Wow. I'm home. It's cold here. I have to wear pants ... that sucks. But I had my first hot shower in 2 weeks, so that's kinda nice.
The time accordian is playing her tricks on me again. When in Costa Rica, it felt like I had been there forever and a day. Now that I am home, it feels like I never left (except for the 450 emails in my inbox and the stack of bills to pay!). I'm not quite sure why that happens, but I'm guessing it has something to do with the familiarity of home.
It's good to be back, though I am feeling a tiny bit of culture shock. I mean I just went from a world where I had no idea what day or time it was to a home with multiple responsibilities and deadlines; from wearing board shorts and sandals to coats and winter hats; from knowing nothing about world events to being innundated with the American Fear Obsession ... it's a bit much. I liked moving at a slower pace.
The great thing about this vacation (besides the relaxing) is that I feel more open than I did when I left. I feel like I have a larger capacity to deal with people and different situations. I think it comes from being in a place where meeting new people is the norm and it's so easy to accept new people in to your life. I also embraced the culture which is very much about taking your time and not worrying too much about anything. I can feel the difference here in the air. The city, though full of amazing and creative people, has a tension about it which I know will envelop me if I do not remain aware and conscious of maintaining the pace I want for my life.
I'm definitely also feeling a bit anti-social and tired. I'm not entirely sure why that is yet, but I feel like nesting a bit and hiding out. It kind of feels like I've been a different person for the past couple weeks and have to get used to my old skin again. This probably isn't making much sense because I'm not sure why I'm feeling so out of sorts. Suffice it to say, it's taking a little bit of transition to be home which surprises me because I wasn't gone very long.
I am looking forward to beginning a new exercise regiment next week. My friend J and I are going to start going to the gym 3 days a week and, though there will be days when I hate getting out of bed to do it, I know I am going to love how it makes me feel and the results on my health and physical strength.
My bed is actually calling out to me right now ... "J a s o n .... J a s o n ...." and you don't know how impossible it is to ignore that bed. She actually lured me into a 2 hour nap in the sun this afternoon. I was powerless against her mysterious ways. And now I shall heed her call ... because bed is one of those few places back home where I don't have to wear pants!
Sunday, January 30, 2005
Thursday, January 27, 2005
Last night in Paradise
Well, here we have it .. the last night in Costa Rica. I am sitting in a hostel in San Jose preparing to go to bed as I have to get up at 4am to go to the airport.
As I said previously, I lost a lot of my writing of my adventures along the way due to technical difficulties, but I am going to try to recap some of it now. Easier said than done ...
Santa Theresa:
On one of those days following the celebration of Joyce's last night, I decided to spend the day in Mal Pais and Santa Theresa where the beaches are pillow-soft and stretch on for as far as the eye can see. It is also one of the surfing hotspots in Costa Rica so most all of the men were bronze, broad-shouldered and chiseled and most of the women were bikini-perfect. You know, those 20 somethings that make you both envious and pissed off at how perfect they look. It was like walking onto a beach paradise photo magazine shoot or something.
Santa Theresa is where I realized I was truly relaxing as I managed to pass 8 hours doing absolutely nothing and not even noticing how much time had passed. When at home, I don't think I can go 20 minutes without feeling like I should be doing something!
The last days of Montezuma:
I returned to the waterfalls with my SF roommate Jennifer and her boyfriend Walter. This time, I climbed up to the upper falls where locals and traveler's alike can jump 30 feet into a deep, cool pool of water. I didn't do any jumping because me and swimming aren't the best of friends, but I watched many people do it and it looked fun in that "this is really dangereous and stupid" kind of way. The hike alone was pretty treacherous, but I am living to tell about it. Nuff said.
That night, I hung out with Jennifer, Walter and this girl Camille (from LA) at her bungalow. We spent the night talking, drawing and drinking lots and lots of rum. I met Camille at the pool that afternoon and she invited us up to her cush pad for the evening. It was lots of fun to hang out on the porch in hammocks and rocking chairs drawing with one another and getting away from the weekend madness of Montezuma. Oh, and did I mention we were drinking rum? Yum!
Of course, drinking rum until 3am and then getting up at 5am the next morning to take a very very bumpy boat ride across the sea is not such a great idea. Though I wasn't hung over, I think I was still a bit drunk which made the hour+ ride all the more adventurous. I can't say I enjoyed the back-crunching, bone-drenching ride across the Pacific, but it cut 5 hours out of my travel time which was worth it.
On the ride, I met an Isreali named Limor and a Canadian named Michael (who I had been on the bus with to Montezuma). We spent the rest of the day traveling together - which basically meant sitting on the side of the highway for 2 hours in the blistering heat waiting for the bus south to Quepos. We met many locals along the way, including Carla - a stunning 20 year old who was born and raised in this part of Costa Rica and hasn't ever been outside a 100 mile radius of home. She told me all about the dos and don'ts of the town and where to go for ladies night on Tuesday. I had to remind her I wasn't a lady, but then my Spanish is so-so, so I'm not sure what we were really talking about anyway.
Manuel Antonio:
(Okay, so recapping past days of my trip is actually not very fun nor easy to write about, so I'll spare you and cut to the highlights)
Sloths! Okay, I want to come back in another life as a sloth or at least have one as a pet. They're all zen-ninja-yoga-masters and totally cute ta boot. I was hoping to see a sloth stampede, but I suppose that will just have to happen next time.
Beaches! The beaches at the Manuel Antonio nature preserve are, like, the most scenic beaches I have ever been to. Totally lush and jungly and the water is like room temperature. Ahhhh.
Animals! I was going to write about all the stupid people in the park, but we all know about how stupid people are. Instead, I'll tell you that monkeys are cool! And so are iguanas and toucans and crazy big spiders and coatis and agoutis and ... sloths!
Basically, the last three days of my trip were spent on the beach and walking around the jungle. Due to a bus snafu, I wasn't able to visit one of the volcanos in Costa Rica, but that's how it goes. I wouldn't recommend the town of Manuel Antonio to anyone becuase it's basically a tourist trap-craphole of a town, but once inside the park, it's all worth it to get down there.
Okay, that's it for this Very Uninspired Post. I actually wasn't going to write anything about the end of my trip, but figured I might as well touch on a couple things. Apologies for the total lack of inspiration or quality story telling. I'll tell you more in person if you ask. I just don't want to be sitting behind a computer anymore!!
As I said previously, I lost a lot of my writing of my adventures along the way due to technical difficulties, but I am going to try to recap some of it now. Easier said than done ...
