Costa Rica: En Route to Tamarindo

Sitting on the 10 AM bus to Tamarindo from Liberia has only been comforting start. Plopped myself into the two seats all to myself and propped open "Catching Fire" for the long 2 hr ride.

The bus driver was playing salsa on the radio which already made it all too familiar to me with the salsa songs we dance to back at home.  I started reading a few pages of my book and couldn't help but put my book back down as the bus driver changed the radio to Prince Royce's 2013 bachata album.  Love.  I put my book down as I curl up on my seat and take in the beautiful scenery,  fresh warm tropical air with my feet up on the rail. Right now, to have all the time in the world, to simply enjoy this moment. I am in no rush to get anywhere. This is why I love this place ... Sure I want to be on the beach this very moment having been delayed by United Airlines for a whole 24 hrs,  but this is like learning the art of zen, slow down,  relax and enjoy.

Prince Royce - Te regaló del Mar 

Costa Rica: Liberia

Still stuck in Houston. Woke up at 6:30am but forced myself back to sleep, only to roll out of bed around 7am and slowly make my way to my free complimentary breakfast I had negotiated for the night before because it was advertised on YTB Travel's booking site but is not supposedly included.  Thanks to me, the pilot checking in while I was talking to reception got a free meal too. 

Sat in the hotel restaurant at a table for 1. But how nice was it to just sit there by myself, the freedom felt liberating. I sat for a few mins and then went to grab my buffet breakfast.  I'll need to fuel up because who knows when I'll find food next?

During breakfast,  I pulled out my tablet to work on a resume and cover letter for a friend as I had promised. Half way through, the waiter came to talk to me.  We chit-chatted in between him working and I learned he was from El Salvador and also loves to surf and salsa/bachata. The dining room got busy and I left for the computer room to finish the resume editing.  He found me in the computer room and we exchanged contact and facebook to stay in touch.  Promised the next time im back in IAH I'll find him and we'll go salsa/bachata. 

Love travelling alone.  Meet different people along the way.  Learn so many stories.  Love it.

Finally arrived in Liberia (LIR) around 9pm. As usual,  a crowd of Ticos flock over to ask if I need a taxi and where I'm going.  I ask for a phone.  Fernando pulls out his cell phone and I gave him Jose's cell.  Jose picks up and tells Fernando where to tell the taxi to drive me. Driver laughs at me cause I had no idea where I was going and neither did he! 15 minutes later,  I arrive on a dark street not far from Central Park where Jose greeted me and we exchanged hugs. Thank gawd I didn't get dropped off at some back alleyway in the middle of nowhere!

As soon as I got in,  Jose introduces me to his housemates,  his girlfriend Eva and shows me around his place.  Lucky guy living with 4 girls :). It was Arianna's birthday at midnight and they were going to salsa and invited me along.  Dumped the items out of my bag to grab my...  Salsa shoes!  Oh yes I brought them.  Wasn't sure when I would use them but I brought them!  And within less than half an hour of arriving I was out to a salsa club. Yes!  

Salsa is very different here.  They dance Colombian salsa and a lot of merengue. I can't believe how much merengue I actually danced but it's no boring Toronto merengue that's for sure! A very brave Tico came up to me and asked me to dance. I was sitting in the middle of the group of Jose and Arianna's friends, so that definitely took some balls. Many guys eyed me down like they wanted to ask me to dance but only a few came up to me and the rest just locked eyes on me and my partner when we danced.  We danced merengue Latin style until I was sweating buckets. The whole time I felt eyes on me.  Noone dances the way we do in Toronto. I felt watched and they even turned on the spotlight whenever I was on the dance floor dancing with whoever I was dancing with.  Another guy asked a waitress to ask Eva to tell me he wants to dance with me.  I laughed. Why not just come and ask me? He did shortly after and it took me about a minute to figure out their salsa and we danced till I was almost soaking in my sweat in the sweltering heat.

Met Steven tonight, one of Jose's friends and I made him dance bachata and he danced it pretty well with just the basics and I taught him a few spins. He was headed for Tamarindo but the music was so loud I couldn't figure out if he thought "tomorrow" was Saturday. We made tentative plans to meet up on the bus ride up.

Liberia, Costa Rica

What an amazing start to the adventure already!  Went home around 1am and took a cold shower. Jose and Eva were so nice they were going to sleep on the floor mattress and gave me their room and bed. I easily convinced Eva to keep their room. I was already more than appreciative that I had a floor to sleep on.  I was ready to sleep on the couch! I had to wrestle Jose for a little bit before he was convinced to go back to his room with Eva. Meanwhile, Steven just laughed at us the entire time.  I eventually passed out on the floor mattress sound asleep. 

Tomorrow's another day! 

Live. Love. Travel. Dance. Surf. Pura Vida!

Costa Rica: Stranded in Texas

Houston, Texas

After an unexpected long layover in Houston, Texas (IAH), I found myself surprisingly calm and collected. Despite being thrown on a later flight than I had originally booked for, and having to wait a full 24hrs in Houston, I booked myself a room at the Park Inn by Radisson simply based on the fact that they had a free airport shuttle.

While waiting for my flight at Pearson International airport (YYZ), I found a pair of eyes set on me while I wandered restlessly around the boarding gate on the phone with my bank informing them of my travels.  He was a tall, buff and blonde Caucasian male with his surfer like hair tied up in a ponytail.  I occassionally caught him eyeing me down,  not so much with the look to check me out,  but a look of curiosity and familiarity. I felt the same. Where have I met this guy?  He definitely looked familiar... But where?  I continued talking on the phone with my bank puzzled by this relatively gorgeous male eyeing me down.

I boarded the plane and made myself comfortable in seat 19C. Two whole seats all to myself!!  I'm such a lucky bitch. The surfer-dude sat about five rows behind me and I saw him eye me down with familiarity again but I didn't make eye contact.  I wasn't sure what I wanted from this situation. I fell asleep.  An hour later,  I woke up and turned around,  he moved seats and sat behind me on the other side. What? Why did he do that?  He tried to lock eyes with me again but I darted my eyes quickly and turned around to face forward. He kept tabs on my every movement,  when I got up,  when I turned around,  shifted in my seat but never did I make eye contact. How creepy. 

We arrived in Houston. The guy beside him kept talking to him,  I noticed he tried to keep his eye on me and looked like he wanted to come over but the dude kept talking to him about something he probably had no interest in hearing about.  The thought had occurred to me to meet him at baggage claim and see where he was off to.  After all,  I had no plans myself.  I could figure out where we met... But we lost each other in the crowds. I saw him walking out of the airport in front of me but he didn't see me and that was the last of it. 

I am pretty sure I met him last year on my travel through Monteverde, Costa Rica. He was the one who had his camera stolen sleeping on the floor hung over at the bus station.  I am not sure but that keeps coming to mind.  He looks just like that guy just not as scruffy since he's probably not backpacking from wherever he came from, Toronto.

What are the chances of meeting someone twice on my travels without exchanging contacts? 

Should've. Would've. Could've.

Next time.