So I recommend that if you are going to live in Panama without a car, that you get a trolly, stroller or something that carries bags. If you are going to hire a driver, you won’t need this, but if you are taking the bus or taxis & you do more shopping than just going to one store & then back home, you WILL need this.

I have bought 2 already from Stevens & they are very cheap, so they break easily. I found out they are for kids, but who cares. I care about comfort, not whether it’s for kids or not.

I was told to go to Price Smart as they have a better quality one, although it’s more expensive. I will go & check it out.

Anyway, even with the small trolly I had which was breaking every step I went, I had tons of grocery bags with me & boxes I picked up from Mail Boxes Etc.

This is not the first time I’ve killed myself lugging things around Panama City.

As I was leaving Riba Smith, a very nice security guard ran to help me & tried to get me a taxi. After waiting for a while & then dealing with a 2nd taxi driver who stopped tried to rip me off, I agreed to his lower price & then he (get a load of this), just backed up his tax as we were about to get into the car & drove off without a word LOL I have a feeling that the divorce rate is higher here than in North America. While most North Americans have poor communication skills, Panama beats both the US & Canada hands down!

A couple of times I told the guard it was easier to walk down the street & across, so finally he locked up the building he was watching & walked me. While he did take the trolly & a bag he could rest on top of the trolly, he didn’t do what a man would normally do in Canada, take the heaviest bags from me so I didn’t have to struggle. That’s fine, they were my bags & he was helping, but it’s just something to note.

This is the 2nd time this has happened & I’ve had foreigners from other countries in Canada help me with my heaviest bags, so this has nothing to do with this kind of behavior being because they are Panamanian & not Canadian. Call me sexist, I expect the man to carry the heavier items. Some men would have taken everything from me, but I don’t think that’s fair.

While he didn’t say anything after that (something got him really quiet, I think he was upset I didn’t speak Spanish), I finally got a taxi driver, thanked him a few times even though he didn’t say much & looked the other way (strange) & I was on my way back to home.

Thank you security guard. You were a life saver tonight.

Michelle