Santa Theresa:
On one of those days following the celebration of Joyce's last night, I decided to spend the day in Mal Pais and Santa Theresa where the beaches are pillow-soft and stretch on for as far as the eye can see. It is also one of the surfing hotspots in Costa Rica so most all of the men were bronze, broad-shouldered and chiseled and most of the women were bikini-perfect. You know, those 20 somethings that make you both envious and pissed off at how perfect they look. It was like walking onto a beach paradise photo magazine shoot or something.
Santa Theresa is where I realized I was truly relaxing as I managed to pass 8 hours doing absolutely nothing and not even noticing how much time had passed. When at home, I don't think I can go 20 minutes without feeling like I should be doing something!
The last days of Montezuma:
I returned to the waterfalls with my SF roommate Jennifer and her boyfriend Walter. This time, I climbed up to the upper falls where locals and traveler's alike can jump 30 feet into a deep, cool pool of water. I didn't do any jumping because me and swimming aren't the best of friends, but I watched many people do it and it looked fun in that "this is really dangereous and stupid" kind of way. The hike alone was pretty treacherous, but I am living to tell about it. Nuff said.
That night, I hung out with Jennifer, Walter and this girl Camille (from LA) at her bungalow. We spent the night talking, drawing and drinking lots and lots of rum. I met Camille at the pool that afternoon and she invited us up to her cush pad for the evening. It was lots of fun to hang out on the porch in hammocks and rocking chairs drawing with one another and getting away from the weekend madness of Montezuma. Oh, and did I mention we were drinking rum? Yum!
Of course, drinking rum until 3am and then getting up at 5am the next morning to take a very very bumpy boat ride across the sea is not such a great idea. Though I wasn't hung over, I think I was still a bit drunk which made the hour+ ride all the more adventurous. I can't say I enjoyed the back-crunching, bone-drenching ride across the Pacific, but it cut 5 hours out of my travel time which was worth it.
On the ride, I met an Isreali named Limor and a Canadian named Michael (who I had been on the bus with to Montezuma). We spent the rest of the day traveling together - which basically meant sitting on the side of the highway for 2 hours in the blistering heat waiting for the bus south to Quepos. We met many locals along the way, including Carla - a stunning 20 year old who was born and raised in this part of Costa Rica and hasn't ever been outside a 100 mile radius of home. She told me all about the dos and don'ts of the town and where to go for ladies night on Tuesday. I had to remind her I wasn't a lady, but then my Spanish is so-so, so I'm not sure what we were really talking about anyway.
Manuel Antonio:
(Okay, so recapping past days of my trip is actually not very fun nor easy to write about, so I'll spare you and cut to the highlights)
Sloths! Okay, I want to come back in another life as a sloth or at least have one as a pet. They're all zen-ninja-yoga-masters and totally cute ta boot. I was hoping to see a sloth stampede, but I suppose that will just have to happen next time.
Beaches! The beaches at the Manuel Antonio nature preserve are, like, the most scenic beaches I have ever been to. Totally lush and jungly and the water is like room temperature. Ahhhh.
Animals! I was going to write about all the stupid people in the park, but we all know about how stupid people are. Instead, I'll tell you that monkeys are cool! And so are iguanas and toucans and crazy big spiders and coatis and agoutis and ... sloths!
Basically, the last three days of my trip were spent on the beach and walking around the jungle. Due to a bus snafu, I wasn't able to visit one of the volcanos in Costa Rica, but that's how it goes. I wouldn't recommend the town of Manuel Antonio to anyone becuase it's basically a tourist trap-craphole of a town, but once inside the park, it's all worth it to get down there.
Okay, that's it for this Very Uninspired Post. I actually wasn't going to write anything about the end of my trip, but figured I might as well touch on a couple things. Apologies for the total lack of inspiration or quality story telling. I'll tell you more in person if you ask. I just don't want to be sitting behind a computer anymore!!
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Drat! Foiled Again.
So last night I was 2/3 of the way through a brilliantly inspired blog entry when the power went out in town (as it happens to do every so often). Needless to say, I lost everything I wrote.
This was the second time this has happened which explains for the lack of story updates lately and/or the rather boring writing. That, and the fact that the internet moves slower than a tortoise on valium.
Tonight I am once again staying in Manuel Antonio. I was supposed to be on a bus to San Jose right now so I could go visit one of the volcanos in the morning, but we were unable to get me a ticket for the bus and so I am stuck here again. When I have time to write about what "here" is all about, you'll understand that things could be worse (though this isn't really my favorite place).
Funny thing though. I went to Quepos tonight to buy my ticket for tomorrow and in the random choices I made to walk around in different directions I came across 3 different groups of friends I had made in different parts of my travels - Carla, Steve and Melissa, and Rueben ... all in a matter of 30 minutes or so (and Quepos isn't exactly the place to be!)
So, I am uninspired at the moment and will leave you with no real insight into the last week or so of travel. I will catch up soon (probably tomorrow when the internet is free - yes, the WHOLE internet!) or when I am home this weekend avoiding the things I should be doing. Isn't it better that way?
Adventures soon to come ...
This was the second time this has happened which explains for the lack of story updates lately and/or the rather boring writing. That, and the fact that the internet moves slower than a tortoise on valium.
Tonight I am once again staying in Manuel Antonio. I was supposed to be on a bus to San Jose right now so I could go visit one of the volcanos in the morning, but we were unable to get me a ticket for the bus and so I am stuck here again. When I have time to write about what "here" is all about, you'll understand that things could be worse (though this isn't really my favorite place).
Funny thing though. I went to Quepos tonight to buy my ticket for tomorrow and in the random choices I made to walk around in different directions I came across 3 different groups of friends I had made in different parts of my travels - Carla, Steve and Melissa, and Rueben ... all in a matter of 30 minutes or so (and Quepos isn't exactly the place to be!)
So, I am uninspired at the moment and will leave you with no real insight into the last week or so of travel. I will catch up soon (probably tomorrow when the internet is free - yes, the WHOLE internet!) or when I am home this weekend avoiding the things I should be doing. Isn't it better that way?
Adventures soon to come ...
Friday, January 21, 2005
Attention Please: Nice Butt
I am happy to report that the past two days have yielded much growth and development in my life ... I can now, in perfect Dutch say, 'Attention Please: Nice Butt´ and ´My Guinea pig likes lettuce´ ... which, of course, can be rearranged to say, ´Attention Guinea pig, nice lettuce butt¨ if you truly wanted to insult your local Guinea pig. I think that I can leave Costa Rica knowing that I learned what I came here to learn.
In other news ... where did I leave off?
