Chasing rainbows… in the San Blas Islands, Panama

Regardless of the country, city or town, people who have lived near the coast but no longer do will tell you how much they miss the sea. Having moved away in pursuit of a “better” life, they will speak of the sadness they feel in its absence and the revelry when reunited with the waves of their hometown. So if, like me, you’ve grown up in the most inland city in England, and moved to a Spanish city that boasts the same, you’re often dismissed as someone who can’t possibly share the aforementioned sentiments. But, I too yearn to be close to the sea; I’ve just missed it my whole life… It wasn’t until a few months back that we realised there was a 160km of dense, wild rainforest known as the Darién Gap separating the country of Panama from Colombia, meaning our plans to cross the border overland had to be revised. We dismissed the idea of flying on the grounds that it would be far too easy, and instead chose to do the route by sea, exploring seven of the San Blas Islands over the course of four days with other travellers... And that’s how we stumbled upon paradise. A transparent, turquoise ocean, green beneath the blue sky, poured over postcard-perfect sand, deliberately serene, as if to satisfy the tall palm trees watching over the deserted island. It didn’t matter if you were from Melbourne or Madrid, Sydney or Seattle, this was happiness and home for the next four days.

The inhabited islands buzzed with life, whether it was the chatter of the local Kuna women barbecuing fresh fish - their traditional red dress adding unexpected colour to the scene - or the shoal of children spilling out of their huts to play volleyball, reminiscent of the world we knew before the flood of modern technology washed away simple pleasure.

And just when we had got used to this liberating lifestyle, where searching for stingrays filled our days and communication consisted of Belgians, a bonfire and a bottle of rum, the time came to cross into Colombia and leave the San Blas Islands behind.

I believe that in our pursuit for perfection, there are times when, just as the tide meets the shore, we find that fleeting moment when we have it all. But perhaps the allure of paradise lies in the very fact that it is always out of our reach.

Guess what I found out in San Blas?

1. The San Blas Islands of Panama are an archipelago made up of approximately 378 islands and cays, of which only 49 are inhabited. 2. The Kuna flag consists of three stripes - red, yellow and red, with a black, reversed swastika in the centre. The swastika represents the four elements: earth, water, air and fire.

3. The Darién Gap - the jungle that would link Panama to Colombia is the break in the world’s largest road - the Pan American Highway. For many years, and up until the present day, it has been subject to rebel activity, drug traffickers and guerrilla groups who have presence on both the Colombian and Panamanian sides of the border. They are considered more deadly than the lethal creatures that also call this jungle “home”. Remember you can see more photos of this part of our trip and the rest of Panama here