David, northern PANAMA

I´m in the town of David, 7.5 hours by bus north of Panama City. I stayed overnight here and will cross into Costa Rica this morning. My challenge will then be to get to one of the most remotest and unspoilt areas of Costa Rica...the Parque Nacional Corcovado (on the Peninsula de Osa) in the far south west along the Pacific Ocean. This will involve several buses and a boat and I trust to sleep just outside the park tonight in the town Puerto Jimenez. From Puerto Jimenez I will take a bus to the village of Carate. From here I have to hike along (and on) the beach for 16km to get to the Sirena ranger station which will be my entry into the park. Will have to cross the Rio Claro river and must do that during low tide (but need be careful of crocs and even sharks...but no attacks that I have heard of). Will rent a tent and camp in the jungle for about 2-3 nights. Will focus on these trails from the Sirena ranger station: Guanacaste Trail, Espuvellas Trail, and the Rio Claro Trail.

The park protects several endangered species of big cats (including the jaguar and puma), big reptiles (caymans and crocs) -- 104 mammal species (including the white-faced capuchin monkeys), 367 birds (and the largest concentration of the Scarlet Macaws), 117 amphibian and reptiles and 40 species of fresh water fish. I must find the elusive three-toed sloth! There is no permanent electricity and there are no telephones. The only means of communication is a government radio system. I´ll put up my rented tent somewhere in the jungle. Wish me luck!