One of those days that already happened that wasn´t today (which is just about how well I am telling time these days), Joyce and Rueben and I decided to go to the Cabo Blanco nature reserve near Montezuma. We spent the day on a 9km hike through the jungle to the beach at the tip of the peninsula and back looking ever skyward for the Costa Rican tree sloth. Where we didn´t find the sloth we were looking for, we did see Howler monkeys (ok ... we HEARD Howler Monkeys), Agouti (which are glorified bunny rats), lizards, bats, butterflys and some of the freakiest insects you never wanted to see.
Take for example, the spider of gargantuan size. First of all, I somehow managed not to have a Indiana Jones moment and walk right into this thing such that it landed on my face. (No, that happened last night with the killer cockroach from outer space) The spider, thankfully, was just to the side of my head when I noticed it´s holy gargantuanness. Face pincers like ... well, like face pincers (do you really have to try to make those sound gross?) a long black body with flourescent yellow spots, and a leg span of about 30 feet (okay, maybe 30 tiny gekko feet). In other words, it was cool and gross and I never have to see one that close to my face again. Really now ... do we have to have creatures like this? Lo, it was mighty.
That night, we somehow managed to rally and tried to create some party action. We made it as far as Foosball games in the reggae bar and lots of beer on the beach next to a faux campfire (it was a mound of sand surrounded at the top by banana leaves with a candle in the middle) ... unique, but lacking somehow. Yet, when you can wear shorts and a T-shirt until 2am, you don´t really need a fire, do you?
Yesterday was mostly a lazy day. Joyce and I spent the day on the beach and in the ocean. In the afternoon, we drank fresh juices and she braided Rueben´s hair. I got a little crispy.
At night, we wanted to celebrate Joyce´s last day and all went out to dinner with Katie and Stephanie, the Austrians. (For those of you who know her, Stephanie just happens to be K. Tafel´s European double - not so much in appearance, but everything else - it was great fun to watch her talk and get all animated and excited like KT so often does!).
We heard about this new bar that was having a party hosted by DJ Sweat. Yes, the DJ Sweat! We decided to check it out. The bar was actually very cool and felt like a tropical taste of SF with the blacklit drapes across the tiki-bar-like roof and surrounded by a big tropical garden. The music eventually picked up and the room began to fill, but no once would dance. So I decided to work the room and get people on the dance floor (including my SF roommate Jennifer who, the night before, came walking around the corner with her boyfriend Walter as I was sitting down in the intersection in town. Weird. I love when you randomly run into people you know in remote corners of the world.)
We ended up dancing barefoot for hours on the circular hardwood dance floor and I had a really fucking great time. I never expected to get to dance like that on this trip and it was pretty great that over the past several years I have become totally unafraid to dance in front of people. In the past, I never would have been the person on the dance floor dancing my heart out and coaxing other people to come join in and have fun. It was good to try on a new role.
The music shut down around 2am and a few of us went to the beach to watch the stars and listen to the ocean. As people began to fade, Rueben and Joyce and I decided to stay up to watch the sunrise because Joyve had to leave super early anyway. We made it until about 5:30 when the sky was getting light which, we concluded, was good enough. We said our goodbyes on the beach and each headed to our various beds and pillows. Rueben heads to Mal Pais today and Joyce flies back to Gouda. I will miss them.
So today, I am tired, a little sunburned and quite happy. It´s been a good many days here and I am now starting to plan out my last week in Costa Rica. Tomorrow, I will check out Mal Pais, another beach town on the west coast of the peninsula, and then on Sunday will take a boat south to the Manuel Antonio reserve where I hope to see the elusive tree sloth.
I am certain I am forgetting to mention things I would otherwise like to remember to mention, but such is life without time schedules and important things to do - your brain turns to a nice, fruity mush.
I think I am off to take one of my twice-daily cold showers and find a nice shady spot on the beach to finish Angels and Demons.
ciao and have a nice butt!
In other news ... where did I leave off?
One of those days that already happened that wasn´t today (which is just about how well I am telling time these days), Joyce and Rueben and I decided to go to the Cabo Blanco nature reserve near Montezuma. We spent the day on a 9km hike through the jungle to the beach at the tip of the peninsula and back looking ever skyward for the Costa Rican tree sloth. Where we didn´t find the sloth we were looking for, we did see Howler monkeys (ok ... we HEARD Howler Monkeys), Agouti (which are glorified bunny rats), lizards, bats, butterflys and some of the freakiest insects you never wanted to see.
Take for example, the spider of gargantuan size. First of all, I somehow managed not to have a Indiana Jones moment and walk right into this thing such that it landed on my face. (No, that happened last night with the killer cockroach from outer space) The spider, thankfully, was just to the side of my head when I noticed it´s holy gargantuanness. Face pincers like ... well, like face pincers (do you really have to try to make those sound gross?) a long black body with flourescent yellow spots, and a leg span of about 30 feet (okay, maybe 30 tiny gekko feet). In other words, it was cool and gross and I never have to see one that close to my face again. Really now ... do we have to have creatures like this? Lo, it was mighty.
That night, we somehow managed to rally and tried to create some party action. We made it as far as Foosball games in the reggae bar and lots of beer on the beach next to a faux campfire (it was a mound of sand surrounded at the top by banana leaves with a candle in the middle) ... unique, but lacking somehow. Yet, when you can wear shorts and a T-shirt until 2am, you don´t really need a fire, do you?
Yesterday was mostly a lazy day. Joyce and I spent the day on the beach and in the ocean. In the afternoon, we drank fresh juices and she braided Rueben´s hair. I got a little crispy.
At night, we wanted to celebrate Joyce´s last day and all went out to dinner with Katie and Stephanie, the Austrians. (For those of you who know her, Stephanie just happens to be K. Tafel´s European double - not so much in appearance, but everything else - it was great fun to watch her talk and get all animated and excited like KT so often does!).
We heard about this new bar that was having a party hosted by DJ Sweat. Yes, the DJ Sweat! We decided to check it out. The bar was actually very cool and felt like a tropical taste of SF with the blacklit drapes across the tiki-bar-like roof and surrounded by a big tropical garden. The music eventually picked up and the room began to fill, but no once would dance. So I decided to work the room and get people on the dance floor (including my SF roommate Jennifer who, the night before, came walking around the corner with her boyfriend Walter as I was sitting down in the intersection in town. Weird. I love when you randomly run into people you know in remote corners of the world.)
We ended up dancing barefoot for hours on the circular hardwood dance floor and I had a really fucking great time. I never expected to get to dance like that on this trip and it was pretty great that over the past several years I have become totally unafraid to dance in front of people. In the past, I never would have been the person on the dance floor dancing my heart out and coaxing other people to come join in and have fun. It was good to try on a new role.
