I am up early this morning so that I can clean the place that I have been staying at and doing everything that I need to do before leaving Mal Pais tomorrow. I almost feel as though I am moving out of the bungalow that I have been staying at. Well, I guess that I sort of am....I have really made this place like my own home over the past month and a half. I actually didn't even realize it until right now as I write this! I cook here, make my bed everyday, sweep, have everything organized in its place and I even have a picture of Sam (my 5-year old nephew) on my bedside shelf! So, yeah I guess it has been home :)

I am catching the 6am bus out of here tomorrow to go meet Nikki and Scott at the airport. Yay! We have a shuttle that is meeting us there and taking us straight to Puerto Viejo in the caribbean, where we will stay for a couple of days. We will then head to Bocas in Panama and hang out there for awhile. We have some ideas of what we would like to do but it is a very loose guideline. Nikki and I would like to fit a dive in at some point and we have whitewater rafting booked on the 28th. Aside from that we will fly by the seat of our pants. I can't even describe in words how excited I am to see a familiar face tomorrow. If they don't make it here for whatever reason I think that I will be crying at the airport! No more disappointments - let the good times begin. No.....it's not that serious but I am incredibly excited. Mostly, because Nikki is a great friend but also because she is so much fun to have around. She has such a great adventurous spirit that you just know that no matter what comes your way you'll be fine and still laughing the whole time.

My money situation is getting a little tight at this point so I am also going to see how much it would cost to change my flight home to an earlier date. I got a super good deal on my ticket down here though so I think that the change fee is going to be alot, possibly the same that it would cost to just stay until the end. Although I haven't traveled to many different countries I have stayed in the most expensive, Costa Rica. Accomodations have been cheap but groceries are very expensive. And, I have also gone on some day trips which eat away at the stash as well. I will ask the airline when I go to the airport tomorrow. I am not sure about leaving early - it is so great here. If I am careful I can probably make the money that I have last until the end.

Oh yeah - I am feeling better :) It took about a week and half to kick it but I am back at 100% and just in time. And, I am still coming home to follow through on my last post...don't worry family, I haven't changed my mind!

I'll be in touch again soon. Nikki and Scott - let the good times roll!!!!!

C.