I only meant to mail a package home

Awakening at 8:30am, one would suppose they have plenty of time to pack and wake.  I apparently need a lot of time, as it was I rushed my packing job to the communal space and checked out of my room at 10am exactly.  At 11:20am I leave the hostel after eating spinach and cheese tortellini with pesto, tomatoes and broccoli for breakfast (you don't expect me to carry that stuff in my backpack do you?  and I wasn't going to let it get thrown out).  I catch bus #30, 150, and then 101 back to Oceanside.  I realize that it is now 2:30 and I want to mail some stuff home before I continue on my hike north to San Clemente via the Camp Pendleton Marine Base.  I am sampling boxes in the cramped Oceanside Post Office, trying to pack some excess gear in without totally unloading my backpack.  Then, a woman in line offers to let me pack my stuff in her house, and crash there if I would rather.  Usually I would say no.  But, I have only two hours of daylight left and a motel in San Clemente would be my only other choice...so I say yes.  She lives with her two sons (21 and 17) just a block from downtown. She makes the couch for me, offers me lasagna, email access, tea for my throat, etc.  So, here I am in Oceanside, California getting ready to hike tomorrow morning, after I mail the box of stuff I am sending home.  It is crazy how sometimes when you least expect it you can find the greatest people...and that if you are careful and safe...and don't do stupid things you can trust the kindness of strangers.  In the end I decided not to call up Jeremy and hike with him again today...I just don't think we would have been good hiking partners.  In fact, I sort of enjoy the solitude of the long miles on the beach alone...it gives me pleasure to know I can do this myself.

She says "my son is leaving for Europe soon...maybe you could tell him a little about what it is like to backpack around"