The music shut down around 2am and a few of us went to the beach to watch the stars and listen to the ocean. As people began to fade, Rueben and Joyce and I decided to stay up to watch the sunrise because Joyve had to leave super early anyway. We made it until about 5:30 when the sky was getting light which, we concluded, was good enough. We said our goodbyes on the beach and each headed to our various beds and pillows. Rueben heads to Mal Pais today and Joyce flies back to Gouda. I will miss them.
So today, I am tired, a little sunburned and quite happy. It´s been a good many days here and I am now starting to plan out my last week in Costa Rica. Tomorrow, I will check out Mal Pais, another beach town on the west coast of the peninsula, and then on Sunday will take a boat south to the Manuel Antonio reserve where I hope to see the elusive tree sloth.
I am certain I am forgetting to mention things I would otherwise like to remember to mention, but such is life without time schedules and important things to do - your brain turns to a nice, fruity mush.
I think I am off to take one of my twice-daily cold showers and find a nice shady spot on the beach to finish Angels and Demons.
ciao and have a nice butt!
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
There was no margherita in my marhgerritttt....
Yes, I'm a drittle but lunk. Yo creo que no hay margherita miz en mi margerita ... so be it.
Okay, so vacation only gets better. I hate to rub it in, but tropical paradises ... you just can't beat them.
Last night, I met John and Thomas and Guy and Molly. Ahhh. Thomas and John were Canadian, I don't know where Guy was from and Molly was from about 10 blocks from me in San Francisco. All great people though. Of note: Molly just happened to be a yoga teacher and massage therapist ... so we exchanged massages last night under the stars and by the sea. Can it really get any better than that after the truly relaxing day I had already had? The correct answer: no.
They all left this morning though (bummer!) and the town was feeling a little empty. I was feeling lonely for a little while until I decided to hike up to the waterfalls. Ay de mi! Beautiful!!
The falls were a little crowded, but it didn't matter b/c everyone was just in a great mood. And while there, I met Daniel (from Toronto) who quit his job after 14 years to travel and Joyce, a lovely young dutch woman who I had seen all over town the day before. We sat around talking and watching people jump off the falls, went for swims and baked in the hot, tropical sun.
On the hike back to Montezuma, we found ourselves in the midst of a family of white-faced monkeys traveling through the trees. This was my first Costa Rican wildlife experience and it was truly amazing. Monkey's are so cool!
We stopped at the little trailside food stand at the base of the trail where they serve various grilled meats in banana leaves. As we were sitting there, the cutest tiny little puppy you ever did see crawled on my lap and got comfy. Joyce and I gave her some water and then she slept in my lap for a half an hour. Joyce asked Guierrmo (the owner) if she could take her home to Holland with her. He said yes and proceeded to hand her the dog food, her medicine (with instructions). He then handed his wife and friend a beer to toast the departure of their little one. Needless to say, we couldn't really take the puppy with us. Besides, Joyce would have to fight me for her! We called her Vida (after "Pura Vida" which is the Costa Rican saying - it means "Pure Life") and vowed to go visit her tomorrow.
Then, like every good day in Montezuma, we found ourselves drifting in the ocean and laying in the hot sand. It's so good to meet people I like so much. Quality people all around. Joyce works with autistic people back in Gouda (pronounced How-da) despite the fact that she doesn't like cheese. Her English is really good so that allowed us to talk in depth about things other than "Where are you from?", "How long are you travelling?", etc.
What's even better is that while lying on the beach, I look up and there is Steven (from the plane and San Jose) with his friend Melissa! They arrived from San Jose that afternoon. So great to see people I enjoy spending time with!!
At sunset, Joyce and I went for a drink (where I had the infamous non-margherita margherita) and talked about relatonships, religion, music, etc. and played some pool. Now we are taking a rest before dinner and a night on the town with our collective friends.
Really, folks, this is the vacation I needed. I could stay here for a long long time. (Though Joyce is convincing me to go north where I can do a small eco-tour to watch sea turtle mama's lay their eggs at night. That sounds pretty good ... I might have to take her advice, she said it was one of the best things she has ever done in her life). Only time will tell.
I hope you are all well. Life is good.
Okay, so vacation only gets better. I hate to rub it in, but tropical paradises ... you just can't beat them.
Last night, I met John and Thomas and Guy and Molly. Ahhh. Thomas and John were Canadian, I don't know where Guy was from and Molly was from about 10 blocks from me in San Francisco. All great people though. Of note: Molly just happened to be a yoga teacher and massage therapist ... so we exchanged massages last night under the stars and by the sea. Can it really get any better than that after the truly relaxing day I had already had? The correct answer: no.
They all left this morning though (bummer!) and the town was feeling a little empty. I was feeling lonely for a little while until I decided to hike up to the waterfalls. Ay de mi! Beautiful!!
The falls were a little crowded, but it didn't matter b/c everyone was just in a great mood. And while there, I met Daniel (from Toronto) who quit his job after 14 years to travel and Joyce, a lovely young dutch woman who I had seen all over town the day before. We sat around talking and watching people jump off the falls, went for swims and baked in the hot, tropical sun.
On the hike back to Montezuma, we found ourselves in the midst of a family of white-faced monkeys traveling through the trees. This was my first Costa Rican wildlife experience and it was truly amazing. Monkey's are so cool!
We stopped at the little trailside food stand at the base of the trail where they serve various grilled meats in banana leaves. As we were sitting there, the cutest tiny little puppy you ever did see crawled on my lap and got comfy. Joyce and I gave her some water and then she slept in my lap for a half an hour. Joyce asked Guierrmo (the owner) if she could take her home to Holland with her. He said yes and proceeded to hand her the dog food, her medicine (with instructions). He then handed his wife and friend a beer to toast the departure of their little one. Needless to say, we couldn't really take the puppy with us. Besides, Joyce would have to fight me for her! We called her Vida (after "Pura Vida" which is the Costa Rican saying - it means "Pure Life") and vowed to go visit her tomorrow.
Then, like every good day in Montezuma, we found ourselves drifting in the ocean and laying in the hot sand. It's so good to meet people I like so much. Quality people all around. Joyce works with autistic people back in Gouda (pronounced How-da) despite the fact that she doesn't like cheese. Her English is really good so that allowed us to talk in depth about things other than "Where are you from?", "How long are you travelling?", etc.
What's even better is that while lying on the beach, I look up and there is Steven (from the plane and San Jose) with his friend Melissa! They arrived from San Jose that afternoon. So great to see people I enjoy spending time with!!
