people on the road 1...

Bocas-
I often have wondered if there would be a chance to meet the people you meet on the road if you weren't on it? On the road gives you the opportunity to meet others on the path who have either taken a holiday or have taken the time, the one way ticket crowd. People with a plan with confirmations or people with an idea and no confirmation and the only plan is, go ahead. Had breakfast this morning with two peeps from Arizona who were doing the isthmus and Sud America. Lucas and Charlene had been saving for six years, got rid of most of their worldly possessions, took a leave of absence/quit and hit the road. Like me they had a plan for Bocas but no confirmation and wound up here at Lulas. They are one way tik peeps and going to see S.A ending in Rio for Carnival. Planning the sail from San Blas to Cartegena and on the road down to Patagonia and up to Brazil. They also wandered around Bocas looking for a place as I did during a holiday weekend, going from hotel to hotel with no confirmation and no rooms. They got the last room here at Lulas the day before I got here. If I hadn't wanted to play another day in San Jose {was that a song title?} I would not have stayed at the El Limbre in the center of town which was overpriced for what it was and with a dog next door that barked til midnite and started again at 0700. If I had found that dog there would have been a decidedly non Buddhist moment.
Others on the road afford you the ability to find out of the way places and hot travel tips that Fodors and Lonely Planet won't like a cool place in Puerto Viejo Costa Rica that will be my first stop after Montezuma on the way back into Panama. It's a different world today than it was back then bu the vibe and the people vibe is the same. TmO...