Larry's Central American Travels

The Idiot's Guide To America's Debt Crises

 

I have posted Part 1 of a 3-Part series of whimsy on my other blog. Use the link on the left called 'Hot Topics' to read about 'Larry's Experiment.' (It will probably help to put you in the right frame of mind to have a drink first)

 

 

It’s A Dollars Problem, Martha

To say that the U.S. is facing a financial crisis is, in my opinion, an understatement. However the numbers are so big that they become meaningless to most of us – just theoretical figures. So let’s look at them graphically.

Ever seen a million dollars? Well here it is. We have $100 bills bundled in $10,000 packets just like they come from the Federal Reserve. Pretty big bundle, right? About the amount of money that the average American wage earner makes over a twenty year period.

What does a trillion dollars look like? Well, if you took our million dollar packages and started palletizing them and stacking them up until you got to a trillion dollars, this is what you have. Click on the thumbnail and take a good look. That is two football fields and a jetliner to provide a size comparison. This year alone our government’s deficit is almost twice this amount ($1.7 trillion dollars).  Just this year!  Don't know about you but that picture gives me a queasy feeling.

And this is even scarier. The huge tall skyscraper on the right represents our federal government’s ‘unfunded liabilities’ (in those stacks of $100 bills) - $114.5 trillion dollars. (Click on the thumbnail and look close. That is the Statue of Liberty in the foreground.) What are unfunded liabilities? Those are things that the government is committed to spend, but does not have the funds set aside to do so. Those items include Medicare, Medicare Prescription Drugs, and Social Security, military and civil service retirement programs.

Meanwhile our politicians sit around arguing about whether we need to reduce spending or increase taxes, when any housewife who balances the budget every month can tell the fools they need to do both. And they need to do it BIG TIME! And I suggest there should be a bounty on people who profess that the answer to all our financial woes are hidden in nonsensical ideas like changing the tax rate on a handful of millionaires, or wasting months (and rhetoric) passing a balanced budget amendment.  Get real! 

 

Get Ready - Carnival is Coming

The Carnival is coming to every part of Panama! Even the beach hotels where people go to get away from all the madness will feature Carnival-inspired shows and festivities.

Firework shows will be in the sky to accompany this grand tradition, in which Panamanians show off their culture, heritage and uncanny ability to have a good time. The big party will be from February 18 to 21.

But the festivities start early. Carnival fever strikes on Wednesday, February 15, when many professionals begin to take leave from their duties in order to get into the party spirit. Most businesses close down early by Friday at mid-day. The queens are crowned at a ceremony on Friday, February 17.

Carnival is designed to enjoy the “earthly pleasures” to their fullest before the coming repentance and Lent during 40 days following the last day of ‘the party’, on Tuesday, February 21 – Fat Tuesday or ‘Martes de Carnaval’.

Tradition calls for everyone to get all pleasures and sins out of their system in order to prepare for the Easter celebrations of ‘Semana Santa’ – the country’s ‘Holy Week’, another summertime vacation period.

 

The Panama Canal Expansion

As you are probably aware, Panama is in the middle of a major expansion project for the Panama Canal.  The second set of locks will accommodate the super-cargo ships that now have to sail around the tip of South America to get into the Atlantic. This project affects a lot more than just Panama however.

The new canal access can and will alter the super ships paths. Many of the ports around the world are not set-up to handle the super cargo container ships. And two of South Florida’s most vital economic engines are on a collision course when it comes to a proposed dredging project at Port Miami. The port is one of the busiest in the country. It’s one of the main reasons Miami is called the Gateway to the Americas as products and goods move between the United States and the rest of the Western Hemisphere. It is also one of the top cruise ports in the world.

But the health of Biscayne Bay, which intersects the port channel, is vital to tourism. Boat charters rely on its fish populations. Snorkeling outfits need clear water for its customers to see the coral reefs. Manatees bask in its sea grasses. Visitors demand hotel rooms with water views.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection on Aug. 31 proposed to issue an environmental resource permit to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers authorizing the dredging, deepening and widening of portions of Miami’s channels. Two South Florida environmental groups have filed an administrative challenge, saying the proposed two-year project would devastate the bay by destroying up to 24 acres of sea-grass beds and eight acres of sea bottom.

The port is the second-largest generator of high-paying jobs in South Florida and employs 180,000 people at an average salary of $56,000 a year, advocates note. And studies show the project could double the annual container count, currently 900,000, by the end of the decade.

The port last underwent a dredging project six years ago for maintenance. The Corps was cited by the state then for failing to meet turgidity standards after a barge overturned, environmentalists say. The proposal is much larger in scope and is intended to widen and deepen the channel for post-Panamax cargo ships.

