Costa Rica CouchSurfing Party

Couch Surfing has really opened my eyes to a different way of travelling, both in actual couch surfing as well as meeting other couch surfers along the way. Whether it's meeting someone for a coffee or a meal or to just meet the locals or even to meet other travelers in the same area as you, usually sharing the same approaches and mind sets on a lot, CouchSurfing is a wonderful tool.
I was invited to a party at the home of a local Costa Rican, Mario, who was pretty well known within the CouchSurfing community. I finally got to meet up with Kelly Patterson, a friend of Max's. Kelly is also a CouchSurfer and a writer for a few publications like The Tico Times and The San Francisco Examiner. Kelly is an amazing person who emits an incredible positive energy and it effects everyone she comes in contact with. She's traveled the world, seen more than most people even care to read about in the news and has lived to have a story or two.

I also got to meet up with Jose Luis. FINALLY!!

We have shared a mutual friend, Kara, for about a year since she came down to Costa Rica for vacation. She called me on the phone with she was with Jose Luis so he and I could speak Spanish because they were having a hard time communucating. When Kara heard that I was coming to Costa Rica, she got me in touch with Jose Luis and we've been chatting online ever since. He's a very sweet person and a lot of fun. Between he and Rocky, not to metion the other guys at the party, I was in stitches most of the evening.

We met a guy from Dubai, Bijan, and he did the coolest trick with my hand and a bit of ashes from his cigarette. Rocky and I were very entertained. This guy was quite the life of the party. I noticed that almost everyone I've met in Costa Rica so far smokes cigarettes. A lot of the people at the party were smoking either cigarettes or from the hookah.

Mario made us all Caprihenias, the Brazilian national drink. They were great but I can't wait to get to Brazil and have one there.

Mario and Kelly:

Locals and Traveling CouchSurfers:

I can tell already that CouchSurfing is going to change the way I travel from here on out. It seems like most every CouchSurfer I've met shares the same approach and frame of mind in regards to travel as well as life in general. I am so glad I got turned on to CouchSurfing.