Well hello everyone,

Thought I would post my just back report as I found so much info on this forum that helped me and wanted to return the favour in some small way. To give a bit of background we travelled April 30th - May 14th. We are husband (Rene) and myself (Trish) who are two 47 yr. old Canadians who now that the kids are grown have started our travels (so far Mexico and 2 Caribbean cruises). We are not athletic by any means (treadmill 4x week) but neither are we couch potatoes although Rene works 60 hrs plus a week. So here goes. Sorry if it's too detailed and long for some people but just skip over the parts that don't interest you.

Drove to Seattle, stayed overnight and caught America West on the 30th to Phoenix where we caught the straight through connector to San Jose. Arrived at 6:30. Jose from Hotel Pura Vida was there to pick us up and off we went the 4 miles through Alajuela to our hotel. I had asked Rene whether he wanted to drive in CR or take transfers and he was adamant about driving (he drives for a living and wanted the freedom). Well here we are at 7:00 p.m. on a dark Friday night in a little car with cars, scooters, motorbikes, bicycles and trucks all converging, honking and trying to get around each other to get down a narrow main street. What have we done! was the look I received from Rene. Finally we arrived at Hotel Pura Vida. What a lovely place. The main house (casa) had a lovely open air dining room out back that had a wonderful view of Alajuela and Poas. The grounds were lush and full of flowers. Nestled in the grounds are 4 casitas (cabins). Ours was the Toucan which had a little porch with view and inside a separate living room and bedroom. No A/C but although it was warm the windows open provided enough of a breeze. Berni had arranged for us to have dinner. They will do dinners for a charge ($14. ea.) you just have to arrange in advance. The three course meal was wonderful and we met some other travellers and sat and had our first Imperial (Berni supplied for $2 ea.) We had arranged with Berni to have our vehicle delivered the next morning so around 10 we headed off to bed. So I don't run out of room I shall do the next installment as another post connected to this one. Next up - Day 2 and Wills, Waterfalls and Wacky Drivers.

Trvlbug -

Loving the report so far. Can't wait for the rest of it! Thanks for taking the time fill us in on your trip.

Lynne

Day 2 Wills, Waterfalls and Wacky Drivers

We are awake at 6 a.m. and the sun is shining in and there are more bird sounds than I have ever heard before. We go up for breakfast at 7. It consists of coffee, juice a lot of fruit and a cake (meaning banana bread or coffee cake etc.) Our vehicle is coming at 8 and we ask Berni whether we should go to see Poas but looking at it we see it is shrouded in clouds so that we decide to head to La Paz Waterfall Gardens which are about an hour away. We figure this will give us a little driving experience. Berni gives us directions and at 9 (CR time is laid back) our vehicle arrives. It is a Hyundai Galloper Jr. (never heard of them) which looks like a Jeep and has a high clearance. Fill out the paperwork and off we go. Berni says to follow the signs to Poas and we will come upon the sign to La Paz. Go down the hill to the two stop signs and hang a hard left. Sounds easy except no one is really stopping at the signs. The guy on our a** honks us as Rene foolishly stops at the stop sign. Finally, a break in traffic and Rene just goes for it. We hit an enormous pothole and now know why vehicles veer all over the road. I am trying to think of when we last updated our wills! Anyhow, all is well and we follow the signs to Poas and lo and behold a sign telling us to turn right to the Waterfall gardens. How easy is this! We keep going and going and going. Consulting our useless map from the car rental company I determine after an hour and a half that we have gone too far. Stop and ask for directions. People are just giving us blank stares as we practice our Spanish for "lost". La Paz means nothing and so I do the "agua" with raindrop hand motions. Success. They point us back to where we came from. Rene sets the odometer and we go back 18 km. and suddenly see the sign to turn to the Gardens. It seems that they do not put a sign if you are coming from the other way. It is very warm out and we finally arrive along with about 20 tour buses. One guy working the counter who seems to be new and now has about 200 people in the lobby with two German tour guides nattering at him. Then his computer stops working. Finally help arrives and we pay our $21. ea. and get our wristbands. The park is very pretty and well laid out. We see everything and then take the trails down to see all the waterfalls which are truly gorgeous. At the bottom is an area which you can supposedly take a shuttle back up to the main lodge. We wait and wait. No shuttle and hundreds of tourists. "Let's just hike back up" says Rene which is the last piece of advise I take from this man on this journey!! It is stinking hot and all uphill and by the time we get to our Galloper we look like we've been through the wringer. We buy large bottles of water and set back on our way to Pura Vida. Find our way back to the Poas signs but somehow take a wrong turn. We go around in circles for ages and then I suddenly spot the "Orquideas Inn" from this forum. I tell Rene that they must speak English there and to pull in. I tell the front desk guy that we are lost and he says "welcome to paradise!". I tell him where we are going "Hotel Pura Vida" and he says pointing to some guy. "You are going to drive Elwyn, the waiter, home" Huh? Seems Elwyn lives a few blocks from Pura Vida and will give us easy directions once we get to his house. So out to the truck I go with Elwyn and off all three of us go much to Rene's surprise. He gives us perfect directions and we arrive safely back at Pura Vida with big smiles and high fives. We park in the compound and have much needed showers, Imperial and another wonderful dinner. I have my first encounter with flying beetles and biting bugs. Glad I have brought the bug spray as I am being eaten alive. We are exhausted and go to sleep by 10 again. Next up Caribbean, Crazy Drivers and Clouds.

