Tamarindo and Playas Del Coco

Tamarindo was crawling with surfer's because Bocas Del Toro and Puerto Viejo (two main surf spots and personal faves of mine) are borderline underwater. Bocas has had over 40 deaths so far in this flood.
Upon arrival the hostel we found was half full at the time but by night two, it was full to the brim. The first night we all went out to the bar which had ladies night. Turned out to be a salsa bar. At first anyone who wasn't a local was extremely intimidated by the locals dancing skills. They ran the show so to speak. A couple cervezas later everyone's confidence levels began to rise and in a matter of minutes we controlled half the floor. Some were hysterical and tripping over their own feet but Sina and I were slightly surprised with ourselves and how well we were doing. Yet still hysterical. At the end of a couple songs we even had a couple come up to us and say how much they enjoyed watching. What fun!
The next day I was planning on leaving to go north but the chicken buses kept getting cancelled so after an hour of waiting I decided to stay one more night. Great choice! A Canadian from Edmonton let me use his extra 7 foot board and we got some waves. The smaller the board the harder, especially for a first timer. Most first timers will get set up with a 12 foot board because its much easier to balance. I paddled out with Mark past the beginners near the shore into some waves 4-6 feet. My second wave, I road in almost all the way into the shore. What a rush! A rush that was a new feeling. That rush of your first wave which I'm sure I'll never forget. The kind of rush that reels you into the ocean day after day. Instantly I fell in love with that rush and look forward to every surf shop I find and every wave I see.
After getting some waves for a couple hours we asked people at the hostel if they wanted to pitch for a feast. We got about 9 people interested so we went out and got burgers, the toppings, salad fixings and made a little feast that night. All for only $2 a head. As more and more people started to crawl into the hostel at this point, it was time for a Candian ritual... So I organized a tournament of Beer Pong! With about 20 people huddled around the table by the end it was quite the game. Like a true Canadian I went 6-0. Lucky for me there weren't any Irish in the hostel, otherwise there goes my thunder. By nightfall we had 9 Canadians, 3 Norweigans, 2 Swedes, 1 Aussie, 1 Guatemalan, 1 Local, 1 Dutch, 1 South African and 3 Germans crowded in the hostel. Like a parade we marched through the streets until we found a bar with Reggae night. A sweet place indeed. It even had a halfpipe and a fire show near the end of the night. After that my memory gets hazy. I apologize!
The next morning I decided to depart, and took a series of local buses to Playas Del Coco where my friend Danielle has a condo to stay. The town is a little sleepy but I'm sure that can be turned around. Next thursday I will figure I'll head up to the frontera of Nicaragua and then the surfing village of San Juan Del Sur. Can't wait to ride the ocean again!

The Journey Begins!

Panama City was where my journey would begin. Things didn't quite start the way I had planned but it was no major setback. My initial plan was to hop in a shuttle bus to some ritzy hotel and then get a cab from there to my kind of hotel. Since there were not shuttles I eyed the first travelers I could see and got a taxi with them into the city. This cut down my cost by two thirds compared to if I were to take one alone. The place which I had planned on stayed happened to be just up the road from where this German couple was dropped off. The time was now around 12:30 am and I was anxious for a bed. I walked into my hotel only to be informed all that was left was a room with three double beds for $65. Adios! I took a walk which turned into a trek in search of a decently priced place to stay. The best I could find for one hour of walking was $50, so I had no choice.
The next morning I booked my ticket to David which is close to the Panama - Costa Rica border. 8 hours later I arrived and decided to get a taxi all the way to the frontera and cross by foot. I had hoped to catch a bus to San Jose, Costa Rica and ride the bus overnight but the time was midnight and I had just missed them. I found refuge in a grungy cabina across from the immigration office and enjoyed my $8 boxspring. The room wasn't empty either. I walked in to a family of cockroaches. I met their cousins the next morning in the shower. The next day after bad info from one border to bad info from the next I finally found where to book a ticket to San Jose. While waiting I approached 10 travellers in a cafe about info on a hostel in San Jose. Turns out they were on the same bus and I'm with some of them now. Tomorrow I'm headed to the coast with a girl from Norway. I'll report back later. Peace

Here is a link to last years backpacking excursion in Panama.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=377&l=30c51&id=1650960019

For my blog I am just going to post links to another folder where all my photos will be. All you have to do is copy and paste the links to the top of the screen to view them. This way I will save money, time, and frustration. Cheers.