San Isidro to David

October 12th San Isidro to David (Panama)
An early start as I wanted to be on the road for 7am. I packed everything up quickly as I'm becoming quite proficient at doing this now. I had a omelette for breakfast and a cup of tea,   though today's tea came with two jugs - one with hot water and the other with hot milk with a tea bag in. Makes you realise the importance of precise language, i'd asked for tea with milk and that is what I got!!
I was on the road by 7am and was wrapped in full waterproof gear as the clouds were low and there was a slight drizzle - felt almost like Minions but a few degrees warmer. I took the road that I'd taken yesterday evening and as I passed the garage I managed to peep my horn and wave, there was an excited wave back from one of the boys. The road was slow as it twisted and turned around the mountainous landscape. Meeting any slow lorry held one up for some time as passing places were few and far between. In fact the first 100 miles was an average speed of 35 mph. I stopped at a filling station for a drink and the two young attendants drooled over my bike, I let one of them sit on it and took a photo of him, his face was priceless, he was genuinely thrilled and proceeded to show others his photograph of the Africa Twin. He showed what looked like his father or uncle and he then requested a photo. I quickly got out before I had a queue form.
I eventually reached the border by 11.45 and began the laborious process of 'checking out of Costa Rica' and checking in to Panama. Fortunately the weather was kind and there was no blistering heat. I had to pay a departure tax of $8 and complete  lots of tedious paperwork. The process goes like this:
PAY DEPARTURE TAX
QUEUE UP FOR DEPARTURE FORM
COMPLETE DEPARTURE FORM
QUEUE UP FOR CHECKING OF PASSPORT AND DEPARTURE FORM
QUEUE UP AT Customs for CANCELLATION OF IMPORT form
COMPLETE CANCELLING OF IMPORT OF BIKE FORM
QUEUE UP TO HAND IN FORM
WAIT TO HAVE BIKE CHECKED 
THEN DEPART COSTA RICA
and then begin a whole other process to enter PANAMA
I won't go into this but suffice it to say it is even more long winded with many more steps. It took in total about 2 1/2 hours and that is quick as tourist seem to be prioritised (though it seems hard to believe). The poor old lorry drivers are there for a good day and the queues are ridiculous. The customs officers have their lunch between 12 and one so it is the inexperienced junior staff on then. The young Panamanian lass had difficulty knowing where I was from, she couldn't find England on her computer screen (that's what they know our country by) and the passport really confuses completely, as it says 'The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland', At one border crossing the officer put that I was from Ireland as it was the last word and he recognised that name! In total to get through this border it cost $42 what with taxes, insurance, cleaning of bike and paying for a local to assist. It is well worth paying someone to help as otherwise one would be completely lost, because each country as little nuances to the process that easily throw one out of sync.
By 2.30 I was on the road (gained an hour because of crossing a time zone) and within 5 miles I was stopped again at another check point to have my paperwork checked again - it really is beyond reason or common sense. With 40 miles to ride and a darkening sky I was keen to reach David before I got wet - I managed to get here just in time as the heavens opened shortly after my arrival. David is an unattractive town and a little messy, but one can see that Panama is more affluent than the other countries I've passed through. There is a well maintained two lane highway with fast moving traffic but still the scourge of the plastic bottle occupies the sides of the road in abundance. Panama use the US Dollar for currency and one can easily see the influence of this country on Panama.
In the hotel room I got on with planning and finalising the next few days. Tomorrow will be an even earlier start as I have to drop my bike off by 2pm at the airport (280 miles away) for a 11 am Friday flight. I have booked a hotel in Panama for Thursday night and a plane ticket for myself for 3pm on the Friday to Bogota. I will stay in the hotel there until Monday morning when I'll attempt to collect my bike. So Saturday and Sunday will be seeing the sites of Columbia's capital City.
I will be pleased to enter South America as I'm led to believe it is very different. If nothing else there are fewer border crossings to go and the times between them longer. I have found Central America challenging in ways I hadn't imagined, but I suspect that staying within a small area, instead of travelling everyday would have made it easier. I have met some great people and experienced some stunning scenery. Some of the adventures I could have done without, but I always knew it wasn't going to be easy but I hadn't anticipated having so many issues to deal with. Travelling through this neck of the woods is not cheap and with the pound plummeting  (Thanks Brexiteers) my money is shrinking fast. Because of this I have had to change my ticket home and bring it forward by three weeks making my departure date 30th November. I had hoped to get into Patagonia, but I will not have the money to get that far south - which is a shame - but maybe I'll come back again and do the deep south.