Alex Shalman.comPractical Personal Development

Sunday afternoon I landed in Panama to join the guys from Life Nomadic, and began my weekend mini-retirement (my weekend is Sunday-Wednesday this week – but that’s all part of thinking outside the box). This definitely ripped me out of my usual weekly routine and I had to make certain arrangements in order to make this trip possible – nothing was going to stop me. In the name of adventure and emancipation!

This coincides perfectly with what Tim Ferris was talking about last week, when he offered a challenge to create a 48 hour mini-retirement in order to see what one would do with free time. The point is that if you can’t be creative enough to have an awesome time now, than you’ll be bored and depressed once you reach retirement. What’s the point of creating a four hour work week, making more money, and opening up free time, if you can’t use that free time to have exciting adventures?

Panama – Alex Shalman Style

Personal development does not cease when one does a mini-retirement. I read books, I exercised doing crossfit, and created awesome content for your reading pleasure. What does cease is doing the same ol’ thing in the same ol’ setting. One thing this weekend did for me is made me realize that if my resources were unlimited, I would not be bored or depressed. With unlimited resources, or enough resources, or the amount of resources I have now, my life is awesome and full of adventures, and it’s going to be that way always.

Crossfit: Hardcore only please

It’s a shame that I had to go to Panama before I tried crossfit for the first time. However, if crossfit was the only thing I got out of this trip (which by far it wasn’t) than this trip was definitely worth it’s money. The exercising provided by crossfit are unique, fun, and varied… everything that a gym work out is not. In fact, crossfit is responsible for producing word class athletes and training certain military personnel.

A while back Tynan and Todd posted a video of themselves doing crossfit in the airport. While at the carnival, two Panamanian Goliath looking guys (they were JACKED) picked Tynan and Todd out of the crowd. It turns out they had read Life Nomadic, had seen that video, and were dedicated crossfit enthusiasts themselves. If crossfit gives you a body like these guys have, than I’m signed up and ready to go no questions asked.

Discipline: Unquestionable

In my on going efforts of Life Design Experiments my February challenge to myself was to wake up 6am and write from 6am – 8am. I wasn’t about to wussy out and let something like airplane flights, leaving the country, and being out late stop me from achieving my monthly goals.

The morning I left for this trip, I was very tired from being up most of the night. I boarded the airplane, which took off into the air at exactly 6am. I took out my moleskin and began to write for an hour, until 7, at which point I took out my laptop and finished the article.

Another night we were coming back in the wee hours of the night from the carnival in Las Tablas. I was armed with pretzels, nutella, and had already ingested a can of volatile ciclon, an energy drink that makes red bull look like a pink poodle. We finally pulled over to the side of the road so that we could make it home in one piece. Sure enough, at 6am I awoke, grabbed my trusty moleskin, and sat out on a log, to write, and watch the sun rise. This moment of writing was so majestic, and if it was the only thing I had gotten out of this trip (which by far it wasn’t) than this trip was definitely worth it’s time.

The Carnival: Transistmica

The first time we stepped out of the apartment, it became very apparent to me that I was walking around with a local celebrity. Todd is a carbon copy of Pibe Valderrama, who happens to be the national Soccer champ here in Panama. Imagine walking around with David Beckham around your local mall… this was just as cool. The locals cheered at us from all directions, at all times, at all locations “Pibe! Pibe! Pibe!”

The line to enter this carnival was exceptionally long. I estimate the there were tens of thousands of people in attendance. The carnival spanned several streets, and a 4 lane highway, on which a Reggaeton concert was held. Apparently there is no drinking or smoking age in Panama, or at least it was not strictly enforced, as youngins were walking around with cigarettes and beer cans. Lucky for us, they has a special line for touristas, and we got inside within a matter of minutes. My friend’s from New York/Jersey would find it highly unlikely that bouncers at a NYC club would stop what they are doing, and ask all the foreigners to come to the front of the line. This wouldn’t happen in NYC, but Panamanians are great!

The carnival itself was full of life, dancing, and cheering. The sides of the 4 lane highway were full of street vendors, selling food, trinkets, and confetti. Confetti? Yes, confetti and some sort of spray foam that people had no reservation about launching at anyone that came into range. It was perfectly acceptable behavior to run up to somebody and spray them in the eyes… I think Tynan might have to wear an eye patch after this trip.

The Beach: La Playa Rampio

We got to the beach about an hour before sundown and proceeded by taking a few snapshots and video footage. The coast was clean, the waters clean, and the docked boats colorful. A serene coast that complemented the green terrain, speckled with small huts.

An opportunity to run on the beach, by the crashing waves, had presented itself. Being something I’ve always wanted to do, but had never attempted, I went for a jog and realized my dream. We ran until it got dark, and then Tynan and I headed back towards the car as Todd kept running.

To our unpleasant surprise we discovered that as soon as the sun sets, the beach becomes completely infested with creepy crawly crabs. This was seriously something like Indiana Jones meets Pitch Black. Tynan and I found a huge fall tree, and climbed way on top of it. I sent a spit ball flying a few feet ahead, just to see it swarmed by the slithery creatures of the night. They were onto my scent.

At this point we were sure that Todd was eaten by these nocturnal monsters, but to our dissapointment… I mean relief, he returned. We were happy to learn that the crabs were very much afraid of Todd, which gave us an opportunity to get back to the car and continue our adventure towards the carnival in Las Tablas.

The Carnival: Las Tablas

This carnival is considered one of the best in the land… seriously the second best in the world. I have never been at a party so large, with such elaborate display of community and participation. You do not watch the carnival at Las Tablas, you participate in it.

There are two major streets in Las Tablas, that have an on going competition (think Romeo and Juliet) amongst each other. During this time of the year, they gather forces, and compete in a good ol’ fashion Carnival. Upon our arrival, at 7:30pm, the streets were already full of life. A man wielding a flag led the parade, which involved dozens of citizens, and band members. After some cajoling, I had talked Tynan into taking the flag and leading the parade. It looked like he was leading the Panamanian revolution.

Each street had taken elaborate measures to find the most beautiful girls in their town, and vote upon who would be the carnival’s queen of the year. Each queen was hoisted upon her own float, which was tremendous in size, and made out of gold. These floats were followed by others, which were followed by even more.

We were fortunate enough to score some seats in a DJ booth right above all this action. We had a clear view of all the festivities. At certain intervals, the locals would clear one side of the street, and throw down what I could only describe as a World War III artillery of fireworks. The ground shock, our ears popped, and the sky lit up. We were so close that pieces of the fireworks fell out of the sky and landed on top of our heads. I guess safety isn’t an issue in Panama. I like that, it reminds me of when I was a kid, living in Brooklyn, NY, lighting fireworks on the bay.

At 2:00am, when we called it a night, the streets were just as full as ever. The locals were not showing any signs of fatigue. The pandemonium that the Panamanias had created in their little village was unparalleled by anything I had ever seen. There were tens of thousands of people, mostly locals, and other Panamanians that had flown in from all over the world. I was led to believe that the three of us were the only white people there, which made it that much cooler, knowing that we were in uncharted territory.

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