Renewing our visas

Many expats here in Panama are on tourist visas, which means they can only stay in the country for 90 days. If they want to stay longer they have to leave and then re-enter on an endless 90-day cycle. Since our tourist visas expire on February 9, we've been on the lookout for affordable places to go.

Maybe it wasn't from God, but a sign suddenly popped up near our apartment advertising a new airline flying to our Tocumen International Airport. Just in time for our needs DAE (Dutch Antilles Express) had a special promo: $98 one-way to all its destinations, including its hub in Curacao. Perfect. Neither of us had ever been there, so it would be an adventure.

Dan's heavy work schedule (60+ hours/week) made it seem impossible, but nevertheless we had to go. We decided to go for two nights the first weekend in February -- which was cutting it close -- and Dan went online to book the tickets while I googled "Curacao hotels."

When he went to pay he discovered the small print: DAE charges $11 if you want to use a credit card. Oh, well, it'll cover their fees. Tickets: Check.

True to form, I found an absolutely stunning hotel that was out of our price range. The Curacao Hilton's white sandy beach laid between stunning rock formations that would most likely be perfect for snorkeling and fish-watching. It had acres of manicured grounds to wander and a large freeform, infinity-edge pool. Plus the beach had Tiki spots under which we could park our lounge chairs, Dan in the sun and I in the shade. I pictured a waiter bringing us nice, cold blue cocktails (gotta have a drink with blue Curacao while we're there, right?), swaying palm trees, tropical music, tiki bar nearby, an expanse of blue Caribbean water, the sound of the waves....

But not for $200 a night. We'd forgotten that it was high tourist season in the Caribbean.

Since that was out, we opted for our usual Plan B: Hotwire. On this hotel booking website you narrow the selection down by general area, amenities, star rating and price, select one of the nameless options and pay, and then find out where you are staying afterward. (Small print: It's not refundable or changeable.) Dan selected a four-star hotel for $120 a night, plugged in the payment information, and we waited to see which hotel would enjoy our smiling faces.

Imagine our surprise when we discovered that we'd be staying at the Hilton after all!