I was upgrading the computer at Casa Verde, applying some patches when up walked a cute blonde. She wanted to know when I was going to be done, she was planning a trip to Puerto Viejo with her friend. I told her all the options, time schedules, prices, advantages and disadvantages, and sneaky ways to get away around the extortionary practices of the border agents. She was in Bocas for six weeks with a friend, learning Spanish.
Chris and I went to Odin and hooked up the stereo and cleaned her in preparation for a cruise today with 28 Panamanians, paying $50 apiece to motor to Starfish Beach, eat some smoked chicken and baked potatoes and swim in the calm water.
After returning to town I purchased groceries for dinner. "Where are you going, Jim?" "Home, to make some dinner." "We have some chicken on the boat, three people cancelled." "I just bought fish taco fixings."
Three people cancelled. I looked at Jen, sitting at a table with her friend. "Jim, why don't you invite them along for tomorrow?" Good plan.
I sat down with these two pretty young things. "Today is your lucky day, some people cancelled on a sailing tour tomorrow and you two can come along for a free day on the water." Jen introduced me to her friend Melissa. "Melissa, this is Jim, the guy I was telling you about."
Jen declined, saying that they had Spanish class. I looked at Mel, "First rule of travel, accept the unexpected and don't turn down any adventures thrown in your face." Three minutes later I was sure that I had convinced Mel, but Jen was a bit of a harder sell. "Jen aren't you going sailing with Mel and me?" "OK, but you convinced me, not Melissa." "Fine, if you enjoy yourself, credit Mel, if not, blame me."
We chatted for an hour. These girls were pretty cool. Mel is working on her PhD in economics, Jen has four bachelors degrees, Economics, International Business, Business Management and French. She also paid her full way through school, working 60 hours a week. She lives in New Mexico and has never owned a car. She walks forty five minutes to get her groceries and carries them back. Her lithe hard body reflects her daily activities. Flexible? She did splits, bent over and put her palms flat on the dock with legs straight. She had a six pack. Twenty two countries in the last six years. One got her shit together 24 year old. Born in Belgium with and American mother she has two passports.
Mel, 22 has completed her masters in Economics and is going to get her PhD after this years travels and is half Thai.
Chris yelled out, "C'mon, Jim, we have some chicken on the boat." Twenty eight pieces had been smoked for the tour. "I just bought a pound of linguado and the fixings." "Girls, let's get in this tiny boat and head out to the anchorage and make some linguado tacos." "What's that?" "A white fish."
Good thing, Mel is a pescadorian. Five extremely well built, tall, good looking guys watched the two young women board my tiny boat, no doubt wondering why they hadn't asked ask for the company of these two. Maybe they had.
We pulled up and boarded the 60 foot trawler. Dirty dishes everywhere, the usual state of affairs. Sure. Chris put the smoked chicken in the oven and we headed to the foredeck, cracked the windows and escaped the humid, hot, smoky salon. "Jen, time to cook, you want to help?"
I dipped the fish in eggs, breaded them and sauteed them while Jen sliced up some veggies. Chris and Mel headed to the upper deck. A short while later we joined them, with eight hot fish tacos. We just sat under the stars as I pointed out the constellations. Mel exclaimed, "I want to live on a boat." After a couple of hours I took them back and told them to meet me on the dock at 10:30. "We'll be there, thanks, that was fun."
Chris and I went to Odin and hooked up the stereo and cleaned her in preparation for a cruise today with 28 Panamanians, paying $50 apiece to motor to Starfish Beach, eat some smoked chicken and baked potatoes and swim in the calm water.
After returning to town I purchased groceries for dinner. "Where are you going, Jim?" "Home, to make some dinner." "We have some chicken on the boat, three people cancelled." "I just bought fish taco fixings."
Three people cancelled. I looked at Jen, sitting at a table with her friend. "Jim, why don't you invite them along for tomorrow?" Good plan.
I sat down with these two pretty young things. "Today is your lucky day, some people cancelled on a sailing tour tomorrow and you two can come along for a free day on the water." Jen introduced me to her friend Melissa. "Melissa, this is Jim, the guy I was telling you about."
Jen declined, saying that they had Spanish class. I looked at Mel, "First rule of travel, accept the unexpected and don't turn down any adventures thrown in your face." Three minutes later I was sure that I had convinced Mel, but Jen was a bit of a harder sell. "Jen aren't you going sailing with Mel and me?" "OK, but you convinced me, not Melissa." "Fine, if you enjoy yourself, credit Mel, if not, blame me."
We chatted for an hour. These girls were pretty cool. Mel is working on her PhD in economics, Jen has four bachelors degrees, Economics, International Business, Business Management and French. She also paid her full way through school, working 60 hours a week. She lives in New Mexico and has never owned a car. She walks forty five minutes to get her groceries and carries them back. Her lithe hard body reflects her daily activities. Flexible? She did splits, bent over and put her palms flat on the dock with legs straight. She had a six pack. Twenty two countries in the last six years. One got her shit together 24 year old. Born in Belgium with and American mother she has two passports.
Mel, 22 has completed her masters in Economics and is going to get her PhD after this years travels and is half Thai.
Chris yelled out, "C'mon, Jim, we have some chicken on the boat." Twenty eight pieces had been smoked for the tour. "I just bought a pound of linguado and the fixings." "Girls, let's get in this tiny boat and head out to the anchorage and make some linguado tacos." "What's that?" "A white fish."
Good thing, Mel is a pescadorian. Five extremely well built, tall, good looking guys watched the two young women board my tiny boat, no doubt wondering why they hadn't asked ask for the company of these two. Maybe they had.
We pulled up and boarded the 60 foot trawler. Dirty dishes everywhere, the usual state of affairs. Sure. Chris put the smoked chicken in the oven and we headed to the foredeck, cracked the windows and escaped the humid, hot, smoky salon. "Jen, time to cook, you want to help?"
I dipped the fish in eggs, breaded them and sauteed them while Jen sliced up some veggies. Chris and Mel headed to the upper deck. A short while later we joined them, with eight hot fish tacos. We just sat under the stars as I pointed out the constellations. Mel exclaimed, "I want to live on a boat." After a couple of hours I took them back and told them to meet me on the dock at 10:30. "We'll be there, thanks, that was fun."
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