That was essentially the phrase we heard over and over for what seemed like hours. Sorry we have no rooms. After a glorious 4 days of relaxing and surfing in Nosara and then 3 more days of the same back visiting friends in Tamarindo and surfing at the rivermouth with our trusted "magic carpet" (that board rocks-we fought over it each day and ended up having to take turns!), it was time to move south to Panama. Rather than drive back to Liberia and then take another bus to SJ we decide to pay the drop off fee and drive. Good thing since we arrive at 5 pm to find just about every hostal full to capacity. Apparently there was a big surf competition and everyone is on their way out of town. Just our luck. At least we are not on foot, backpacks in tow, for this scavenger hunt. John is crazed with the traffic and the fact that we have no idea where we are going. Driving in Costa Rica has been a breeze until now. We checked every place in our book and then just started stopping along the street. Finally we find a room at the Hotel Tiquicia, a hotel advertising hourly rates - this could be an interesting night. Its more than we would normally pay but Luis the manger is very helpful (obviously trained at a high end hotel), its clean, and breakfast is included. Now its off to return the car at the airport some 30 plus minutes away and hope the rental place will drive us back. Which they did-thank you!
In the morning we head to the bus station. Well really to a street corner near the bus station where we will catch the Bocatorenos bus - the only direct bus to Panama and the drop off spot for the islands of Bocas de Toro. Luckily we had found this spot and confirmed what time the bus would be by yesterday, a good thing since there is no schedule.
Anticipated time to the border is 3 1/2 hours. The route follows the PanAmerican Highway south through the mountainous center of Costa Rican first we climb, then we descend, of course all along a twisty mountain road. A slight bearing east and soon we are along the Carribean coast - beautiful beaches to the left of us and lush banana farms lining the road on the right. Had we had more time we would have stopped to explore some of these villages along the way - Puerto Viejo possibly - but we were bound for Panama.
