This is Jenifer writing now, and believe it or not our Costa Rican tour is already completed–first 12 days over. We never dreamed our internet access would be so limited and that we wouldn’t be able to keep up with our blog more regularly up to this point. You’ve probably already stopped checking out of boredom! And Bob writes from such a different perspective than I would–stuff about conservation, birds, and traffic. Things that stand out to me are the 22 hours we went without food on our way from the States to San Jose, and the way we haven’t stopped eating since then–meal after meal after meal. Rice and beans, fried plantains, all kinds fruits, vegetables, and juices. Buffets and choices. And a general lack of desserts and chocolate! The oddness of being on an organized tour for me–not worrying about safety or watching your pos-sessions like a hawk, having everything planned for you, staying at the best places, being able to speak in English to just about everyone, others handling your bags, traveling in a new luxury van–seemed we should be clutching our wallets, arguing about where to eat, negotiating fares with taxi drivers, stumbling through everything in Spanish, staying in cramped and odd lodgings, and getting flea bites on public buses! The worst part of being on a tour: the 6:30 luggage calls and breakfasts before departing on the next leg or activity–ugh! Unique to this tour: school and home visits–extra special.
Costa Rica is the youngest country I’ve ever been too–seems just about everything here has developed in only the last 50 years or so and tourism is huge. There’s not a part of this country that isn’t breathtakingly beautiful and that foreigners like us haven’t seemed to find, purchase, and tell others about! It’s so much less crowded, poor, and culturally rich (in indigenous cultures) than the Latin America I’ve known prior.
This has been more of an adventure tour, with kayaking, river rafting, horseback riding, countless nature walks, canopy tours, etc. which of course makes it more hands-on for the kids. I loved our visit to the beach on the Pacific side and look forward to our next leg of our trip on our own when we visit the Carribean side beaches. But I know Bob and the kids like the mountains just as much.
David had a day’s bout with "the runs" but otherwise we’ve all been quite well. I made one of the biggest mistakes ever by failing to pack/bring my Imitrex/migraine medication!! I’ve only had one headache so far and can buy the pills without a prescription here but they are $30 apiece! We had a friend send it to a hotel we returned to tonight in San Jose here at the end of our tour but it didn’t arrive yet. Fortunately we will have one more chance when we come back through San Jose in another week on our way to Nicaragua.
Dad and Lilburne were the "oldsters" of the group but they did just great, keeping up and trying everything like real troopers. And so gregarious in getting to know everyone. I was terribly saddle-sore from horseback riding and Lilburne not at all! How can that be! Hopefully they will have an easier time getting home to Clemson, SC than they did getting here (40 hrs. in transit and airports without sleep). We said our good-byes tonight since they are leaving at 6 a.m. in the morning and we hope to wake up at a more social 8:00!
We I really must get to bed and we hope to attach pictures if they will be accepted so will close.
Jenifer
Costa Rica is the youngest country I’ve ever been too–seems just about everything here has developed in only the last 50 years or so and tourism is huge. There’s not a part of this country that isn’t breathtakingly beautiful and that foreigners like us haven’t seemed to find, purchase, and tell others about! It’s so much less crowded, poor, and culturally rich (in indigenous cultures) than the Latin America I’ve known prior.
This has been more of an adventure tour, with kayaking, river rafting, horseback riding, countless nature walks, canopy tours, etc. which of course makes it more hands-on for the kids. I loved our visit to the beach on the Pacific side and look forward to our next leg of our trip on our own when we visit the Carribean side beaches. But I know Bob and the kids like the mountains just as much.
David had a day’s bout with "the runs" but otherwise we’ve all been quite well. I made one of the biggest mistakes ever by failing to pack/bring my Imitrex/migraine medication!! I’ve only had one headache so far and can buy the pills without a prescription here but they are $30 apiece! We had a friend send it to a hotel we returned to tonight in San Jose here at the end of our tour but it didn’t arrive yet. Fortunately we will have one more chance when we come back through San Jose in another week on our way to Nicaragua.
Dad and Lilburne were the "oldsters" of the group but they did just great, keeping up and trying everything like real troopers. And so gregarious in getting to know everyone. I was terribly saddle-sore from horseback riding and Lilburne not at all! How can that be! Hopefully they will have an easier time getting home to Clemson, SC than they did getting here (40 hrs. in transit and airports without sleep). We said our good-byes tonight since they are leaving at 6 a.m. in the morning and we hope to wake up at a more social 8:00!
We I really must get to bed and we hope to attach pictures if they will be accepted so will close.
Jenifer
1 comment:
Jenifer
You did a nice job with your Blogg.
Sounds like everyone is having a great advenure.
Mom & Dad
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