The Pan-Am Highway stretches 29,800 miles from Northern Alaska to Southern Tierra de Fuego. It has revolutionized the way that people travel, making it possible and plausible to travel through the Americas. There is, however, one part of the highway that has never been completed. It happens to be the part that would connect Panamá and Colombia. Why has it not been constructed? People are scared that it would provide the Colombian druglords an easy was to ship their goods to Central and North America. What is left in its absence is the Darién Gap, thick jungle full of guerrillas and unknowns. Or so I’m told.I usually don’t like to be told that I can’t go somewhere. It taunts me and makes me want to go there even more. But in this case I think it wise to find some other means to get to Colombia. At least this time.
5 days and 4 nights. That’s how long it will take from Panama to Cartagena. Our boat is the Stahlratte, one of the many boats that make the journey shuttling people between the two countries. Day 1:
15 of us pile onto the boat with all of our backpacks. We meet the 4 crew members and, after a mad scramble to choose our beds, we meet up on deck for lunch and an orientation. Mmm… Pumpkin soup with sweet biscuits topped with pumpkin seeds. So delicious and surprisingly filling.
After a bit of sitting on deck in the sun, we arrived at a group of uninhabited islands. We jumped into the warm clear blue water. It was perfect! The salty water cooled our sweaty faces as we swam to the closest island. Starfish hung out near shore and we had to watch where we walked to avoid stepping on them. Some people were content on that island. I can see why, the sand was pure white and soft. Palm trees loomed overhead. The weather was perfect the water was perfect. But a German named Norbert and I swam to the next island. Island hopping?! You better believe it! We sat on the beach sifting the white sand through our fingers and toes. We talked about traveling and life goals as we watched the paradise around us. It truly was a scene out of a postcard. As the sun started to set we saw an interpecies feeding frenzy! Jumping fish shot out of the water and caught bugs as much as 5 feet into the air. The pelicans hovered and swooped down to catch their dinner. The tiny fish near the shore nibbled at us. As we swam back to the starfish island what must have been a jellyfish stung me on the arm. By the time we reached the island, I had a small welt! Ouch!
With the sun dipping down, we walked around the island stepping over fallen palm trees not really wanting to go back to the boat just yet.
Dinner was pasta of two varieties. I don’t know why, but it was VERY tasty! I fell asleep that night on a slanted mattress in a submerged room under a trapdoor.
Day 2:
Every day 3 or 4 people are in charge of cooking and cleaning for that day. The second day it was supposed to be me, my ma, Charlie, and Kai. We got up at 7:30 and started making breakfast. We made a fresh fruit salad with bananas, mangos, apples, melons, and passion fruit. And fresh guacamole with fresh squeezed orange juice. Kai never made it to breakfast preparations, but that doesn’t surprise me at all.
After peeling and cutting many many potatoes, I got my daily dose of saltwater swimming. But the heavy rainclouds spoiled the party and we had to head back to the ship to avoid the relámpago. Lunch was crepes and after watching the on/off rain we decided to go ahead with the island barbeque. Chop chop chop. 
Made a fantastic potato salad. Chop chop chop. We cut up veggies and sausage for kababs. By the time we out to the island, the fire is already going. We make our own kababs and then point to them as our daughters take pictures! We eat and eat and begin what will turn into a long night of drinking. The sun sets and we are left in the light of the campfire with beer and rum. After talking a bit with the Irish and Americans and being crawled on by sand crabs, I sit staring into the fire. Guillermo, an Argentinian crew member, comes by and sits with me and we exchange stories. After a while we walk around the island. The water laps up on shore and brings with it photoluminescent plankton. The night is dark, especially as we leave the light of the fire. I look for constellations.
Back at the campfire I get mistaken for Sinaid by a very drunk woman and am accused of stealing a bottle of rum. Not once, but twice. A few of us exchange jokes in a circle. The woman in the red dress from Trinidad and Tobago stumbles around demanding that we take body shots from her. Kai is passed out against a tree. The fire is getting low. The alcohol is running out. I suggest that we start heading back to the boat.
