Living on an island creates a couple of challenges when it comes to traveling.
First off, I need to take a boat just to get to the grocery store! Thankfully, the Smithsonian (the American institution that runs all the research facilities on Barro Colorado Island) runs a fleet of water taxis that run to and from the mainland a few times a day. To have a seat on the water taxi, you need to sign up on a list and show up at the scheduled departure time. Sometimes they leave early, so I always show up a few minutes ahead of schedule so I don't have to wait four hours or more for the next boat.
Another transportation challenge that comes with living on an island is finding a way to get around once you've reached the mainland. I don't own a car in Panama, so to get anywhere in the city I need to hail a taxi cab.
Bright yellow taxis can be found all over Panama City as their drivers cruise the streets in hope of finding a passenger to pick up. Many people use public transportation such as buses and subways to get from their homes to the city center. Once in the city, they walk or take a taxi to their destination, depending on how far they need to go. Taxis are also more popular on rainy days, which are quite frequent here in the tropics!
