July 18, 2013
I am returning to Panama and really excited about it.
I will start off by exploring the area from Punta Chame to Farallon. I have made contact with a realtor there and would like to get some ideas about what is possible. What are rents like? What would I get for my dollar if I buy? Should I buy something now with the intent of renting it out until I move there when I retire in five years?
I will then be attending the 2013 Live and Invest in Panama Conference. This conference is run by Kathleen Pedicord's Live and Invest Overseas organization. This type of conference is designed to give an overview of all the issues that expats may face when moving to a particular country. I'm hoping to pick up some general knowledge that I could apply to any country I may be interested in.
Organizations like Live and Invest Overseas, International Living, Escape Artist and others have great expertise, but they also have something to sell. There's nothing wrong with the sales part -- let's face it, they have to make a living and they do it by accumulating knowledge for wannabe expats and selling it via newsletters, books, special reports and conferences. If you decide to use the services of these organizations, just be aware that each outfit has their own set of prejudices and limitations. While I am not comparing any group to a car salesman, you don't by a car without doing your own research and verifying the claims of the salesman.
I have been getting Kathleen's emails for several years and I am an International Living magazine subscriber. I loved Kathleen's book and pick up interesting tidbits, suggestions, factoids and cautions from each of these sources. I will be sure to at least give a review of the conference. I won't divulge the information they provide because I strongly believe in their right to sell the research and expertise they have, but I can absolutely provide a critique and let you know if I got my money's worth.
Showing posts with label Panama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Panama. Show all posts
Bocas del Toro by air or by ground?
September 20, 2011
As I have worked on the itinerary for my Panama trip, I have tried to find ways to save time by flying between some towns or flying to a town in the west and picking up a rental car. For instance, I thought if I could fly to Bocas del Toro and then pick up a rental car I could save quite a bit of time and still see the same territory. One of my concerns is that I don't like the idea of leaving my rental car on the mainland while spending a couple of days on the islands. There are flights to Bocas del Toro on the commuter airlines, but no rental cars in any of the nearby mainland towns so that idea is out.
As I have worked on the itinerary for my Panama trip, I have tried to find ways to save time by flying between some towns or flying to a town in the west and picking up a rental car. For instance, I thought if I could fly to Bocas del Toro and then pick up a rental car I could save quite a bit of time and still see the same territory. One of my concerns is that I don't like the idea of leaving my rental car on the mainland while spending a couple of days on the islands. There are flights to Bocas del Toro on the commuter airlines, but no rental cars in any of the nearby mainland towns so that idea is out.
OK… what about flying to Bocas del Toro and then on to David and pick up a car there? That is doable, but the flight from Bocas to David is around $250.00 and there is a $180.00 drop-off fee to pick up the car in David and return it in Panama City. $430.00 is a lot of additional cost just to save a few hours. Plus, if you add in the time waiting at airports to the flight time, you really don't save that much. When all is said and done, the savings would cost me $75.00 to $100.00 per hour, which makes the decision pretty easy.
There is one other alternative. I can fly round-trip from my arrival airport (Tocumen International in Panama City -- PTY) to Bocas on Aeroperlas Regional (a TACA affiliate) for $234.00. If I were to arrive at Bocas late afternoon of the 3rd and go back to PTY the morning of the 5th or 6th I could pick up a car and still explore the area from roughly Coronado to Puerto Armuelles over the next several days before returning to Panama City to check out the canal and do a one-day trip to Darien Province.
It looks like there are two reasonable choices for what I want to see and do: fly to Bocas del Toro and back followed by car to explore the whole south coast or use the original plan of getting a car in Panama City and doing the whole trip on the ground. At least my choices are getting narrowed down. I've got less than seven weeks to get everything nailed down and I'm starting to get a bit nervous.
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