10 November 2023 Bocas del Toro

In search of quick drying underwear

I must go down to the sea again,

to the lonely sea and the sky;

I left my shoes and socks there –

I wonder if they’re dry?
Spike Milligan [1918-2002]

Nowadays I travel simply to simply travel.
VJC

Woke up naturally with no particular plans for today. I do have a Zoom call this morning but the rest of the day is free.

Coffee in bed, followed by a ripe banana and bar of chocolate for breakfast. “Waste not, want not” …or similar.

I did little more than relax, write a few words on my laptop, then tidy up the apartment as best I could ready to depart in the morning.

Travelling with cabin size and weight baggage (under 10kg) is a liberating rather than limiting way to get around. In the past I would travel with at least one, and sometimes two bags, to check in as well as my cabin bag(s). Nowadays, I like to travel simply to simply travel. It is a lot easier, less complicated and much cheaper this way.


Top Tip: My minimalist packing list:
3 x shirts
1 x long sleeve T-shirt
1 x sweater 
2 x long trousers
1 x shorts
3 x socks (quick drying)
3 x underwear (quick drying)
Phone, laptop, and toothbrush (buy toiletries on arrival)
1 x lightweight rain jacket

Top Tip Too: Buy good, but usually expensive, quick drying socks and underwear. I thought that I could avoid this expense by trialling lots of different socks and underwear bought online, mainly from China (AliExpress). I would wash the various items and check drying times but I ended up buying so much stuff that I would have been better off just buying some proven quality garments. In the end, I settled on Rohan underwear and despite the outlay, they have been a great aid to travelling simply.

Having tidied up and cleaned the kitchen, I walked into Bocas for an early dinner. I had a very pleasant and agreeable meal of ‘Fish and Chips’ at JJ’s of Bocas Town. The restaurant is right on the water and a perfect location to watch the sun go down.

My time in ‘Bocas’ is nearly over. Would I come here again? No. Not because there is anything particularly wrong with it but simply because there is so much more in the world to explore.

Good night.

Budget costs: