CenAm 2006-01-13
| ...where we flew from Managua to Panama City, Panama. |
| Canon EOS 300D with Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 at 10.0 mm; 1/2500 sec, f/4.0, ISO 800 |
| Subway! Papa Johns! This looks like a bloody resort! |
| Canon EOS 300D with Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 at 10.0 mm; 1/1250 sec, f/4.0, ISO 800 |
| In case you forgot where we're going. |
| Canon EOS 300D with Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 at 10.0 mm; 1/1000 sec, f/4.0, ISO 200 |
| After waiting for an hour inside the terminal, we came outside and waited for another hour. The paperwork was supposed to go smoothly, but they either forgot how to do it, or were greatly confused by one or two planes not being with us right now (where did that RV2 end up at, anyway?) or by two planes staying behind. Either way, it took a LONG time to get out of Nicaragua. |
| Canon EOS 300D with Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 at 14.0 mm; 1/1000 sec, f/5.0, ISO 200 |
| So I did what I usually do. |
| Canon EOS 300D with Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 at 10.0 mm; 1/640 sec, f/4.0, ISO 200 |
| Too bad I didn't move that prop a little bit. |
| Canon EOS 300D with Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 at 10.0 mm; 1/160 sec, f/4.0, ISO 200 |
| Just in case you're wondering what a wide angle lens looks like in a small plane. This is pretty much the extent of our effort to secure the cargo. |
| Canon EOS 300D with Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 at 20.0 mm; 1/640 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 |
| Fuel in Managua was interesting. |
| Canon EOS 300D with Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 at 10.0 mm; 1/1600 sec, f/4.0, ISO 200 |
| It was one guy (and assistant and what looked like his family) with a gas pump. Unlike Mexico, there was absolutely no paperwork. No receipt, no record of how much fuel we took. Just a guy with a calculator that told me I owed him US$147.50, cash. Who knows how much that stuff cost per gallon.... |
| Canon EOS 300D with Unknown 28-300mm at 59.0 mm; 1/200 sec, f/7.1, ISO 100 |
| Scattered around here were the worst looking planes I've ever seen. These were slightly nicer looking than some that were in gated and locked hangers. Granted, the ones in the hangers probably fly. |
| Canon EOS 300D with Unknown 28-300mm at 92.0 mm; 1/320 sec, f/5.0, ISO 100 |
| Great, we got fuel! Let's go! Or not. Now they lost the flight plans for a couple of planes. And, aww, heck, I can't even make stuff up anymore. We just waited 20 minutes. I took pictures of some other guys getting out (back on the main page; you'd think I'd put a link here, wouldn't you?) |
| Canon EOS 300D with Unknown 28-300mm at 300.0 mm; 1/125 sec, f/6.3, ISO 100 |
| Waaay in the background -- those helicopters sure look a lot like the Russian Mi-8 Hip. It's a little easier to see in five seconds of shaky video when we taxi'd by. |
| Canon EOS 300D with Unknown 28-300mm at 28.0 mm; 1/40 sec, f/4.5, ISO 100 |
| Finally! Got! Out! Of! Managua! Two hours later (quicker than it was to get from the front of the airport to the runway, remember?!) we're buzzing down the Panama coast, steering clear of mountains. Just think. I spent hours pouring over maps looking for the big rocks. Now we turn a knob two clicks to the right and it's right there. |
| Canon EOS 300D with Unknown 28-300mm at 28.0 mm; 1/40 sec, f/4.5, ISO 100 |
| Remember that nice blue sky in Managua? The west end (or is it the north end) of the canal had not so nice weather. |
| Canon EOS 300D with Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 at 10.0 mm; 1/80 sec, f/5.6, ISO 100 |
| But, hey! Thirty minutes later, it's blue again! |
| Canon EOS 300D with Unknown 28-300mm at 300.0 mm; 1/125 sec, f/6.3, ISO 100 |
| And that night, crystal clear. Not a cloud. (300mm Tamron lens on a Digital Rebel, equivalent to a 480mm lens). |
| Canon EOS 300D with Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 at 10.0 mm; 13 sec, f/4.0, ISO 100 |
| Welcome to New York in Central America. |
| Canon EOS 300D with Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 at 10.0 mm; 15 sec, f/4.0, ISO 100 |
| No, really, it's Panama City. |
