It’s hard to make plans when you’re traveling. With no phone to communicate with new friends, there’s a lot of “Maybe we’ll grab a beer around sunset.” “I’ll see ya on the beach tomorrow for some surfing.” Without reliable internet connections to make reservations, there’s a lot of showing up and hoping for the best. Yet somehow, you always run into who you’re looking for, and manage find the places you want to stay.

After a few nights in Puerto Escondido, we packed up for our onward journey down the coast. Shook the sand off and neatly folded the clothes strewn about our hut. Rearranged our valuables in the proper places for travel. Double checked under the bed and slipped into socks and sneakers for the first time since we’d arrived at the beach. Hauled our backpacks to the front desk and handed the key over.

Just then our Aussie friends strolled in (the ones we went to a Mexican wrestling match with weeks ago in Mexico City), with a bag full of the bounty from their morning’s fishing adventure. A massive sailfish, fileted and ready for a feast that evening. “Oh no, you guys are leaving? We were hoping you’d join us for dinner tonight!”

We sat down for a moment to hear about their fishing adventure. To chat about our respective plans. Before we knew it, beers were cracked open and photos were being shared and two hours had passed us by, sitting there in the shady reception (I use the terms loosely, it’s basically a small paved area with some chairs amidst a forest of sand and palm trees). Our hostel hosts knew better, and gave us our room key back for another night in paradise.

That evening we had quite possibly the best meal we’ve eaten in Mexico. And the next day, moved on to the backpacker beach bum haven of Zipolite - for how many days, we don’t know…