 Army Engineers said the environmental standards will be the highest ever for any American dredge project, and not one dolphin or manatee died during the last dredging.

Stay tuned, this fight is not over.

 

Panama Jazz Festival

For the ninth consecutive year, jazz takes over Panama City in January with the Panama Jazz Festival. Celebrated this year from Monday, January 16 to Saturday, January 21, the "Jazz Fest" enters once again with the new year, this time under the slogan "Del Corazón de América para el Mundo” (From the Heart of America for the World).

Created by renowned Panamanian musician Danilo Perez, the festival attracts international talent who come to perform in Panama. Combining the promise of fun in the sun with the fact that the artistes now have time in their busy schedules to make international appearances, the Panama Jazz Festival also parlays music education into its cultural mission.

Grammy-nominated Panamanian pianist and composer Danilo Pérez founded the Panama Jazz Festival. Danilo’s distinctive blend of Pan-American jazz (covering the music of the Americas, folkloric and world music) has garnered him critical acclaim and loyal audiences.

Born in Panama in 1966, Danilo started his musical studies at just three years of age with his father, a band leader and singer. By age 10, he was studying the European classical piano repertoire at the National Conservatory in Panama.

 

Recipes To Rescue Abandoned Dogs?

How’s this for a neat idea?  "Killer Party Potatoes” By Penny Lipke Alves, a competition-winning Chile recipe and Val's famous BBQ shrimp (to die for!) are just some of the 200 recipes to be found in "Recipes to the Rescue," a cookbook put together by Panama Animal League (PAL), containing the best recipes contributed by members of the beach area communities.

Another peculiarity of the beach expat community is that people have come from around the world, bringing with them a variety of culture and background. This diversity is reflected in the cookbook, with recipes like Scottish Shortbread, Moroccan Spiced Chicken, Panang Gai and Coq Au Vin.

"Recipes to the Rescue" is produced by Panama Animal League (PAL), an informal, not-for-profit organization which started in 2011. Distressed by the number of stray animals on the streets, the ladies got involved with initiatives to spay and neuter the dog and cat populations.

In the last year, the ladies of PAL have taken about 20 animals off the streets in the beach areas. This means getting them immediate veterinary care (including spay/neuter), fostering them and finding them suitable, stable homes.

A community cookbook from the beach area helps raise money to rescue abandoned animals.

 

"Abandoned dogs require an average of $100 in veterinary treatment per animal," stresses Linda Murdock, who is currently fostering five dogs at her small San Carlos home. "We depend on contributions from people to keep doing what we are doing," says Linda. The cookbook raises funds for the project. The production of the book itself was sponsored by ads from local businesses, and the book is sold for $15 a copy.

 

Free Trade Agreement and Panama's Ag Business

While the Free Trade Agreement with the U.S. provides for a gradual tariff reduction for chicken imported from the US, it does pose a threat to the poultry industry in Panama.  Currently tariffs on imports of chicken meat is 260% - for chicken thighs and drumsticks. This protection for local industry will gradually disappear, according to provisions by the Trade Promotion Agreement. The duty free quota on will increase year by year, until eventually after 5 years of the TPA, there will be no limit.

 

And it goes without saying this impacts the local chicken industry.  This is a BIG DEAL in Panama, if for no other reason the country is in fact one of the biggest consumers of chicken in Latin America. The per capita consumption of Panama (75.9 pounds) is second only to Venezuela (76.34 pounds) and Brazil (83.02 pounds), reports the Latin American Poultry Association. ”

 

My Book – ‘Angels in Panama’

You can purchase my book, 'Angels in Panama', the paperback version at the best price from the publisher (link below).

A great gift – the book is also now (finally!) available for instant download in e-book form as well from both Amazon (for the Kindle) and Barnes & Noble (the Nook).   

The links below are for the various formats of my book. I have also included a link to my website where you can read excerpts of ‘Angels in Panama’ if you want.

 Paperback from Publisher $9.95

 Kindle from Amazon $15.95

Nook Barnes/Noble $15.95 

 'Angels in Panama' Web Site 

 

 

Till Next Time.  Pura Vida

Click on thumbnails for full-size view.

Since 9/11 the U.S. government had enacted a number of major and far-reaching laws and taken administrative actions all in the name of national security and the ‘war on terror.’ The net results of these actions, when looked at as a total package, are that Americans’ basic freedoms have been eroded to the point that in many areas we are no longer ‘the land of the free’. In some cases, citizens of some unlikely nations - countries that our government criticizes and in some case sanctions for civil rights abuses – are better off legally than U.S. citizens.

I have posted a special article on this subject on my other blog, 'The View From Here'. To read 'America - The Land Of The Free?" just click on the link on the left called 'Hot Topics'

I invite any and all of your comments.

