So far, I LOVE Costa Rica! After you read this, you will probably think I should be checked into a mental institution, (if you don’t already think that) but here goes. …..In a majority of my travels, Verizon has been very good to me, including Latin America. However, the minute I landed in CR, I had no cell service. Despite being in my 30’s, I still send a “wheels down” text to my mum, no matter where I go. You know how mothers can be……but because I was trying to make the last bus down to the beach town of Jaco, I needed to haul arse through customs (ha!), get a cab and get to the Terminal de Autobuses in less than an hour. So forget the cell service right now, I’ll call mum later. Got straight through customs and I was on my way EXCEPT, I forgot, “I have NO cash!!” I was in such a hurry to make my Atlanta connection that I didn’t get to an exchange kiosk. No worries, I’ll just go to an ATM here. Wait! What on earth is the currency in CR?! What’s the exchange rate?! No worries, I’ll just Google it—crap! I have no cell service! Needless to say, many thanks to the little Japanese dude at the ATM for helping me convert! I sure hope his Spanish is better than his English…..
Soooo, I managed to hail a taxi to the local bus terminal . After the cab driver dropped me off a good distance from the bus stop and ripped me off by $10 (I’ll let this one slide, he needs the $$ more than me), I managed to be the only (very obvious) white chick strolling up to the bus terminal. I had no idea where I was, but I could telepathically sense the shiver down my mother’s spine, as if she could also see this place. No worries, I have been in much worse areas (sorry if you are reading this mum), but this one is definitely going in the Top 10! After a 30 minute wait in the blazing 90 degree sun, and everyone looking at me (not in a good way) as if they were practicing for the local staring contest, we finally boarded the bus for Jaco. The un-airconditioned, over-crowded, standing-only, livestock-toting bus. I’m just trying to keep it native! At this point, I am laughing to myself, yet still a little concerned because I know Marsha is probably pulling out her hair, since she hasn’t heard from her daughter yet. I just want to pre-apologize for the heart attack that I will make her have one day. Sorry mumsy.
Surprisingly, the 2 hour bus ride was more comfortable than my flight to CR. I made it to my hotel after dark and was finally able to have some internet access and reach a very frantic mum. I fixed the phone with Verizon and was ready to start my evening exploration of Jaco. However, I was really tired, so I thought I might have a quick snooze. A ten hour snooze, that is.
Wake up! Surf’s up! My hotel is steps from the ocean and my Surfing lesson dudes. Thus, I was out and hitting the waves by 0730. After several hours of ocean/surfboard abuse (I am terrible at surfing), I decided to head back to my hotel and relax poolside. As I walk up to the pool, I see a sign with several words in Spanish that I do not recognize. Then I see the sign in English…..what the?? Please see photo of English sign above. It was early and I could “sorta” see that no one was in the pool area, so yours truly kept her bikini ON. Then about 15 minutes later, this surfer dude (mid-20’s) walks up and puts his stuff down several chairs from mine and yes, you guessed it, he “dropped trou” right there----leaving NADA to the imagination. Then he started doing a Tai Chi routine directly in front of me!! I thought to myself, “Is this really happening? are people watching me and laughing hysterically at me behind some curtain??” Thanks Expedia for NOT telling me this was a “nude friendly” hotel. Needless to say, not that I haven’t “gone native” before, I decided to take my book and head back to my room. But not before I took one last "peek." (tee hee!)
Am off to the jungle next. Then, a good friend is flying in last minute to climb Arenal with me! Que suerte! Manuel Antonio National Park is on my bucket list because I want to see a real live sloth before I go to surfer heaven. Hopefully the sloths will keep their fur on and skip the Tai Chi routines…….
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