Panama Travelog #40
IAH United Club - Tue, 31 Dec 2024. 4pm.We're about halfway home from Panama right now. We're cooling our heels at the United Club at IAH. We relaxed in the Copa Airlines club in Panama before our first flight, and on our connecting flight from Houston to San Jose we've been upgraded to first class. These are all benefits of my ( Read more... )

Panama Travelog #37
Back at the hotel, Panama - Mon, 30 Dec 2024. 6pm.

We got back from our hike in Metropolitan Park with great views of the city from Cedar Hill and a few wildlife sightings just after 1pm today. I went back out almost right away to get some lunch from the Rey supermarket around the corner from our hotel.


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Panama Travelog #34
Panama City, Panama - Sun, 29 Dec 2024. 10pm.After a fizzle of a trip to Panama City's old town today we came back to the hotel in the drizzling rain and took it easy for the rest of the afternoon. At dinner time we debated where to eat. I fretted about so many things this trip going to shit, especially, most recently, getting ( Read more... )

Panama Travelog #20
El Valle, Panama - Wed, 25 Dec 2024. 4pm.

We've continued taking it easy today as I recover from overextending myself on a hike yesterday. It's Christmas day, anyway, so a lot of things are closed. Even some hikes are closed. For example, there's a small hiking loop behind our hotel called Square Trees (árboles cuadradros) but ( Read more... )

Panama Travelog #19
El Valle, Panama - Wed, 25 Dec 2024. 10pm.

Merry Christmas! We're in Panama in the small remote town of El Valle. How small and remote is it? Well, the town calls itself the most populated volcano in the world. That's a clue how small it is. Actually there's probably a few thousand people in the area. It's a big volcano ( Read more... )

Panama Travelog #18
El Valle, Panama - Tue, 24 Dec 2024.10pm.

Well, good news/bad news about today's hike to La Dormida. Good news: it was an epic hike with lots of waterfalls and we didn't slip and fall. Bad news: We got caught out in the rain and had to rush down from the top over a slippery, steep trail. In the process I overtaxed myself in the ( Read more... )

Panama Travelog #10
El Valle, Panama - Mon, 23 Dec 2024. 8pm.

With so many little things go wrong on this trip we're trying to keep our spirits up. Instead of remaining bitter about the things we missed because they were closed, broken, unavailable, swapped to a cheaper model, etc., we're trying to focus on what we do have.


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As I wind down the workday today it amuses me to think that I'm just about done with work for the year. Today's Friday. Next week I'm taking PTO Mon-Tue, then my company has holiday recess from Wednesday (Christmas) through January 1. My next workday is Jan 2, 2025 ( Read more... )

This year I've been pushing the limits of unlimited PTO (paid time off) at my job. ...No, I don't mean been lounging in a hammock for 2 months instead of working. Sorry if the userpic here and my opening sentence painted that picture. 😅 It's that relative to my moderate norms of taking time off I've taken a lot off this year ( Read more... )

Trade Show Travelog #6
The Wynn Las Vegas - Wed, 4 Dec 2024, 8am

Taking it easy is rarely something that happens at a trade show. Sometimes the opportunity comes around, though. Generally it requires affirmative effort to make it happen, which is kind of ironic. I had an opportunity to carve out some "me" time after Day 2 at the trade show and I ( Read more... )