Don Winner at www.panama-guide.com has been helping this Canadian citizen after he suffered a terrible tragedy from of a mudslide. He lost his home, family and lies seriously injured in a public hospital hoping for an air evacuation back to Canada. A sad situation.......

http://www.panama-guide.com/article.php/2011011710280544

After a rare night out until 1 AM, I came home to a flooded apartment! The small plastic tube feeding the toilet water tank had sprung a leak affecting my bathroom, bedroom, kitchen and laundry. After closing the main water valve to my apartment, I got to work mopping the floors enough to get by until morning. What a dilemma, but I was too tired to do anything at 2am!

Drifting off to sleep, I remembered that I sell and own a Multi-risk contents policy with Generali and called their emergency assistance tel# at first light. The policy has coverage for emergency plumbing, electrical, locksmith etc. A plumber was in my apartment within 2 hours and the leak was repaired. The only cost to me was the generous tip I gave him for showing up on Sunday morning.

More...

Here is current information sent to me by a client about the procedures for an Expat to obtain a drivers license:

As a foreigner, you can drive in Panama legally for up to 90 days with a foreign drivers license. Stay longer than 90 days and you need to have a Panama drivers license. Follow the Procedure below. Expect all of this to take 2 days.
Documents Needed:
• Resident Card
• Passport
• Driver's License from Country of Origin
• Blood Test
• Glucose Test (To show that your blood sugar levels are not outside the standard range)

More......

The "minor accident " form is available on line. The law has been enacted, but for the moment I recommend that you do not move the vehicle until your Insurance Company "roadside assistance" representative arrives at the scene to guide you.

Here is the link to the new "minor accident form" to be used in the event of a no fault type of collision:

http://190.34.149.228/formulario_unico.pdf

The link to the ATT website where the form is found is here:

http://190.34.149.228/servicios.php

Remember to visit these previous articles here on PK:

http://panamakevin.com/article.php/20060926125727138

http://panamakevin.com/article.php/20050822180105316

Here is an article with many valuable resources posted to the LivinginCentralAmerica yahoo group:

Driving any type of vehicle to Central America?

Rainy season over, 'Snowbird' time is here.

Traveling soon to Central America?

Here are some UPDATED Web resources that may help you. Be super aware driving alone. If driving solo would recommend a dog. If heading to CR (crime free paradise outside of SJO?) not so, petty theft is endemic throughout Costa Rica and rising....read daily or weekly on the web:

www.insidecostarica.com/ Daily
www.amcostarica.com/ Monday to Friday
www.ticotimes.net/ Weekly
also
www.hondurasthisweek.com/ Weekly

never leave your vehicle door unlocked for even a minute, petty and violent crime is on increase world wide, due to circumstances beyond your control as endemic poverty and unemployment in many areas.

Hoping you speak some Spanish.

If you don't speak Spanish two good online resources to start to learn free are www.livemocha.com/ and www.123teachme.com/

Never DEMAND Police or officials, nor locals, speak English to you, you are a guest in their country.

Never....

Panama does not have the fire fighting capability to deal with a situation like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkt9-Cv63nM

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101115/ap_on_re_as/as_china_fire

Here's Don Winner's take on the situation as it may apply to condos in Panama....he has researched this danger for many years:

http://www.panama-guide.com/article.php/20101115095550600

Scary!

I get many requests for information about Medicare and Tricare coverage here in Panama.

Here is the latest info from the only hospital that seems to be accepting Tricare. Remember, Medicare is not valid in Panama!

http://www.panama-guide.com/article.php/20101109135901743

On the "The Breakfast Show" with my good friend Gerry D this morning!

Click “Wednesday show” and listen. I come on around 40 minutes into the show.

http://www.pbcpanama.com/breakfast/archiveweek.html

Good info about the new traffic law, auto insurance and condo coverage!

With the help of several Spanish speakers, we have translated the original document for your convenience and not with the intention of interpreting or enforcing the law. We have also added our own comments in order to make the legal information easier to understand. This translation is not valid for legal purposes.

Article 1. When a minor traffic accident (fender bender) occurs in the public ways of the country, the drivers involved should move the vehicle out of the way, after exchanging the Unique and Final Form that is described in article 4. (Have several forms in your car partially filled).

Article 2. Regarding the previous article, a minor traffic accident is any collision that happens between one or more motor vehicles where damages, produced by the impact, allow the vehicles to be moved out of the way by their drivers as long as no one involved is injured, otherwise article 5 will apply.

Article 3. The “Autoridad de Transito y Transporte Terrestre” (Terrestrial Traffic and Transportation Authority) along with the “Departamento de Operaciones de Transito de la Direccion Nacional de Operaciones de la Policia Nacional” (National Office of Operations, Traffic Operations Department of the National Police) will provide a Unique and Final Form, which will be used by the drivers involved in minor traffic accidents (fender benders), in order to compile all necessary information necessary to determine responsibility.

More....

Welcome to the Longevity Game! See how your lifestyle can affect you in the years to come by answering just 12 quick questions. Your expected age will show in the tabulator in the upper left corner. Keep in mind your answers may increase, decrease, or have no affect on your expected age.


http://media.nmfn.com/tnetwork/longevity_game_popup.html

Add a couple of years for living the good life in Panama!