colombia feels relaxed and easygoing. I popped a green tea pill and listened to my walkman to stay awake as I drove through the dark, with Laura and Salma sleeping part of the way, and we got back to El Valle around 9pm. So if you count from the time we went to the Cartagena airport - 12:30pm or so - it was almost a 9 hour trip!
Our friend Cleo took good care of our house and cats in our absence, and Rosa had left dinner and a cake in the refrigerator, but we were too tired to eat. Unfortunately, Salma was worked up I guess by all the travel and excitement, and would not sleep until midnight or so.
There's more to write about Colombia, and photos to upload. Gotta catch up on my work first.
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