• Janine Westlund
  • Mark E
  • Janine Westlund
  • Mark E

South America 2026

A 103-day adventure by Janine & Mark E Read more
  • Hike to waterfall: Cascada El Manglarito

    April 9 in Panama ⋅ ☁️ 77 °F

    We drove out in the mountains for a short hike to a local waterfall: El Manglarito in the Sorá subdivision of the Chame District, West Panama Province. Although only ~18mi away, it was an hour drive since the last 5 miles was an entirely unpaved, super-gravelly, hilly roadway.
    We had the place to ourselves for just over an hour before a group of ~15 young folks showed up and started doing back flips into the water while jamming to their music. That was our cue...
    On the way home we stopped at Buena Pizza Social Club for lunch with a beautiful view of the mountains.
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  • Punta Chame

    April 11 in Panama ⋅ ☁️ 82 °F

    An enormously long beach with no one else around. Punta Chame is a popular windsurfing area; however even though there were some good winds about providing much-needed relief to the crazy heat, we think we figured out why there were no surfers...🪼Read more

  • Time to go home

    April 15 in Cuba ⋅ ⛅ 82 °F

    Early morning rise, 2.5-ish hour drive to the airport, fly Panama to Miami, overnight in MIA, early morning rise to catch morning flight to Chicago.
    About 1.5 days to get there, but there's no place like home. 🤗
    As a favorite friend of travel has said on arriving home: jiggety jig. 😄
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    Trip end
    April 16, 2026