The Old Spit on The Gringo Scam

So, I´m tooling around here in Bogota Colombia while I try to figure out a cheap way to get back across the Darrien Gap. It seems there is no cheap way other than the boat option (about $600) that we took to get down here in the first place. This is not a very attractive option for a couple of reasons. First is the obvious not wishing to repeat the unpleasantness of the voyage South and the corrosion damage to the bike. The second reason is that this is the wrong time of year and finding boats going North that can take motorcycles would likely take several weeks of waiting in Cartegena which I have already done enough of. The alternative to boats is to fly. I looked into this in Ecuador but the price was high so I rode here to Bogota since the price was reputed to be about $650. I have now looked into this with a couple of cargo companies and it seems I was somewhat misled! The best price I can get is $875 for the bike and then there is another $350 for my own ticket. This is a bit of a bummer but there seems little option at this stage.

On a side note, I could probably ride to the southern tip of South America and then ship the bike back to Canada in a container and fly myself home for the same cost. It would also likely take me about the same time to ride South as to ride North. So why not do it?
Well, because I am tired of touristing, the season is wrong, and I would not do justice to all the wonderful things there are to see in South America. My choice remains to head North.

OK, once I had decided to take the expensive flight back to Panama I then found that the cargo agent will only take US$ and not credit card. So, on Monday morning I trotted off to the bank to change some travelers cheques into cash. This was possible but it cost me an extra fee to do it (which it is not supposed to grrr !"$%&*). Then I headed back toward the hostel I was staying at and to find a travel agent to get a ticket for a flight for me.
A couple of blocks along the way, I suddenly had something wet land on the side of my neck. I figured I had been hit by one of the many pigeons in the city. I assumed the worst and was wondering if I had any tissues or napkins on me so I could wipe myself off without making a bigger mess of things. While I was doing this, I felt some movement around my right front pocket. My hand responded automatically and I found I was holding onto the wrist of a short, middle aged, and well dressed woman with her hand buried in my wallet pocket!
Eye contact was made and she seemed quite indignant and after a surprised/mean look I let her go and continued to deal with the mess on my neck. I wiped it with my hand and discovered that it was probably saliva rather than bird excreta. So, while I didn't´t see the set up, I am pretty sure that is what it was - a perfectly timed distraction within two blocks of leaving a bank and a hand in my pocket - Too much to be coincidence. I had however moved the large amount of cash to an inside pocket in my daypack and was fully wearing the pack (both shoulder straps on) so I would not have lost that much. I had not seen any suspicious behavior at or outside the bank, and I had paid some attention to that sort of stuff. Likewise, I had not noticed anyone following but I was not really looking for it either. It seems my senses and reflexes were enough to save me this time :)
Oh well, got away with it this time...Live and learn :))