Yes, I know, you want us to get off our lazy lardy asses and on the move. What’s the point of a travel blog if it’s all marvellous historical stories.

We left Panama City at 0700hrs heading for David. Susan insisted we start early before rush hour and you know what my view is – what the big dog says the big dog gets!

It didn’t help that ‘big dog’ Susan was nervous about climbing onto the bike again as her last pillion journey was in Buenos Airies in 2023.

Today was a 275 mile trip and the sun was shining, the humidity was wetting and all was okay. Or so I thought. ‘Big dog’ doesn’t like wearing goretex bike gear; doesn’t like the ‘hat’ (yes she’s still calls the helmet a hat); doesn’t like the leather gloves; occasionally doesn’t like me. I’m only kidding – she doesn’t mind the leather gloves!

Early in the day, here is ‘big dog’ in a happy mood sitting in a nice relaxation area I picked for her.

As the day reached 36c and the humidity reached ‘I’m totally wet inside ‘big dog’ became boiling in the bag ‘big dog’.

‘What about you wee dog’ I hear you ask! Thanks for your concern but I was okay. Sweat runs down my body, down my legs and into my boots where I have a couple of drain holes in the soles. Crafty ‘wee dog’.

By mid afternoon boiling in the bag ‘big dog’ says over the comms ‘I’m not feeling great, can we stop? ‘

Unfortunately, we’re in the middle of nowhere to stop. So ‘wee dog’ presses on. Naughty ‘wee dog’.

‘I’m feeling sick’ says boiling in the bag ‘big dog’. Okay I will try and stop but it’s a dual carriageway and this isn’t the time to stop. Heartless ‘wee dog’.

Meanwhile, we had bike issues. Yellow driving lights stopped working, super loud horn went from a blast to a squeek and we lost the door to a toolbox attached to the panniers. The heat and the road conditions were playing havoc.

I know exactly what you’re thinking – it’s marvellous how ‘wee dog’ can keep going when everyone and everything around him is breaking down? Tenacious ‘wee dog’.

Right on cue ‘wee dog’ gets another message – ‘all I can see is white light’. ‘Everything started to get brighter and brighter and now all I can see is white’.

At this point it became clear – ‘big dog’ was overcooked.

We stopped. Well I had to didn’t I?

If ‘big dog’ had fainted and fallen off it would have been terribly inconvenient to turn around on a dual carriageway and pick her up. You see – I’m always thinking consequences!

Thankfully sneaky ‘wee dog’ had the presence of mind to take a photo of ‘big dog’ sitting on the ground at the nice relaxation area I picked for her.

After some cold water and cheap ice cream ‘big dog’ was back in the game.

How are you feeling now? asked ‘wee dog’. ‘Much better thank you’. ‘You could have stopped earlier’.

What do you see now ‘big dog’? ‘

A basta*d!’ came the reply.

Oh Bad ‘wee dog’

• Central America
• Panama
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