Things didn't start that well, we had a nightmare on the M25, stuck in traffic for over an hour, luckily we built in plenty of contingency time. The flight was fine and then we arrived at Miami airport - OMG - we had 2 hours to our connecting flight which seemed like plenty of time - not!!!! It took us 1 hour 20 mins to get through pass port control, only to then find another massive queue to get through customs - we were never going to make it.......... We rushed to the front of the queue and tried to get someone to let us in - lucky for us we were successful, now only 25 mins to take off, 15 to gate closure, so we legged it through Miami airport, through another security check with 5 mins to spare. The plane pushed off and stopped - a problem with Hydraulics. In between all of this excitement we kept getting asked had we collected our luggage - it doesn't go straight through at Miami we kept getting told. The stewardess checked with ground staff for us and they advised that for BA the luggage did go through, but after over 14 hours travelling sitting on a plane going nowhere doubt was definitely creeping in.
After just over an hours delay we finally took off for San Jose Costa Rica. We arrived at the airport which after the nightmare of Miami was incredibly smooth and thankfully our luggage had arrived.
We walked out of the airport and our driver was waiting. Suddenly everything was looking much better. It improved still further when we arrived at the Inter Continental Hotel and we were upgraded to a suite.
We had a private transfer booked for the day to take us to the port ready to board the cruise ship.
It was a beautiful drive through the countryside of Costa Rica and then we arrived at the ship. Embarkation was really smooth and before we knew it we were in our cabin, we had been a bit apprehensive as we have never cruised before ( don't think a canal boat quite counts!), but our first impressions were good.
We then had a day at sea sailing along the Costa Rica and Panama Coast. We visited the gym, spent some time by the pool and ate and drunk.... It's a hard life.
We had a lovely evening meal and slept really well to awake moored outside Panama City.
We spent the day in Panama City, as the ship could not dock, we were taken ashore by tender.
Panama City was a real contrast of modern high rise buildings, with over crowded areas and some beautiful historic buildings as well as the entrance to the Panama Canal and the Miraflores Locks.
The view of our ship as we waited for the tender to take us back.
That evening we enjoyed a party on deck with some Panama folk dancing.
The next morning we woke early as today was the trip through the Panama Canal.
The entrance starts as you pass under the bridge of Americas.
We had ordered room service breakfast so we could enjoy the journey from our verandah.
Panama Canal crew come on board to guide us through t he canal.
Then comes one of the tugs.
As we get closer rowing boats come put to pick up our guide lines!!!!
Two boats travel up the locks in front of us.
To the left the expansion to the canal is being built.
The first tho locks are the Miraflore locks.
Boats are controlled through the canal with the use of small trains either side known as mules, as when first opened 100 years ago mules were used.
As you leave the first two locks you travel under the Centenial Bridge built to celebrate the 100 year anniversary of the canal.
Once through the bridge you arrive at the third lock on the climb up, Pedro Miguel lock.
The canal then travels for some distance through the man made channel and then into the lake in the middle.
We had a great lunch sitting on the sunset bar at the back of the ship sipping frozen Mojitos and enjoying the views.
By early afternoon we arrived at the 3 locks that would take us down to the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. These are the Gatum locks.
As we exit looking back more ships travel down behind us.
What an amazing day, hard to believe this was built over a100 years ago, 48 miles of human endeavour saving ships sailing circa 8,000 miles round South America!!!
Part two to follow.
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