Panama Selected As Number 1

 

Be sure a visit our new blog site, "The View From Here", where the topics of the day are discussed. Just use the link on the left marked 'Hot Topics'.

 

The Good News From Panama

N. Y. Times Ranks Panama As #1 Destination

The new year brought a welcome surprise when the country was ranked first in a Travel Section piece called “The 45 Places to Go in 2012” in 'The New York Times'.

Appealing to travelers who could be seeking refuge in the current global economic storm, the article outlines conditions that justify declaring Panama’s economy to be “booming:” Expats and investors who “banked” on real estate, a steady stream of immigrants, construction, the “recent passage of the United States-Panama free trade agreement” and the expansion of the Canal, among other factors.

And there were some big names dropped: The Panamera (Waldorf Astoria’s first Latin American hotel), Trump Ocean Club (the Trump brand’s first project off US soil - shown here on right) and Frank Gehry (the architect whose name is on the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain). Gehry designed the BioMuseo, scheduled to open at the Pacific entrance to the Canal in early 2013. A truly innovative project, experts say it is possible that the museum could surpass the Canal in numbers of visitors before the end of the decade.

The Times article also gave a big plug to other places to see in Panama: Bocas del Toro, a Caribbean banana province that’s become a must-do among adventurous for its “snorkeling and zip lining by day and raucous night life after dark”. 

 

And  Panama’s budding diamond in the rough, its Old Town, got special mention as well. ‘Casco Viejo’ was praised for being a “trendy” and “stylish” Unesco World Heritage site. The article called this area “transformed”, touting the arts, restaurants and boutique hotels.  

 

And That’s Not All…

Panama was also featured as a top ten dining destination in the Spanish version of TripAdvisor.com. A 24-page special supplement on Panama in the current edition of the Spanish travel magazine ‘Excelencias’ proclaims that “Panamá está de moda” - Panama is in fashion.

And National Geographic Too...

The January edition of National Geographic featured a story (on the cover in the Spanish edition) that has been six years in the making, the discovery of the most recent burial site for chiefs and high-ranking members of pre-Colombian society at El Caño.

Smithsonian archeologist Julia Mayo’s dig in central Panama, said the magazine, could lead to a new era of discover and understanding. There is still much to be learned from this area, where mummified chiefs adorned with gold were found buried face down, adjacent to their families and slaves who were slain in sacrifice to accompany these lords to the next world.

Panama, according to National Geographic, may well hold the answers that will help the archeological community find answers to the mysteries that surround the gold-worshiping post-Mayan society that occupied lands ranging from Costa Rica to Colombia. It seems that Panama is where its most prominent members came to find their final resting place.

The Bottom Line

Panama is ‘on a roll’ and it’s allure is strong. Just before the end of the year, on December 23, the country counted it two millionth tourist arrival. The excitement in the air is tangible for favorable times ahead in the tourism sector. As more and more people discover all that this little isthmus has to offer, they, just like the press, will pass on their recommendation: that it’s worth a visit to discover Panama. (La Visitante)

 

That Time of Year Again - Big  Crowds in Boquete

Boquete, the mountain town with spring-like climes in the Chiriquí province, is hosting The Flower and Coffee Fair, a tradition that began in 1950.  They expect that over 100,000 people visit the fairgrounds from January 12 to 22,

“Boqueteños” have worked hard to set up the always-impressive flower gardens, arranged in bright symmetrical patterns. The setting is perfect for a sunny stroll alongside the Caldera River. Roses, geraniums, chrysanthemums and marigolds are just some of the flowers on grand display. Orchids are also a special sight to see. The variety seems endless.

Coffee tastings are the other prominent feature. And the true essence of the fair is enjoying the outdoors and the sun. The fair also marks the beginning of the sunny, dry “verano” season in Panama and begin of the country fair season.

A daily program includes live entertainment, music, dancing, crafts, diverse dining options and rides for children.

Throughout the town, at virtually all of the establishments that could be of interest to persons on holiday, the festive spirit can be felt. Restaurants pull out all the stops to impress diners and tour companies are ready to exceed the expectations of those seeking a new experience - be it an adventurous zip line or a relaxing birder’s tour.

The fair is a great place to pick up unique and original souvenirs. Local and foreign artisans will have their works on display. Traditional Panamanian arts and crafts compete for buyers alongside works brought by craftsmen from Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Peru, Colombia and Ecuador.

 

The Bad News From Panama

 Bus Accident, Two Killed, 24 Injured.  

Why is this incident worthy of note, particularly to those of you who are looking at Panama from afar?  Well there are some things about Panama that are baffling - make no sense. Such as the ‘adventure of a group of people living in San Miguelito who very early on a recent morning started their trip on a "Red Devil" bus.

