Before heading to Costa Rica for our next 3 month stay, we stopped off in Panama, which brought up the weird flight patterns to get around this area. I figured the cost of flying from Ireland to Ecuador would be the last high price we would encounter as the hops between South and Central America couldn’t be much. But I was wrong and it turned out that the cost were just about the same. When we flew from Ecuador to Panama we had to go to El Salvador first. The same was true when we flew to Costa Rica from Panama. We flew over Costa Rica to El Salvador then back around to CR. A lot of wasted hours and miles. We only stayed in Panama a week but it was a great week. We stayed at a hotel right on the shipping lane. Every ship that was going through the canal, either way, passed by our hotel. Clothes were very cheap in Panama. If you are looking for a cheap place to live check out Panama.

Costa Rica was beautiful and a lot nicer than Ecuador. But prices were still high and even the beer cost a lot more. The beaches were much nicer and cleaner. Our stay here was cut short, so there is not a lot to report.

Before I explain why we had to leave let me sum up my view of living overseas in a third world country. Can it be done? Yes. Would you want to? Some people are fine with it. Are prices cheaper there? Yes especially if you want to live in the clothes you brought, eat beans, fish and rice most meals. Is the medical care cheaper. Yes if you go to the government run hospital. Would you want to go there. Hell No!. As for non government run medical care. Just as expensive as the U.S. As for medicine, yes you can get most drugs without a prescription. But they are just as costly as in the U.S.

So in closing I want to say we enjoyed our adventure and may still be traveling if it were not for the careless and neglectful actions of the tour company we used to travel to Costa Rica. They left us on our own with $20,000 in medical bills giving us no choice but to head home. Long story short we are now living in a beautiful community in Florida.

Click for more about France.
Click for more about Ireland.
Click for more about Ecuador.
Click for more about Panama.
Click for more about Costa Rica.