At sunset, Joyce and I went for a drink (where I had the infamous non-margherita margherita) and talked about relatonships, religion, music, etc. and played some pool. Now we are taking a rest before dinner and a night on the town with our collective friends.
Really, folks, this is the vacation I needed. I could stay here for a long long time. (Though Joyce is convincing me to go north where I can do a small eco-tour to watch sea turtle mama's lay their eggs at night. That sounds pretty good ... I might have to take her advice, she said it was one of the best things she has ever done in her life). Only time will tell.
I hope you are all well. Life is good.
Monday, January 17, 2005
Now THAT's what I'm talkin' about
Day 4:
Slept in until 8am
Walked 40 feet out my door to a chair on the beach
Watched crashing waves for an hour
Sunbathed
Took an hour-long nap
Read in a hammock
Lay in the sun again
Went on sunset walk on the rocks
Ate yummy vegetables
Next: In search of cocktail.
P.S. - I am never coming home. :)
Slept in until 8am
Walked 40 feet out my door to a chair on the beach
Watched crashing waves for an hour
Sunbathed
Took an hour-long nap
Read in a hammock
Lay in the sun again
Went on sunset walk on the rocks
Ate yummy vegetables
Next: In search of cocktail.
P.S. - I am never coming home. :)
Sunday, January 16, 2005
Sweaty with a Smile
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this is the post we've all been waiting for ...
"What the hell was I thinking? I love it here and I'm never going home!"
Today we shall subtitle: The Agony and the Ecstacy. I woke early at 5am because that's just what happens these days. I don't think I've had a night of sleep more than 5 hours since I left San Francisco. I wanted to make sure I caught the early bus so I wouldn't miss the ferry to the Nicoya peninsula.
The morning began with the taxi driver taking me to the wrong bus station where I stood in line for 15 minutes before I thought to ask a local if this was the right place to buy a ticket for Puntarenas.
{If I haven't yet mentioned this, I don't recommend anyone travelling to Costa Rica without some Spanish under their belt. So few locals know any English (even hotel owners) despite the fact that the economy here is supported heavily by tourism. It is truly frustrating to do anything here as the Spanish I once knew is slow to return and meanwhile everything is as clear to me as Arabic or Chinese. Fortunately today was a good day for language as I somehow regained words and conjugations in leaps and bounds}
As luck would have it, I managed to get another Taxi to the bus station that had buses for Puntarenas. I made the 7am bus with a minute to spare. {Surprise of the day: Public transportation leaves on time here ... for the most part}.
The 2 hour bus ride was uneventful ... if uneventful means a large over-packed bus careening around narrow mountain roads with oncoming traffic and no guardrails. I managed to have an erratic conversation with the woman in the seat next to me though I couldn't tell you what we talked about. Today I relearned the art of nodding and smiling when you have no idea what the other person said, mixed with a small chuckle for good measure.
When I arrived in Puntarenas it was sweltering. Like crawl-out-of-your-skin hot. I ran into Adam and Liam from the hostel in San Jose who were on their way to Mal Pais for 7 weeks of surfing. We passed the time drinking Orange Fantas, talking about Costa Rican culture (i.e. making up stories for all the people milling about) and hiding in the shade. Oh, and the town smells like sewage. Fun fun!
We then embarked on the 1.5 hour ferry ride to the peninsula complaining about the heat the entire way. Fortuntately for us, the ferry sells beer. Mmmmmmm, ice cold beer.
On the other side, we went our seperate ways. They chose to spend $35 dollars each for a taxi across the peninsula whereas I opted for the $2 public bus where I learned the meaning of the phrase ¨packed in like sardines¨. Can we say hot? I mean, when even the locals are complaining about the heat, you know you are in for some trouble.
I again managed to have a disjoined conversation with the two women next to me on the bus. I was remarking about how I like that all the Costa Ricans are attractive people mainly because they are full of life and smiles. Of course, in Spanish I said something more like, Ï like you alot. Costa Ricans. No sad. Large smiles. Big life.¨ But, y´know, I got the point across. Whatever.
But then ... then, I tell you ... I received the golden ticket. I arrived in Montezuma after 7 hours of dreadful travel and though it is hardly off-the-beaten-path, it is a lovely little paradise on the coast and I will now call it home for the next 3-13 days. I found a room on the beach with hammocks and exotic birds just outside my window and fell in love with that which is not San Jose. So, to consecrate my love, I promptly lathered myself up and headed for the sand where I spent the next two hours bathing in hot, sweaty glory.
Motezuma is a small village which is honestly less than a quarter mile long and only a block deep. Nestled into some mountains, it is a mecca for backpackers, hippies and other roust-a-bouts. So far, I like it. And even though it is full with travelers, it doesn´t feel crowded.
I am quickly losing my interest in trying to write all this as it is 8pm and its prime time to be sitting on the beach in front of my room in shorts and a t-shirt. Jealous? You should be. Soon I will tell you all about the waterfalls, the beaches and the wildlife preserve at the end of the peninsula!
Sorry!
(Not.)
"What the hell was I thinking? I love it here and I'm never going home!"
Today we shall subtitle: The Agony and the Ecstacy. I woke early at 5am because that's just what happens these days. I don't think I've had a night of sleep more than 5 hours since I left San Francisco. I wanted to make sure I caught the early bus so I wouldn't miss the ferry to the Nicoya peninsula.
The morning began with the taxi driver taking me to the wrong bus station where I stood in line for 15 minutes before I thought to ask a local if this was the right place to buy a ticket for Puntarenas.
{If I haven't yet mentioned this, I don't recommend anyone travelling to Costa Rica without some Spanish under their belt. So few locals know any English (even hotel owners) despite the fact that the economy here is supported heavily by tourism. It is truly frustrating to do anything here as the Spanish I once knew is slow to return and meanwhile everything is as clear to me as Arabic or Chinese. Fortunately today was a good day for language as I somehow regained words and conjugations in leaps and bounds}
As luck would have it, I managed to get another Taxi to the bus station that had buses for Puntarenas. I made the 7am bus with a minute to spare. {Surprise of the day: Public transportation leaves on time here ... for the most part}.
The 2 hour bus ride was uneventful ... if uneventful means a large over-packed bus careening around narrow mountain roads with oncoming traffic and no guardrails. I managed to have an erratic conversation with the woman in the seat next to me though I couldn't tell you what we talked about. Today I relearned the art of nodding and smiling when you have no idea what the other person said, mixed with a small chuckle for good measure.
