The Journey

1. Red Eye Flight from SFO – CLT
2. CLT – 5 hour layover
3. CLT – SJO
4. Night in San Jose at Adventure Inn
5. “Private” flight to Puerta Jimenez
6. Night in Puerta Jimenez
7. BOSQUE DEL CABO tomorrow!

My journey has taken a bit longer than I expected, but that’s what happens during an adventure. My first two hours in Costa Rica I had the pleasure of experiencing an earthquake. I was relaxing at “Waterworld” imagine a very rundown VACANT version of Riverview Waterpark in the Dells, when all of a sudden I felt my entire chair shake. I looked around, but as mentioned it was vacant and I started feeling a bit paranoid. Later that night I had dinner with a nice couple who asked me if I had felt the earthquake this afternoon. Then it clicked…that was the shaking. You would think a 2.5 year San Franciscan should be an expert on these things.

Speaking of that nice couple, I better not fall in love with a “tico” because the Costa Rican relationship + US embassy is complicated. The Costa Rican’s actually have to interview just to receive a visitors visa to the US which could take months or even a year to receive. This poor American pilot fell in love with this beautiful intelligent Costa Rican woman and she can’t even visit him in the states. Hardly seems fair when we can waltz right into their country for up to 90 days.

This morning I flew to Puerto Jimenez, and I was the only person on the flight. Now I feel even worse about my carbon foot print, thank God I sold my SUV. The flight itself was stunning with views of the mountains sticking out above the clouds with the Pacific ocean below. The airplane was a “tin can”, tiny, hot and the pilots actually use those sunshade things that parents use in the backseat of their Toyata Camary’s so their children don’t get sunburned. Every time the plane moved a different direction they would lift up the sunshade and re-suction it on to the window. I could see this of course because there is no wall between me and the pilots.

Luckily I arrived safely in Puerto Jimenez and was greeted by Karen and Jose, the Bosque del Cabo office workers. They are the sweetest people, and I already adore them. They showed me all around town, helped me buy lunch, practice my Spanish and gave me a Costa Rican geography lesson.

Tonight I went to dinner with Carly’s high school friend who is a teacher in town and two of her other American teacher friends. We went to a Soda for a traditional Costa Rican meal. I learned an incredible amount of information regarding culture and safety here. My favorite tip of the day “Become Ticafied” which means carry yourself like a Costa Rican Woman to avoid being harrassed. I also learned don’t carry big purses, you can drink the water (this theory will be tested over the next few days), don’t be too friendly to ticos because people love to gossip and the “corcavado” is the mophia in town (apparently they have a monopoly on transporation).

I’m so excited to finally see Bosque del Cabo tomorrow. Stay tuned for updates.