Today I came across a classic Catch22 situation here in Panama City.
I needed to go to the main bus terminal in the city, Albrook to buy my international ticket to San Salvador on the Tica Bus.
To get there I needed to get a bus. The busses here have a turnstile at the entrance and exit and require you to swipe a MetroCard to operate and gain entrance. Similar to the Oyster card system in London. Unfortunately unlike London, where you can pick up an oyster card just about anywhere for cash and charg it with credit. Here it transpired that you can only buy the MetroCard at Albrook bus terminal.
To get a MetroCard you hace to go to Albrook,
To get to Albrook you have to get a bus,
To get on the bus to Albrook you have to use the MetroCard which you can only buy at Albrook.
You see the Catch22!
I managed to get someone to swipe me onto the bus by giving them 25 cents cash. Not too easy with my limited Spanish and also towering over all the short people here and accosting them in my rough London accented basic Spanish.
Watched the bloody awful England vs Slovakia in a bar in town.