The passengers were soon surprised as the driver was tearing down the road, often going at full speed, and people were yelling at him to slow down.  But he did not, and according to a witness on board, "Suddenly, the bus lost control and went sideways, then onto its side ... Everyone here screamed, it was chaos.”

The bus slid down the road on its side for several meters on the newly paved road. Two young men who were crushed to death," said one of the occupants of the bus, who got the shock of his life.

In addition, 24 people were injured with scrapes and bruises on various parts of their bodies, and were rushed to medical centers in Sabanitas and the city of Colon. The other people who were uninjured were taken to a nearby church to await a bus to carry them back to their homes in San Miguelito.

But as the dust settled from this accident is when things get crazy:

 - After the accident, according to witnesses and residents of the area, survivors asked the bus driver for an explanation, and when he did not answer them, they tried to attack him. The bus driver, finding himself cornered, fled and went into the bush on the edge of the road. "So far, he has not shown his face and no one knows where he is," said a police officer.

 - The traffic accident caused a tremendous traffic jam on the roadway, and criminals took advantage of the situation to rob the occupants of vehicles who were in their cars waiting for the road to clear.

 You Gotta Be Kidding Me. The bus driver gets you in a serious accident because of his crazy driving, so you just gang up and beat the crap out of him? And a big accident where people are killed and others injured, and because it is in an isolated area, bad guys are robbing people caught in the traffic jam? No Martha, there is nothing '3rd world' about that. Just makes you want to go for a nice Sunday drive out in the country and see the ‘interior’, doesn’t it?

 

National Police Conduct Surprise Urinalysis Tests.

The National Police conducted a surprise urine test to all staff of the institution, as a measure of control to detect the use of illicit substances by police officers. The test was ordered by the Director General of the National Police, Gustavo Perez. (TVN)

Don Winters (Panama Guide) Comment: When I was in the military they would conduct surprise "piss tests" all the time. I worked in elite units and everyone had security clearances, and those tests caught practically no one (but, we kept having to do them anyway.) I can only imagine how many Panamanian police officers are going to get "popped" on this test. This is the first time that I can remember hearing about an institution-wide testing program, conducted by surprise, across the board, on the same day. Man, no one had time to study...   

 

9% of Panamanian Students Held Back A Year

During the 2011 school year in Panama a total of 63,359 students failed one or more subject. The Ministry of Education was quick to point out this is a lower number of failures than what was recorded in 2010. However, according to official figures released, this year 41,373 students failed three for fewer subjects, which means they had the right to attend summer school remedial courses (rather than be 'held back' a year).

But, 21,986 students failed four or more subjects, meaning they will have to repeat the school year (about 9% of all students). There was a decrease this year (from 2010) in both the number of students attended summer school remedial courses (about 49,504), and the number of students who have to repeat the school year (27,457), however the Regional Director of Education admits 'the figures are alarming'.

 Don Winter (Panama Guide) Comments: Get this - the subject failed by most students - Spanish. In any case, these numbers represent an overall decrease of 21.4% in the failure rate compared to last year. Panama's Minister of Education and the government overall is working hard to improve the school system. These efforts center on an overhaul of the national curriculum - which has been heavily resisted by the entrenched teacher's union - mostly because they don't want to have to learn new materials or be held accountable for their performance.

 

My Book – ‘Angels in Panama’

My book is still available at a reasonable price paperback from the publisher.

The book is also now (finally!) available in e-book form as well from both Amazon (for the Kindle) and Barnes & Noble (the Nook).   

The links below are for the various formats of my book. I have also included a link to my website where you can read excerpts of ‘Angels in Panama’ if you want.

Paperback from Publsher $9.95 

Kindle from Amazon $15.95

 Nook from Barnes/Noble $15.95

'Angels in Panama' Web Site

Take your pick and why not buy a copy for a friend?

 

Till Next Time.  Pura Vida

 

 

 

Healthcare or Horror Story?

 

(Note that I have started a 2nd blog that I have entitled 'Panama Musings' - items of interest that you won't find in the tourist magazines.  It will be updated three times weekly and will not have email notification of postings, so check back often. This message will not appear in coming postings on this blog. The link to the Panama Musings  blog  'Hot Topics'  is shown to the left.) 

 

Background: I have lived in David for over 4 years and have had my own physician here most of that time. Dr. Cattan owns Clinica Cattan a full-service primary care clinic in downtown. He speaks excellent English, has an engaging bedside manner, seems to really enjoy interfacing with the ex-pat community, and is the type of guy that has given me his cell number and instructions to call it (rather than the office) when I need him.

On two different occasions over the last three years Dr. Cattan outlined and administered comprehensive treatment programs to combat a recurring staph infection in my foot. His care was praised by the specialist at Duke University’s Infectious Disease Department when I conferred with them on my normal trips back to the U.S. to visit my regular physician. 