The first group of people head back to the boat. Back on deck the party continues. So much so that we forget about the other people still on the island, who end up having so swim back. We play drinking games and Charlie tries to share his rubbing alcohol whiskey. Sobering up, I sit downstairs with Paul and Aaron talking and taking care of our drunken munchies. Up on deck we hear people POUNDING! Dancing on the table ensues. I just sit back and laugh. I end up going to bed way before the party is over.
Day 3:
People were slow to get up the next day. Boat life is so different. For one thing, my entire sense of location, distance and time are all warped! I don’t have a watch or a compass. There are just water and islands. There’s something so peaceful about sailing. It forces you to relax. There are no TVs or radios. You can ‘t just get on your shoes and walk somewhere. You can’t jump into a car and drive somewhere. You are forced to either swim in the ocean or lounge on deck. If you try to fill the time with productivity, you’re bound to fail. If you try to stay busy, you will run out of things to keep you occupied. You just have to relax, or read, or write, or rest, or think, or feel, or dream. And you’ll probably end up doing all of the above because there are so many more hours in the day than you realize!
Mom and I swam out to the starfish island and returned just in time for the storm clouds to roll in. I took shelter in the wheelhouse and learned how to nagevate the boat. When the sky temporarily cleared, I climbed up to the crows nest. It was terrifying!
The rope ladder got narrower and narrower at the top. Soon I was swaying on the ropes, holding on for dear life! My knees were shaking, but I kept climbing. I stayed up there no more than a few minutes before beginning my descent. I was so petrified that I almost forgot to enjoy the view! 
Some Kuna men brought us fresh fish, which was then scaled and gutted on deck. There were also tiny lobsters, langostinos! Mmm… we ate well that night.
Day 4:
After three days on the islands, we began the 30 hour sail to Cartagena. We awoke at 4:30am to the sound of the engines starting up. Chug a chug a chug. The whole boat shook and swayed and the sound was deafening. I didn’t sleep much after that.
The whole day the boat swayed and we stumbled around like drunkards! We were not used to moving through the open seas. My head spun and my stomach lurched. No one could stay awake! Every flat surface was covered with unconscious bodies. People were sprawled everywhere. It was like the whole boat was infected with some deadly plague!
The whole day we passed in and out of sleep. Dramamine was the prized commodity that day. I ended up not taking any of the circulating seasickness drugs, but that meant that every time I stood up, I fell back down clutching my head. I could barely keep my eyes open and my head straight. As you can see, I didn't take any pictures that day! It was pretty miserable.
By nightfall, the ocean calmed a little. There was water, and only water, in all directions. The stars peeked out from behind the clouds. I stayed up and kept Guillermo company during his 11pm-2am watch. We saw a boat in the distance and I learned how to tell which direction it was going based on the color of its lights. I checked the navigation system, we still had 10 more hours of sailing! To pass the time I told ancient Greek stories about the constellations while watching the distant lightening and swinging my legs overboard.
Day 5:
COLOMBIA! Oh how I’ve drempt of this day! I watched Cartagena’s skyline sneak closer as we ate breakfast and before I knew it, we were docked in the port waiting for the immigration officials to board. We waited. And waited.
Finally the officials boarded. They strutted in trying to look official. They sat us down around the table and started arbitrarily picking on us individually, asking us questions in rapid fire style. I was singled out many times.
In the end, I think he was only trying to seem official while we waited for someone who never showed up. It gave me more evidence to my theory that there are very few rules or formalities in Colombia. Things just happen and you have to go with the flow. While we waited for him to run the passports through the máquina, we ate the huge fish that was caught the day before with some curry sauce. We packed up our bags and when the passports returned surprisingly early,
we were shuttled across to land. We said goodbye to the boat’s crew, who were hilarious and put up with all of our silliness. One last picture before we jumped in cabs and bombarded Getsemaní looking for hostels! I love Colombia so far. I don’t know what it is, but gives me a good feeling and I can’t stop my excitement from smiling!
Food Highlights:
Everything! Fresh fruit, fresh veggies, fresh fish! The meals were simple, yet delicious. No complaints from this happy pasajera!
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