The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men....

Whew. Where do I begin. I'm sitting in San Jose, Costa Rica....ok...so suffice it to say I've had a lot on my mind pre-Costa Rica. The things I've always wanted I don't really care so much about anymore and likewise the things I thought I didn't want, I kind care more about now. But that's neither here nor there at the moment. Things are happening at an accelerated rate and I'm tuned into what's happening and why it might be happening. Maybe I think too much about all this stuff but hey, to each his own right? So my dear loved ones were over my house on Wed. night to see me off. It's not like I'm going to Mars but it IS a big step for me and even as I sit here now, completely comfortable and at ease, I know there are big changes on the horizon for me. This might bore you as my reader but perhaps you can identify...we've all had times where life is just amplified in every way due to situations or circumstances so on and so forth. So everyone was over...stayed up late...got up early....nothing unusual with that. Got to the airport in record time (12 minutes) and got on the flight with ease. Yes, I probably packed too much but whatever, I'm here for three months and my agenda is everything from backpacker style to Cancun proper and I've even already worn my heels (even though it was just to walk to the store to buy a bottle of wine ha HA). I wish I could convey more of what is going on but there just isn't time right now for the hustler from Cali named Vincent or how I was feeling before I left or even for my amazing Florida trip which I will never forget. *swoon* & soul. SO....Dave arrived from Denver...my besties were over to see me off. I didn't sleep until like 1:30 and had to wake at 3:30....ended up not getting up until like 4:15 but made it to airport by 4:30. Which was perfect. Everything was perfect. Got on the flight to Ft. Lauderdale...crowded pinche spirit airlines with your knees in your face seats kinda sucked ass but whatever, I was going to Costa Rica. With my mind in a million different places it actually allowed me to just let go...and be. Being the structured person I know myself to be, structure kinda went with the wind. This was my first indication of things to come. Touche to myself. As I'm on the flight from Ft. Lauderdale to C.R. I even muttered some random comment about my affinity to Florida and JOKINGLY commented about how I didn't want to leave Florida. BIG mistake. Coincidence or not, I got halfway to C.R. on the plane and realized my passport was NOT on my person. Dave tried to tell me it was in one of my bags. I knew if it was not in my purse, it was gone. I went through so many thoughts in one hour and mind you I couldn't even reach my bag to search it because this flight was literally a human pretzel. I got cramps trying to finnagle my bag from under the seat. Looked seventeen times through everything I had. My passport was gone. I told the flight attendant who called ahead to Costa and also back to USA to try to find my passport. I was LITERALLY praying to God, the universe, my mind....whatever the fuck is real and exists as good karma in this world that my passport was SOMEWHERE I could find it. Landed in Costa Rica....took a few pictures from the airplane window and in the hour I was on the plane...went through the thoughts that I just might have to go all the way back to the Chi and deal with a lot of drama I would be very unhappy about. But in the back of my head, I trusted in the way things were meant to happen. Hijo la madre. And they did. I literally took about five steps off the plane in C.R. and they were like "this plane leaves for Ft. Lauderdale in about ten minutes. You have to go back to Ft. Lauderdale and they found your passport in the seat you were on the last flight" Blessing and a curse. See, it cold have been worse. It can always be worse, unless you look at the bright side of things. I had been traveling for 6 hours and had to literally turn right back around and go back to U.S.A. leaving ALL of my belongings except the bag I had with me (originally I had my backpack with me with all of my clothes in it but checked it last minute due to a full flight...they let me check that bag for free because flight was full) so all I had was a pair of flip flops and a lot of chargers and magazines...all except the charger for my laptop. The ironic part of that still to come. So I turned back around...all five steps....sent Dave to San Jose with a telephone number of a hotel and said, I'll be back tomorrow...same time, same place. I admit, I shed a few tears....that this shit was even happening. But what happened after and since is nothing short of believing in the course of life and going with the flow and just really laughing in the face of adversity. Got back to Florida (what is it with Florida these days? *smirk*) and had a gaggle of shit to take care of. Get another flight tomorrow, eat, find some deoderant, book a hotel or make decision where to stay, get my passport (sorry, that was first and foremost.... I kissed my passport when it was back in my hands.) and just process all that had just happened...all on like 2 hours of sleep. So I smelled, hadn't showered, was all alone, and after two hours finally sure that I was going to C.R. the next day thanks to Spencer at Spirit Air (it really helps to be a girl....for the record) it was time to have a Guiness and a ciggarette and just chill the fuck out. After that, the hilarity ensued. Guess what...I wanted to be on the internet....tell my peeps and family (mom and sisters) that I was ok, kinda frazzled. but ok. When I realized the charger for my laptop was in Costa Rica. Not only that but I had downgraded my cell phone plan the day before so I didn't have the ability to text or get online. Truly I think it was preparing me for Costa. The everything happens for a reason thing. So I did what I could Twon was an angel....booked me a hotel through hotwire.com...shit, this post is really long and I haven't even gotten to the best part about the kindness of strangers. People in Ft. Lauderdale were amazing. The flight attendant offered to let me stay at her house if she wasn't on call (which she end up being on)...a random older gentleman who had to take the train back to Miami offered to drive all the way back to pick me up and take me to a hotel if i was stranded was nothing short of amazing. I like to think that my generosity in all I do comes back to me and this proved that I was right. People were SO kind. But I didn't want to make someone drive an hour back to take me somewhere so I got a hotel. As I was standing at the shuttle stop two guys were asking questions about how much hotels were and such. They got on my shuttle to go to Red Carpet Inn. We got to chatting and they were from Colombia. Piqued my interest as I have a fascination and adoration for Colombia. Next thing you know we are drinking Jameson and Guiness and making new friends and speaking a lot of Spanish. Again, pre-cursor and happening for a reason before C.R. Which by the way, since being here I've been told that my Spanish is commendable. I wouldn't say fluent but everyone understands what I'm saying and I'v even been the translator. this post is too long and it's late. there's so much more here there and in between that I haven't even conveyed....let alone the photos.....I met Eduardo who is a cool ass cat and with most of the people journeying into my life.....I hope that I can keep up this blog and I hope that you all appreciate my lengthy stories. I need a devide connected to my brain that just automatically transcribes my thoughts. I got so much luv for y'all. so much. more than you know. I'm gonna continue this stream of thoughts tomorrow....because you have to know all about getting back to C.R. and the possibilities that lie ahead. Vaya con last estrellas.