My last battle with the staph infection (in May 2010) took an unexpected turn however. About two weeks into the treatment cycle, I experienced a different type of pain. Alarming in that the pain associated with this staph is very unique, and this was different. When I called Dr. Cattan had me come straight to his office even though it was 8pm – none of that ‘call me in the morning’. An hour later he had called a friend of his, an orthopedic surgeon, to the office – turns out a staph infection invading the skeletal structure is a serious turn of events.

The orthopedist, who had attended Cornell Med. School (I have forgotten his name), within 30 minutes had arranged my admittance to Mae Lewis Hospital.  Turns out he had also called back into the hospital the young lady who handles the TriCare insurance program (retired U.S. military) to insure that I got processed in properly. This point is particularly important because I did not even know I could use my TriCare here in Panama. Duh! I mean if you are bullet-proof, why would you bother checking on your healthcare before you need it?

The long and short of it is I was in the hospital for a week, under an intensive antibiotic treatment and my total cost out of pocket was $100. In addition, the young lady at the hospital took care of all the TriCare paperwork and filing.  Even more important, she advised me that all my TriCare needs in the future should be brought to her, not just those associated with the hospital. She represented TriCare, not just the hospital’s interface with it. Wow!

 

A Current Crises Erupts: The first of January I revisited Mae Lewis under a very different situation and conditions. I have a long-standing chronic lung problem, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD), the genesis of which was a nearly fatal battle with TB that was misdiagnosed back in 1995.  The ravages of the TB left me with approximately 60% lung capacity, a limitation that can be worked around fairly effectively on a day-to-day basis.  However, a chest cold is a cause for concern, anything more serious sets of alarms.

Twice in the past six years I have had to be hospitalized, and tethered to an oxygen mask while modern medications fought to clear my lungs.  A couple of times a year like most everyone, I will get the sniffles and have what could be the start of a problem, but with meds (and luck?) the situation improves over couple days. Well this month it got worse fast and 'stupid me' put off calling for assistance because it was getting better? Oh yeah.

When I FINALLY decided to call ambulance it took an hour to get ready before I could call.  I had to put on underwear, pants and shirt that I HAD ALREADY LAID OUT! But I kept running out breath and had to set down and recover.  When I finally called the ambulance I emphasized bring oxygen.  They did - but in ambulance NOT in their hands when they came in room.  I ultimately passed out as they were putting me in ambulance before we left the hotel, looking the whole downtown regular population square in the eye.  

 

My Return to Mae Lewis: The fact that I required the oxygen support system evidently did not make me an emergency case, and we just worked our way through traffic across town, sans siren. That distinction did become important when we got hospital because we did not go to the emergency room entrance. I was wheeled into a waiting area outside the admissions office. After some encouragement on my part (primarily because I was turned blue ‘off oxygen”) the ambulance driver got me hurried into the admittance office where one of the doctors running admissions got me on oxygen while I waited my turn.

The younger of the two doctors in admissions spoke excellent English, and in between cases he was processing in, he contacted the TriCare rep at home. She got on the computer and confirmed for him my status and account information and I was subsequently processed into the hospital. I was put in a bed right there in the admissions office and ‘parked’ with two other beds (separated by curtains) while the processing continued. About 30 minutes later, a 60-ish gentleman introduced himself as my pulmonologist and started taking information from me.  However, to do so, Dr. Sanchez had to rely heavily on the admitting room doctor because he spoke virtually no English. The adventure had really begun.

I was subsequently hooked up to drip bags and given multiple shots, pills, liquid medications and spent the night right there in admittance.  Since the environment of the admissions room was kind of like a shopping center, I initially thought that the three of us where parked there for observation purposes. I found out the next morning that it was because the hospital was full. About 10:30 the next morning I was moved to a room. Another exercise in futility.

When you are in the shape I was in (fighting for breath) you do not want to do anything that will trigger your respiration to accelerate – like move a muscle! For those of you who have ever had a breathing crisis you know what I am talking about. For those of you who haven’t, I will not belabor the point, but the panic that sets in when you run out of breath can not be avoided. So your logical mind knows you have to change rooms and it is going to cause another breathing crisis, and the portable oxygen will at least keep you alive until you can get back prone and motionless and recover. But please make it quick!

So, for starters, you would think that professionals would appreciate the concept of getting the portable oxygen supply hooked up and operational before they disconnected me from my bed station supply to move me into a wheelchair for transport. Wouldn’t you? And while I am on the limited supply portable system there would not be a requirement to stop at the nurses’ station to have a discussion about which room we are moving to. Nor would there be an even longer discussion once we arrived at the new room or which of the two empty beds was the winner.  I should mention that two days later there was another room change requirement which went a lot smoother – because I ran it!