When I arrived in Puntarenas it was sweltering. Like crawl-out-of-your-skin hot. I ran into Adam and Liam from the hostel in San Jose who were on their way to Mal Pais for 7 weeks of surfing. We passed the time drinking Orange Fantas, talking about Costa Rican culture (i.e. making up stories for all the people milling about) and hiding in the shade. Oh, and the town smells like sewage. Fun fun!
We then embarked on the 1.5 hour ferry ride to the peninsula complaining about the heat the entire way. Fortuntately for us, the ferry sells beer. Mmmmmmm, ice cold beer.
On the other side, we went our seperate ways. They chose to spend $35 dollars each for a taxi across the peninsula whereas I opted for the $2 public bus where I learned the meaning of the phrase ¨packed in like sardines¨. Can we say hot? I mean, when even the locals are complaining about the heat, you know you are in for some trouble.
I again managed to have a disjoined conversation with the two women next to me on the bus. I was remarking about how I like that all the Costa Ricans are attractive people mainly because they are full of life and smiles. Of course, in Spanish I said something more like, Ï like you alot. Costa Ricans. No sad. Large smiles. Big life.¨ But, y´know, I got the point across. Whatever.
But then ... then, I tell you ... I received the golden ticket. I arrived in Montezuma after 7 hours of dreadful travel and though it is hardly off-the-beaten-path, it is a lovely little paradise on the coast and I will now call it home for the next 3-13 days. I found a room on the beach with hammocks and exotic birds just outside my window and fell in love with that which is not San Jose. So, to consecrate my love, I promptly lathered myself up and headed for the sand where I spent the next two hours bathing in hot, sweaty glory.
Motezuma is a small village which is honestly less than a quarter mile long and only a block deep. Nestled into some mountains, it is a mecca for backpackers, hippies and other roust-a-bouts. So far, I like it. And even though it is full with travelers, it doesn´t feel crowded.
I am quickly losing my interest in trying to write all this as it is 8pm and its prime time to be sitting on the beach in front of my room in shorts and a t-shirt. Jealous? You should be. Soon I will tell you all about the waterfalls, the beaches and the wildlife preserve at the end of the peninsula!
Sorry!
(Not.)
Saturday, January 15, 2005
San Jose, Day 2
Day Two: Still in San Jose.
I woke up this morning after a less-than-full nights sleep. The noise and the heat are a bit to get used to, but with my earplugs in, I managed to sleep about 5 hours. It's somewhat refreshing to hear the sound of exotic birds singing at all hours dusk and dawn, though the unfamiliar noise distracts me from solitude.
I experienced a mild panic/anxiety attack last night as I was trying to go to sleep. I think it was an affect of culture shock, exhaustion and uncertainty. I actually sat through it with relative ease and am rather proud of myself for not totally freaking out as I would have in the past. I've done a lot of work around my infrequent irrational fears (as I mentioned yesterday), so I'm glad that they are an experience I can be with and not something that controls my life (though I'll admit there were times last night that I wondered why I didn't just get on a plane home today).
It's pretty hard to confess this stuff to you, oh internet. These are aspects of my life which I am not proud of. They illuminate the fact that I am not perfect. I hold myself to such unreasonable standards that I don't expect of anyone else. Faces of friends would appear in my mind last night and I watched the expressions I projected onto their faces as I revealed my cowardice. These expressions are what kept me sane ... knowing that I want to live up to a more bold version of myself. Once again, I hope that this is just a natural part of me and not one I have to cajole.
Enough of that though.
So this morning I tried to make a reservation for Montezuma, the beachside town I want to travel to. I was unsuccessful, so I decided to stay in San Jose another night and head out early in the morning for the 6 hour journey and take my chances when I get there. I should find a reasonably priced place with some time and effort. It will be much easier than trying to make a reservation on the phone with people who do not speak English.
Instead, I spent the day walking around San Jose with two women from Canada, Heidi and Soma and their German friend Vera. We visited the Museum of Modern Art and Design which was interesting, but rather sparse in many ways. The gallery was in this national cultural compound that housed a few buildings presumably all with galleries of some sort. None of us could really read the placards that described the art very well, so we had to guess at what it all meant, but that's what modern art is about anyway, no? One exhibit that struck me in particular was by this San Salvadorian artist who recreated a city scape of graffiti in stacked cardboard boxes. The boxes were drawn on as if they were different buildings and then doused with various graffiti art.
We also walked around some dilapidated parks and took in more of the haphazzard architecture in this city where you'll find 100 year old buildings falling apart next to hideous 70's "modern" designed low-rise buildings ... all of this next to a shack constructed of rusting corrogated steel.
Well, it's late and my writing isn't as coherent as it should be. Tonight will be my last night of free internet access, so my posting may become more sporadic depending on how often I feel like finding an internet cafe. If I get too bored with just sitting around on the beach, you may find multiple posts a day, though it would be good to ween myself off of my email habit.
Okay internet ... goodnight!
I woke up this morning after a less-than-full nights sleep. The noise and the heat are a bit to get used to, but with my earplugs in, I managed to sleep about 5 hours. It's somewhat refreshing to hear the sound of exotic birds singing at all hours dusk and dawn, though the unfamiliar noise distracts me from solitude.
I experienced a mild panic/anxiety attack last night as I was trying to go to sleep. I think it was an affect of culture shock, exhaustion and uncertainty. I actually sat through it with relative ease and am rather proud of myself for not totally freaking out as I would have in the past. I've done a lot of work around my infrequent irrational fears (as I mentioned yesterday), so I'm glad that they are an experience I can be with and not something that controls my life (though I'll admit there were times last night that I wondered why I didn't just get on a plane home today).
It's pretty hard to confess this stuff to you, oh internet. These are aspects of my life which I am not proud of. They illuminate the fact that I am not perfect. I hold myself to such unreasonable standards that I don't expect of anyone else. Faces of friends would appear in my mind last night and I watched the expressions I projected onto their faces as I revealed my cowardice. These expressions are what kept me sane ... knowing that I want to live up to a more bold version of myself. Once again, I hope that this is just a natural part of me and not one I have to cajole.
Enough of that though.
So this morning I tried to make a reservation for Montezuma, the beachside town I want to travel to. I was unsuccessful, so I decided to stay in San Jose another night and head out early in the morning for the 6 hour journey and take my chances when I get there. I should find a reasonably priced place with some time and effort. It will be much easier than trying to make a reservation on the phone with people who do not speak English.
Instead, I spent the day walking around San Jose with two women from Canada, Heidi and Soma and their German friend Vera. We visited the Museum of Modern Art and Design which was interesting, but rather sparse in many ways. The gallery was in this national cultural compound that housed a few buildings presumably all with galleries of some sort. None of us could really read the placards that described the art very well, so we had to guess at what it all meant, but that's what modern art is about anyway, no? One exhibit that struck me in particular was by this San Salvadorian artist who recreated a city scape of graffiti in stacked cardboard boxes. The boxes were drawn on as if they were different buildings and then doused with various graffiti art.
We also walked around some dilapidated parks and took in more of the haphazzard architecture in this city where you'll find 100 year old buildings falling apart next to hideous 70's "modern" designed low-rise buildings ... all of this next to a shack constructed of rusting corrogated steel.
Well, it's late and my writing isn't as coherent as it should be. Tonight will be my last night of free internet access, so my posting may become more sporadic depending on how often I feel like finding an internet cafe. If I get too bored with just sitting around on the beach, you may find multiple posts a day, though it would be good to ween myself off of my email habit.
Okay internet ... goodnight!
Friday, January 14, 2005
Day One, Part II
Okay, so it's a little after 10pm and there's not a whole lot to do here. They have satellite TV blasting in the common room and I'm not so interested in TV. I have free internet, so ... what the hell?
It's been interesting for me to embark on this journey. There hasn't been emotional excitement about coming to Costa Rica since I solidified the plans. It's been more about having the time, loving to travel and wanting to take advantage of the opportunity. There's the added bonus of getting out of rainy San Francisco for awhile before school.
But I wonder how much of my resistance is due to fear vs. apathy. I noticed on the plane today the undercurrents of fear. When it comes down to it, I am fearful of discomfort, of being unable to take of myself when in dire need and of needing medical care when none is available. I've worked hard over the years to overcome these fears and most of the time I can push through them, but they tend to always surface when I arrive in unknown situations. I hope that one day I will conquer them completely, but I also wonder if I will always have these fearful tendencies and will only learn to manage them better.
There is a large part of me that wishes I had a travel companion right now. I've been meeting people all night, which is great, but there is something different about having someone *with* you. And at the same time, I wanted to come on this trip alone and will inevitably have some adventures that I wouldn't have if I were travelling with someone. (Plus, the majority of the female travelers thusfar are Hotties!)
Thinking back to last year when Madhavi and I travelled to Belize and Costa Rica, I have to remember that the same fears came up ... and they always went away as well.
I'm not really so worried about the worrying ... I'm just wondering what purpose it is serving me and wondering if it will always be a part of me. Perhaps it's just in my nature. Perhaps it's genetic?
Anyway, the combination of some travel wariness and the less-than-excited drive behind this trip has benefitted me in one way ... no plans! I think I prefer traveling with no plans even if it increases the stress around wondering if I'll find a place to stay in my destination.
I know I'm going to read back over this and think that I'm just being a wuss, but hell, it's my experience and it's obviously not holding me back ... so fuck it.
NOTE: My next entry will inevitably read something like, "What the hell was I talking about ... I love it here and I'm never leaving!"
It's been interesting for me to embark on this journey. There hasn't been emotional excitement about coming to Costa Rica since I solidified the plans. It's been more about having the time, loving to travel and wanting to take advantage of the opportunity. There's the added bonus of getting out of rainy San Francisco for awhile before school.
But I wonder how much of my resistance is due to fear vs. apathy. I noticed on the plane today the undercurrents of fear. When it comes down to it, I am fearful of discomfort, of being unable to take of myself when in dire need and of needing medical care when none is available. I've worked hard over the years to overcome these fears and most of the time I can push through them, but they tend to always surface when I arrive in unknown situations. I hope that one day I will conquer them completely, but I also wonder if I will always have these fearful tendencies and will only learn to manage them better.
There is a large part of me that wishes I had a travel companion right now. I've been meeting people all night, which is great, but there is something different about having someone *with* you. And at the same time, I wanted to come on this trip alone and will inevitably have some adventures that I wouldn't have if I were travelling with someone. (Plus, the majority of the female travelers thusfar are Hotties!)
Thinking back to last year when Madhavi and I travelled to Belize and Costa Rica, I have to remember that the same fears came up ... and they always went away as well.
I'm not really so worried about the worrying ... I'm just wondering what purpose it is serving me and wondering if it will always be a part of me. Perhaps it's just in my nature. Perhaps it's genetic?
Anyway, the combination of some travel wariness and the less-than-excited drive behind this trip has benefitted me in one way ... no plans! I think I prefer traveling with no plans even if it increases the stress around wondering if I'll find a place to stay in my destination.
I know I'm going to read back over this and think that I'm just being a wuss, but hell, it's my experience and it's obviously not holding me back ... so fuck it.
NOTE: My next entry will inevitably read something like, "What the hell was I talking about ... I love it here and I'm never leaving!"
Day One: San Jose, Costa Rica
Well, it was a bit of an adventure getting here, but I made it. My flight from Jacksonville to Huston was delayed a little over an hour due to inclement weather in the North East. This meant that my less-than-cushy hour layover in Huston was now reduced to about 5 minutes. When I stepped off the plane I saw that my Costa Rica flight was delayed 10 minutes and I had 15 minutes to get across a half a mile or so of airport with a short bus ride in between terminals. Needless to say, I missed the plane. However, I would like to brag that I only missed it by 5 minutes and I have the small "burn" on my lower back to prove it from sprinting through the airport with a 30-40 pound bag on my back.
So I worked it out to have a free hotel room last night and got a new flight for this morning at 9:30 which was pleasantly uneventful.
Arriving in San Jose, however, is another story. The immigration was surprisingly fast and the customs was virtually non-existant (they ran our bags through an x-ray and that was all).
Stepping onto the street swarming with taxi drivers grabbing you and yelling to compete with one another for your attention was overwhelming in the sweltering heat. I was not dressed for the 90 degree weather and high humidity.
I had met a guy named Steve on the plane who was just coming off 7 weeks in New Zealand and he shared my cab to the hostel I had prebooked (assuming I was going to arrive at 10pm the night before).
The cab ride revealed the chaotic harmony of this city. Pedestrians running or walking across 4 lane highways, cars nearly running into each other at 50 mph (as the norm), black smoke billowing out of trucks and filling your lungs and if you left your arm dangling out the window, it is likely you wont go home with it. And yet somehow it all works and people arent killed or run over or maimed .. at least .. it seems like it works. That is something I learned in cities like Rome and Cairo ... somehow the lack of strict transportation authority works.
After settling at the hostel, Steve and I decided to brave the streets and the local food. We found a great little hole in the wall eatery (and I mean Hole-in-the-Wall!) and dived in. Steve was a bit more risky in his meal, tempting fate with the beef (or something), while I stuck to rice and beans (partially for digestive safety, partially because my Spanish is rusty enough that I couldnt figure out how to ask for anything else ... there were three things on the menu).
