New Year's Eve

Our time in Cartagena has flown in a whirlwind of being out and doing stuff every day and every night. It is a Great City – vibrant, colourful and fun, fun, fun. We could have stayed and played for another week but we hear the barnacles growing on the hull. There's time for one last evening of over indulgence and then we must head out.

In the morning our agent met us at the marina with our stamped passports and exit Zarpe to San Blas, Panama. We did a last shop at the supermarket close to the marina along with everyone else in the district – the queues were long. Then at sundowner o'clock we packed the dinghy with plates of food and chilled bottles and headed over to Mister X where we were going to have a tapas meal.

Many plates of food – Serrano ham, chorizo, olives, bread, salads, patatas bravas to graze and more bubbles to drink – until we stuffed like the olives. At ten o'clock we took our dinghies to the dock and walked in to town ready to watch the midnight firework display from the walls. The town was packed, fit to bust with families. Tables and chairs had been set out in every available corner and every inch on top of the walls for people to rent for their picnics. We just sat on the wall and watched, first the people and then the fireworks. It was a wonderful display and a wonderful way to begin 2019. This time last year we were in Richards Bay, South Africa. I wonder where we'll be at the end of 2019? Let's see because everyone knows a cruisers' plans are written in the sand below the high water mark.

Happy New Year.