I am definitely not fluent in Spanish, but I do get along fairly well in normal conversations, but that does not extend to medical terms, diagnosis or prognosis. And although Dr. Sanchez came in to see me twice a day, he spoke no - NO - English. He would come in smiling with a chart in his hand, babble a bit and pronounce me “mejor, mucho mejor”. To which, after the second day, I would explain that that I didn’t understand and ask him to bring in someone to translate. But my repeated request,” Yo no entiendo totalmente. ¿Se puede conseguir a alguien para traducir al Inglés?” gained nothing but a big smile, a “si, si”, and he would disappear until next visit. And I know he understood me, if for no other reason on several occasions either other patients or visitors in the room who spoke some English repeated my request for me. I now am arranging to take all the paperwork to my doctor to determine specifically what I was treated for and how.

Luckily I had been through this (or at least a similar) treatment  before, so I knew the lungs would need a healing period AND that I would need oxygen at home to get through that process. I had to explain that to Dr. Sanchez when he came in smiling on Morning #6 to say I was ‘going home today’. He did understand me when I explained I would let him know when I got the oxygen set up at my home.  With a lot of help from friends here that only took about 24 hours to get in place. Now we were ready to go home.

I called and left a message with the TriCare lady to make sure that everything was in place for my discharge. When she called me back I realized I had not heard from her since I was admitted and suddenly realized why. She advised me that Mae Lewis no longer processed TriCare claims. I would have to pay cash before I was released and reimbursement from TriCare was my responsibility. Gulp! I do not know what would have happened if I had not had $3,500 in the bank accounts.

 

Get Me Home: But, we are not home yet. Due to the oxygen requirement we are going to need an ambulance to get back to the hotel, which must be done through the hospital by reservation. The hospital called at 3pm when they had finished processing me out and found the next available ambulance for that type of duty was 5pm. Oh Lord.  The ambulance did finally arrive at 6:40pm, manned by two young female EMTs. The ‘female’ part of that equation really only became relevant when we reached the hotel and discovered that the elevator was not operational. Thankfully the hotel porters and two young guys from the cafeteria were able to wrestle me up to my 3^rd floor perch. Whew, what a trip!

 

In Conclusion: A long story! Yes! But… my point in telling it is obviously not to make me look smart, nor to stimulate a ‘woe is me’.  I am convinced I would be a goner if it weren’t for an informal support group made up of friends and acquaintances who had not up to that point had to perform in that function. And I can only rap my own knuckles for not staying up with the TriCare situation. It turns out the hospitals TriCare processing problems were known, just not by me.  To make matters worse, like too many people, I ignored the whole medical situation until I needed it. That, my friends, is too late.  Be smarter than me!

As an aside, a week after being released, I am much ..MUCH... better and improving daily. In fact I have now gone over 24 hours without any oxygen, although admittedly I am moving slow. And my medication regimen has another week. Yuk. But, I consider myself very lucky.

Hope this rant assists someone. It will have been worth it.

Larry

Till Next Time. Pura Vida. 

 

The Smart Traveler

 

Taking The Hassle Out Of Your Travel

I have traveled a lot in the last five years and have learned a lot of the ins-and-outs of making for a successful journey. Quite honestly, much of what I have learned has been learned the hard way. I didn’t do my homework and ended up paying for the oversight in one way or another.

Living here in David in a downtown hotel, I come in contact with a lot of tourist of all ages and from all over the world. I am constantly amazed by people who have done no research on Panama or for the next stops in their journey. For instance there was a couple last week (seniors from Oklahoma) who asked me if there was any way they could get an ATM machine in David to accept their Bank of America debit card.  I wanted to say, “Didn’t you check with your bank before you left,” but didn’t. Another man told me last year he was headed for Venezuela and had not even heard about the horrible crime statistics of that country, or that Chavez was pushing an anti-American agenda. Duh!  The best one though is the retired school teacher who wanted to know where to go to exchange U.S. dollars into the local currency. She refused to believe me as I tried to explain that the dollar is the Panamanian currency.

So here are some travel ideas and tips for you. Some may be obvious but some may be things you haven’t confronted before. But the central theme of all of this is you need to do some planning. Particularly if you are going overseas in your travels, it is not as simple as grabbing your passport and jumping on an airplane. And do not rely on the fact that you have visited your intended destination in the past. Things change – sometimes fast.  For example, the Costa Rica of today is not the Costa Rica I visited about five years ago (crime and prices have soared while the ‘love of tourists’ has declined).

 

What Is It You Want To Do On Your Vacation?

Important step #1 sounds simplistic doesn’t it?  What is it you really want to do? Well, if you call this shot wrong you will spend the entire vacation trying to ‘make do’.  Let me give you a couple of recent examples:

* Friends of mine are real go-getters when they go on vacation (they would wear me out in one day).  Where ever they are it is up at sunup, pack a back pack and zoom around all day.  They usually come crawling in after sundown beaming smiles and wanting to tell you about every taco stand and rose garden they saw.

Recently these folks suddenly decided to try something new – an all-inclusive in the Dominican Republic. I said, “What? You guys like to run around the countryside. Even taking a couple of sponsored tours, you guys are going to feel cooped up”  They suggested that they could always just grab a cab and go.

I had to explain that most, if not all, of the all-inclusives in the D.R. are out in the boondocks, they bring a satellite signal in by ox cart.  It appears to me that the whole concept of the all-inclusive was a matter of necessity in many of the countries down here.  The local tourist environment was/is non-existent either due to infrastructure limitations or safety and security concerns.

* Another couple selected the all-inclusive route for all the right reasons (their reasons), but did not do their homework. They selected the specific resort based on the recommendations of a friend who raved about the resort food and the broad range of cuisines available.  They were totally disappointed in almost all of the ‘fancy’ restaurants at the resort.  Only later did they find out that the fellow recommending the food ate breakfast and lunch at the buffet and his dinners in the steak house.  Do your homework!

 

Before You Leave

Check Your Passport

If you are going overseas, check the expiration date of your passport. This could ruin a vacation before it even gets started. When you enter Panama you are authorized to stay here, in tourist status, for six months. Even if you are only planning to stay here for a week, if when you arrive your passport expiration date is less than six months away, you will probably be denied entry and turned around. In fact, most of the airlines work so closely with immigration departments that you will probably not be allowed to board the flight in the U.S.

Dangers Of The Passport Card

The passport card is the wallet-size travel document that can only be used to re-enter the United States at land border-crossings and sea ports-of-entry from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. Some Americans opt for the card if they are going on a cruise or driving to Canada because it is quicker and cheaper than getting a regular passport book. But keep in mind, the passport card was designed for the specific needs of northern and southern U.S. border communities with residents that cross the border frequently by land. The passport book is the only document approved for international travel by air. So if your car breaks down in Toronto, and is going to take a while to get fixed, can you fly back home? No! And if you get sick on the cruise, can you get off at the next stop in the Caribbean and fly home to see your doctor? No!

Guard Against the Unexpected.

Many vacation packages (including tours, cruises and all-inclusive packages), offer significant savings if booked well in advance. However, many of them have cancellation charges that often escalate as your departure date approaches. Travel insurance protects your trip against forces beyond your control, such as an illness, a death in the family or even canceled connecting flights. So protect your dollars and your trip if you're unable to go for any reason.

Don't Advertise Your Absence.

Excited about vacations, some people are eager to tell the whole world about it. Thanks to social media outlets, such as Facebook and Twitter, doing that is easier — and more perilous — than ever.  There is growing evidence that unscrupulous characters are mining that information and breaking in to unattended residences. That's why it's best to wait until the vacation is over to do your bragging. If you can't resist, revise your privacy settings to narrow the audience.

Check Your Health Coverage.

An illness or an injury could be devastatingly expensive if it happens overseas, especially if you need medical transport back to the United States. Many plans won't cover such costs — including Medicare, though some Medicare supplement plans do. So know what your coverage does include and if necessary fill the gap with travel health insurance coverage.

Keep an Eye on Your Money.

When you're on the road, you may think it's too much of a hassle to monitor your bank balances, and ATMs in certain countries will not give you balances. So if you haven’t already, now may be the time to setup your bank accounts for on-line banking.  Through either email or cell phone apps you can monitor changes in your accounts — a large transaction or a dip in your balance, for example. Set up the alerts before you go and your accounts will keep you posted.

Make the Right Rental Car Move.

You may have reserved a car weeks in advance, but once you reach the counter, you'll face a decision: whether to purchase the optional insurance coverage.

Check with your insurer, before you leave, to learn what your policy covers in rental cars. Typically, if you live and are renting your car in the United States, your rental will be covered by your personal auto insurance. And specifically check for ‘loss of use’ — the payment to the rental company while a damaged rental car is in the shop. If you're renting overseas, you'll generally need to buy protection from the rental car company. Whether home or abroad, your credit card may provide additional protection. You need to know these things before you travel.

Guard Your Mail.

An overflowing mailbox telegraphs your absence and gives identity thieves ample material to do mischief, like filling in one of those pre-approved credit card offers and changing the address. Have the post office or a trusted friend hold your mail.

One more reason to consider receiving your bills, statements and other important documents on-line. Not only does it cut down the clutter, that gives thieves one less way to get your information.

Alert your Credit Card Company.

