Panamaniacs

I can't believe it's been almost two years since I shouldered my backpack and headed off to strand myself on Isla de Coiba, a beautiful, remote island about 20 miles off the Panama coast. In 2006, I stretched my college budget to the breaking point to pay for the trip, and I definitely got my (or my friend Brad's) money's worth. (Don't worry, I paid him back...eventually.) During our weeklong trip, we explored Panama City and eventually traveled west to the town of Santa Catalina, a fishing village where our boat to Coiba began its 18-mile journey into the Pacific.

I just found out the other day that I'll be returning to Panama in two weeks. This time I'll be trading Underarmour for business casual, a machete for a pen and a backpack for a briefcase as I'll be traveling to find editorial content for my publication, GlobalAtlanta. My boss and I will be reporting on business opportunities for Georgia companies and individuals in Panama. We'll visit the Panama Canal and report on a $5 billion expansion that will allow the largest ships to pass through, creating more traffic for Georgia's Port of Savannah, the fastest-growing port in the nation. We'll also make a stop at the Colon Free Trade Zone, the Atlantic gateway to the canal on the northern part of the isthmus.

It's no daring adventure, but it's a chance to whet my appetite for travel in a place where I already know the lay of the land. For some reason, God continues to feed that desire, and miraculously, he does it in a way that my wife can accept. Chances are I won't be getting lost on a sweltering island this time, but it'll be exciting nonetheless. God is good.