Interesting Travel

[Gregory Matthews]

What is the most interesting mode of travel that you have ever taken?  Was it perhaps, by dog sled in Alaska?  Was it by Ballon?  I once traveled by an American naval ship through the Panama Cannel.  That was interesting as I sat by the Captain as we traveled and talked with him.  But it was not the most interesting.

My most interesting trip was once when I traveled from one island in the Atlantic to another one by means of a boat that was a hollowed-out tree trunk!

There is a tribe of Cuna/kuna Indians who live on islands in the Atlantic off the coast of Panama.

I lived in Panama on the Pacific side.  For some reason, that I do not remember, the American military needed to discuss something with those Indians.  So, I decided to join them in a trip to one of their islands.   It was interesting flying over the jungle, and seeing animals in the clearings.  There was no space on the island where they lived, so, we landed on a very small island nearby.  The Indians sent two boats to us to bring us to where they live.  One was a hollowed-out tree trunk, I decided to go by that boat.  I spent my time looking at how close the water was to entering the boat and causing me to sink.  

If you want to learn more about that tribe of Indians, see:

https://sanblas-islands.com/kuna-indians/

NOTE: We visited an island that tourists are not allowed to visit.  The photograph in the link above shows the size of the island that we landed on, but not the actual island on which we landed.

 

[Gregory Matthews]

The Kuna man who rowed my tree trunk to the island spoke English.  He informed me that most of the people in the village were attending a meeting to decide on the discipline of one of the teen women.  She had been caught in what he said was kissing her boyfriend.  such was not allowed in their culture.

Later that afternoon, as I was walking through the village I came upon two women, with one very small female child.  neither spoke English.  I commented on the child and reached for her.  I took the child, pressed her close to my chest and made appropriate comments.  Shortly I felt a very warm liquid on my chest.  She was not used to this strangely dressed man, who made strange sounds holding her.  She reacted as expected.   As she was not wearing proper clothing, the wet imprint on my shirt was open for all to see.