A foreign charge on your credit card may arouse your bank's suspicion, which could prompt it to freeze the account. To avoid that scenario, let your bank know if you're heading overseas.

Position Yourself for That ‘Ultimate Getaway’.

While we may just as easily perish at home on the way to the grocery store, your death while traveling could create problems for survivors that might take years to straighten out.  So, if, like so many Americans, you haven't quite gotten around to updating your will, appointing a guardian for your children and securing the right amount of life insurance, use your vacation planning as the extra nudge to take care of those things.

 

At Your Vacation Destination

Don’t Be Naive!

When you get to a new city, pick up a free map from at the tourist office and ask the person on duty to circle which parts of the city you probably shouldn't venture into after dark -- and which parts you shouldn't head to during the day either.

Carry Less

A single backpack (worn on your front in crowded areas) makes you much more agile, keeps your hands free and shows you have less stuff to steal. Remember: You don't need to make yourself thief-proof, just less of a target than those around you.

Cell Phones

For starters, check with your provider to see if it will work at your destination. And be sure and ask about associated roaming charges. They may be exorbitant. If you bring it, take precautions – in a lot of locations they are a high theft item. And don’t get a false sense of security just because you have your phone with you and can call for help. In many countries coverage is limited and/or sporadic. And do you know what number to call? (It probably is not 911). Will the person who answers speak English? For that matter, will anyone answer? (That is not a given in many places outside the U.S.)  

Try To Stay ‘Low Profile’

Don't flaunt wealth, including jewelry or shiny watches. (Even fake Rolexes will draw attention.) The watch you are wearing may be worth a year’s salary to those around you. If you have a fancy camera, don't carry it in a bag that says "Nikon" or "Canon" on the side. And it's a good idea to have second credit cards and IDs and some emergency cash stashed in a secret belt compartment or in the safe at your hotel just in case.

Going Out In The Boondocks?

If you're going off the grid for a while -- hiking Chile or driving across in the outback -- let your trusted friend or family member back home know where you're headed (be as specific as possible), when you plan to be back and when they should call search and rescue if they don't hear from you. Without this, a search group might start looking for your weeks later and in the completely wrong places.

Civil Disturbances

If there is some kind of demonstration stay away from it regardless of how harmless and peaceful it may appear. And if you're in a city during a major riot or coup d'état, stay inside, follow the news on TV, radio and Twitter and phone your embassy -- they may be evacuating citizens.

Using ATM Cards

Much like credit cards, using debit cards abroad can cause you to incur hefty international ATM surcharges and foreign transaction fees that can add quite a bit to the cost of your trip. However, a few banks have reduced or eliminated these fees, so it pays to check before you go to avoid surprises and save money. If your bank charges a flat fee, make few ATM withdrawals. Instead of taking out $40 a dozen times, you might want to take out $400 once.

Credit Card Use

Consider switching to a credit card for purchases. I use a debit card here only at ATM machines. The negative of using a debit card at a store, restaurant or for purchases is you may have none of the security or safeguards you have with a credit card. And you can also tell your credit card provided not to process a charge that would result in an ‘over limit’ balance, usually meaning a hefty fee. Most banks that is not an option with an ATM card.

Keep Your Credit/Debit Cards In Sight

In many places that you may travel, the card processors may not be very sophisticated and/or bulky. They may be placed in a back room, around a corner in an alcove or behind a partition. When I go in a restaurant or store I watch them process other people’s cards. If the card goes out of view to be processed, I use cash. It is too easy to have the card information lifted (including the security code on the back) when it is processed out of sight and can be written down. Few people are capable of memorizing all that information right in front of you and then write it down correctly later.

Know You Hotel

In addition to the fire and emergency exits, pay particular attention to access to your hotel – the first security step. In most of the hotels in David, for instance, people can not just walk in the hotel and go upstairs - only hotel guests have access. And at night do NOT answer if someone is knocking on your hotel room door. Call the front desk and explain that someone is knocking and let them investigate it as a disturbance.

  

Happy Travels

I hope that at least some of these observations will be of benefit to you.  But, keep in mind that the only thing that is a sure thing in the modern travel environment is change. Never assume based on ‘how it worked last year’!

 

Larry Matthews

 

My Book – ‘Angels in Panama’

  

My book is still available at a reasonable price paperback from the publisher.

The book is also now (finally!) available in e-book form as well from both Amazon (for the Kindle) and Barnes & Noble (the Nook).   

 

The links below are for the various formats of my book. I have also included a link to my website where you can read excerpts of ‘Angels in Panama’ if you want.

 Paperback from Publisher $9.95

Kindle from Amazon $15.95

Nook from Barnes Noble $15.95

Angels Web Site

 

 

 

Till Next Time.  Pura Vida

 

 

 

Till Next Time. Pura Vida