Slow buses, and fast zip lines

After today I consider myself an expert on Panamanian buses, although despite traveling over 420km on 5 different buses I am yet to experience the rather nice looking coaches.  So maybe it would be more accurate to say I am an expert on the minibus system of Panama.  In the less populated areas buses are all stops, literally.  You stand by the road and put your hand out, and the bus will stop.  Someone 100m down the road will do the same thing.  The drivers (and whatever name you give to the guy who looks for passengers and takes your money) are incredibly helpful and when they think you’re getting close to your destination check exactly which hostel you’re staying at so they drop you right where you need to be.  When they knew we were changing buses they stopped directly beside the bus we needed, and made sure we got on to it.  Once you get on the highway, they become slightly more stop bound, although it doesn’t take much for them to throw in an extra stop or two if required.  In general we have found everyone very helpful, to the point of walking us around 300m to the next bus we needed, whilst carrying my bag, and then wishing us a good day without asking for money.  

Our first big splurge was in Boquete - ziplining through the cloud forest.  We were taken in a converted truck up the mountain to approximately 6000 feet.  However the truck didn’t really have the power to get up the steep, bumpy road.  We did debate whether we should all get out and push, but thought that might have been rude.  Having jiggled our way to the top we were harnessed up and briefed on safety.  There were 12 ropes in total, which were up to 500m in length.  We had to use one hand as a guide to keep us facing the right way, and if necessary to provide the brakes (by tightening our grip on the cable).  Some ropes were ‘no brakes’, unless you’re coming in to the platform too fast and they frantically start gesturing at you to brake (guess who that happened to?).  Others were at a steeper angle, and most definitely needed braking to prevent you injuring the guide who was there to steer you in.  It was a very slick operation, and we had completed four ropes in quick succession before Jason and I managed to overlap at a platform.  The views were absolutely sublime, as we crisscrossed over a gorge, with a river flowing beneath us.  The 500m rope was one of the best though in terms of speed.  Reportedly you can reach almost 100km per hour depending on weight, although I am vaguely dubious about this claim.  It felt fast, but not that fast!