Fanta-- Abre tu imaginacion
I arrived yesterday and after wading through immigration for 2 hours, found myself a taxista outside of Juan Santamaria Airport, after navigating around the hordes of wanna-be surfer globetrotters forming a blockade at the airport exit. The pirata allowed me to bargain him down low enough for me to abandon the idea of taking the bus. When we got to his car, it wouldn´t start, so I got out and we push-started the car. I said he better give me a discount for the extra effort involved. He did. What an interesting way to start my return to Central America. I do not know if it is indicative of things to come on our trip. It could be a good omen of the resourcefulness of a traveler, or just as easily the beginning of a string of misfortunate events spurred by luck. Only time will tell.
I went to the ACM in San Pedro yesterday and said hi to some students from CC, but more importantly, surprised the hell out of Alejandra, Yvette, and Judith. Alejandra almost had a heart attack, poor woman. It was great to see them. I think they were equally as excited to see me.
The weather around here is a bit of a worry- last week, it rained solid for 5 days. Guanacaste is flooding. The Panamerican Highway has washed out in some places, and several tourist destinations, like Monteverde, are impossible to get in or out of. I wonder what this will mean for us up north. I have been hearing that they have been having a dry winter, which would help our cause considerably. My biggest worry about this trip is not the weather, or the multitude of insects and animals that could potentially harm us; but rather, the border relations between Costa Rica and Nicaragua. They are perpetually fighting over the rights to the San Juan River. As it stands, Nicaragua owns it outright--so we are going through all the necessary government agencies in Nicaragua. I just hope the Nicaraguan soldiers guarding the border don't pay much attention to two canoeists on the river. I guess the Costa Rican border patrol is quite active on the river becasue of the increasing number of Nicas illegally entering Costa Rica.
Yesterday we picked up two machetes at the hardware store. Who knows what we'll end up using them for, but they make us look cool walking down the streets of San Jose. Funny, no one tried to mug us.
Graham and I are very excited to actually start our trip- giddy with anticipation of what we might find on a river that straddles two worlds and flows deep into the heart of the rainforest.
We're on the bus now and you know, it's funny what you remember and what you forget. I am just now remember ing how uncomfortable some of these bus seasts are. My knees are unable to find any resting point other than the hard plastic of the seat in front of me. Bus etiquette and traveling is always a bittersweet adventure in itself. Once you get over its inherent discomfort, you become privy to a true crossection of life, especially in Central America, since everyone takes the bus. Right now, I must be the only person on the bus without someone sitting next to them (preferably an overweight middle-aged female with hair glistening from the application of grease and an overpowering smell of cheap perfume)--sometimes it's nice being a gringo here. It could be a very long ride. We're going to La Fortuna, where we'll meet up with Oscar and hopefully clear up some of our uncertainties.
Graham and I tumped our duffels togther this morning. San Jose, CR, is probably the last place I would have ever expected to find a double-pack.
I arrived yesterday and after wading through immigration for 2 hours, found myself a taxista outside of Juan Santamaria Airport, after navigating around the hordes of wanna-be surfer globetrotters forming a blockade at the airport exit. The pirata allowed me to bargain him down low enough for me to abandon the idea of taking the bus. When we got to his car, it wouldn´t start, so I got out and we push-started the car. I said he better give me a discount for the extra effort involved. He did. What an interesting way to start my return to Central America. I do not know if it is indicative of things to come on our trip. It could be a good omen of the resourcefulness of a traveler, or just as easily the beginning of a string of misfortunate events spurred by luck. Only time will tell.
I went to the ACM in San Pedro yesterday and said hi to some students from CC, but more importantly, surprised the hell out of Alejandra, Yvette, and Judith. Alejandra almost had a heart attack, poor woman. It was great to see them. I think they were equally as excited to see me.
The weather around here is a bit of a worry- last week, it rained solid for 5 days. Guanacaste is flooding. The Panamerican Highway has washed out in some places, and several tourist destinations, like Monteverde, are impossible to get in or out of. I wonder what this will mean for us up north. I have been hearing that they have been having a dry winter, which would help our cause considerably. My biggest worry about this trip is not the weather, or the multitude of insects and animals that could potentially harm us; but rather, the border relations between Costa Rica and Nicaragua. They are perpetually fighting over the rights to the San Juan River. As it stands, Nicaragua owns it outright--so we are going through all the necessary government agencies in Nicaragua. I just hope the Nicaraguan soldiers guarding the border don't pay much attention to two canoeists on the river. I guess the Costa Rican border patrol is quite active on the river becasue of the increasing number of Nicas illegally entering Costa Rica.
Yesterday we picked up two machetes at the hardware store. Who knows what we'll end up using them for, but they make us look cool walking down the streets of San Jose. Funny, no one tried to mug us.
Graham and I are very excited to actually start our trip- giddy with anticipation of what we might find on a river that straddles two worlds and flows deep into the heart of the rainforest.
We're on the bus now and you know, it's funny what you remember and what you forget. I am just now remember ing how uncomfortable some of these bus seasts are. My knees are unable to find any resting point other than the hard plastic of the seat in front of me. Bus etiquette and traveling is always a bittersweet adventure in itself. Once you get over its inherent discomfort, you become privy to a true crossection of life, especially in Central America, since everyone takes the bus. Right now, I must be the only person on the bus without someone sitting next to them (preferably an overweight middle-aged female with hair glistening from the application of grease and an overpowering smell of cheap perfume)--sometimes it's nice being a gringo here. It could be a very long ride. We're going to La Fortuna, where we'll meet up with Oscar and hopefully clear up some of our uncertainties.
Graham and I tumped our duffels togther this morning. San Jose, CR, is probably the last place I would have ever expected to find a double-pack.
I saw a stray dog shit in the middle of a sidewalk this morning. I couldn't stop laughing for over 5 minutes.
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