I think we both made the right decision not to have the melon drink they gave us. I am not about to ruin this adventure with more time spent in the bathroom than necessary!
So that is about all for today. The rest of the day will be spent walking around, dodging cars, looking at the absolutely random and bizarre architecture and passing the time until I can hop on a bus tomorrow to some lovely and more tranquil beach town far, far away from San Jose.
Until then ...
So I worked it out to have a free hotel room last night and got a new flight for this morning at 9:30 which was pleasantly uneventful.
Arriving in San Jose, however, is another story. The immigration was surprisingly fast and the customs was virtually non-existant (they ran our bags through an x-ray and that was all).
Stepping onto the street swarming with taxi drivers grabbing you and yelling to compete with one another for your attention was overwhelming in the sweltering heat. I was not dressed for the 90 degree weather and high humidity.
I had met a guy named Steve on the plane who was just coming off 7 weeks in New Zealand and he shared my cab to the hostel I had prebooked (assuming I was going to arrive at 10pm the night before).
The cab ride revealed the chaotic harmony of this city. Pedestrians running or walking across 4 lane highways, cars nearly running into each other at 50 mph (as the norm), black smoke billowing out of trucks and filling your lungs and if you left your arm dangling out the window, it is likely you wont go home with it. And yet somehow it all works and people arent killed or run over or maimed .. at least .. it seems like it works. That is something I learned in cities like Rome and Cairo ... somehow the lack of strict transportation authority works.
After settling at the hostel, Steve and I decided to brave the streets and the local food. We found a great little hole in the wall eatery (and I mean Hole-in-the-Wall!) and dived in. Steve was a bit more risky in his meal, tempting fate with the beef (or something), while I stuck to rice and beans (partially for digestive safety, partially because my Spanish is rusty enough that I couldnt figure out how to ask for anything else ... there were three things on the menu).
I think we both made the right decision not to have the melon drink they gave us. I am not about to ruin this adventure with more time spent in the bathroom than necessary!
So that is about all for today. The rest of the day will be spent walking around, dodging cars, looking at the absolutely random and bizarre architecture and passing the time until I can hop on a bus tomorrow to some lovely and more tranquil beach town far, far away from San Jose.
Until then ...
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
bad, bad blogger
Sheyoot! How has so much time passed? I am a bad blogger ... bad, bad blogger. I guess since I am on vacation from school and have no reason to procrastinate, I am less likely to pass the time writing about schtuff.
I am currently in Florida visiting my dad, Jane his wife, his son Elroy ... oops, I meant his daughters Daniella and Marianna and a weasel named Jeb. They just moved here in June and I am seeing the house for the first time. They live in a budding town called Palm Coast about an hour south of Jacksonville and it was clear upon arrival that I could never live here. I just don't think Florida is my place. It's so ... retireminty. My sister, who shall remain nameless (Hi, Katrina!), is building a house next door and I will now convince her that this is not crazy, it's a very fine idea ... I love Florida! Congratulations!
Tomorrow, I begin phase III of my vacation which is two weeks in Costa Rica. (Phase I was three glorious days at Harbin Hot Springs with Vixzen where we slept, soaked, ate, soaked, watched movies, slept and tried to come up with a name for what it is we are doing. We were successful in everything ...... except coming up with a name for what we are doing, so for now, we are ... um ... er .... mmmm ..... aw, who cares, we're just that which will remain nameless - somewhere between just hanging out and being a couple.)
So my plans for Costa Rica are now nailed down to ... I have a place to stay tomorrow night. After that, I have no idea. I kinda like it that way. It may make things more expensive if I have to pay more for a room or backtrack, but I like not being so methodical about *everything* I do. This is yet another opportunity to challenge some fears and reduce the limitations I put on myself. I feel pretty confident that I am going home at the end in one piece, so I'm not worried.
If you are reading this and have any suggestions for Costa Rica, please let me know. I'll be there for 2 weeks before coming back to restart school and work. I have to remember that this is vacation and not a challenge to see every corner of the country (which is what I generally want to do). If I don't sit still for at least 4-5 days, I'll know I'm doing something wrong.
The next couple weeks should provide some good opportunities for blogging and I'll hopefully have some good stories to tell. If not, then I'll at least make you envious by describing how little I did while sitting on the beach that day, drinking tropical drinks and schmoozing with beautiful costa ricans and european super models.
Don't think for a second that I don't get just how fortunate I am to have this luxury. I earned it (I think) and I made it happen.
Bon voyage!
I am currently in Florida visiting my dad, Jane his wife, his son Elroy ... oops, I meant his daughters Daniella and Marianna and a weasel named Jeb. They just moved here in June and I am seeing the house for the first time. They live in a budding town called Palm Coast about an hour south of Jacksonville and it was clear upon arrival that I could never live here. I just don't think Florida is my place. It's so ... retireminty. My sister, who shall remain nameless (Hi, Katrina!), is building a house next door and I will now convince her that this is not crazy, it's a very fine idea ... I love Florida! Congratulations!
Tomorrow, I begin phase III of my vacation which is two weeks in Costa Rica. (Phase I was three glorious days at Harbin Hot Springs with Vixzen where we slept, soaked, ate, soaked, watched movies, slept and tried to come up with a name for what it is we are doing. We were successful in everything ...... except coming up with a name for what we are doing, so for now, we are ... um ... er .... mmmm ..... aw, who cares, we're just that which will remain nameless - somewhere between just hanging out and being a couple.)
So my plans for Costa Rica are now nailed down to ... I have a place to stay tomorrow night. After that, I have no idea. I kinda like it that way. It may make things more expensive if I have to pay more for a room or backtrack, but I like not being so methodical about *everything* I do. This is yet another opportunity to challenge some fears and reduce the limitations I put on myself. I feel pretty confident that I am going home at the end in one piece, so I'm not worried.
If you are reading this and have any suggestions for Costa Rica, please let me know. I'll be there for 2 weeks before coming back to restart school and work. I have to remember that this is vacation and not a challenge to see every corner of the country (which is what I generally want to do). If I don't sit still for at least 4-5 days, I'll know I'm doing something wrong.
The next couple weeks should provide some good opportunities for blogging and I'll hopefully have some good stories to tell. If not, then I'll at least make you envious by describing how little I did while sitting on the beach that day, drinking tropical drinks and schmoozing with beautiful costa ricans and european super models.
Don't think for a second that I don't get just how fortunate I am to have this luxury. I earned it (I think) and I made it happen.
Bon voyage!
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