Hi, I have similar request for information, however will be in San Jose for just a day and half. What can we do? How is the tram ride in the rain forest? I think it's only about an hour from the city. Any information on what we could do in our limited time would be helpful....

trvlbug,
Thanks for the good reports. . .waiting to hear more! Welcome home, and I am so glad you had a great time!

mpratnicki
Such a short time! Two suggestions to help you make the most:

If you have one full day, by all means try to get on a Highlights of Costa Rica Tour. $80 pp for about 10 hours that takes you through 5 of Costa Rica's 7 provinces via a large loop east, north, and west of San Jose (mostly north). You will have breakfast at a beautiful coffee plantation, view Poas (beautiful) early in the day and hike the forest nearby, make a stop to view part of the falls at La Paz, visit a roadside hummingbird gallery, have lunch at Selva Verde on the Sarapiqui River, drive through the Caribbean Lowlands to Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui and down to the river for an hour long jungle cruise (good wildlife), back into town for a little souvenir shopping, then return to San Jose through Braulio Carillo National Park.

OR similar tour (beautiful but not as much to see) of Irazu Volcano, Lankaster Gardens, and Orosi Valley (this is in an area southeast of San Jose)

OR head to the beach. . .takes you about an hour to get to Jaco. Downside, this is not one of the nicer beach towns or beaches.

The rainforest tram tour is, of course, an option, but I heard it isn't that great. This type of development tends to scare away the critters you are wanting to see!

If you want to see the real Costa Rica the Highlights Tour would give you an excellent overview. Have a great time. . .I think you'll want to go back!

trvlbug: I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a trip report so much and I can't wait to read the rest! We are spending our first night at Pura Vida on July 6th. Sounds like we made a great choice.

We are also flying America West for the first time. How were your flights down and back?

Terri

Thanks so much for the info on my short stay in Costa Rica. I will avoid the tram for the reasons you stated and will definetly do the hightlights tour...........

You won't be disappointed! Have fun! Any of the hotels can set you up with this. We particulary like the Hotel Don Carlos because it is so close to a great walking tour area (also close to El Pueblo--definitely go there in the late evening--bars, restaurants, and neat shops, it is a short taxi ride for about $3). At the Don Carlos, there is a tour office and Juan Carlos can make your arrangements for you!

Loved the trip report. Especially the part about the driving. Driving in CR is pretty hair raising. Good thing people are helpful and will give directions to lost gringos. Looking forward to more reports.

Day 3 Caribbean, Crazy Drivers and Clouds

We are awake early! 5:30 is just too soon and I am on vacation and want to sleep in. No such luck. After another lovely breakfast we get directions from Berni on how to get to the Barria Carrillo (sp) Highway. We also pay up our account at Pura Vida. It is $65. a night including breakfast. I have brought cash, travellers cheques and my Visa. I pay the extra 6% and do the Visa. This highway is the brand new one that the Ticos are so proud of. We leave at 8 heading for Heredia on the secondary highway that runs beside the main one to San Jose. Well that was the plan. We have to go through Alajuela and Rene is stopping for pedestrians which I tell him is suicide on our part. We will be rear ended for sure and besides the pedestrians look at us like we are crazy. It looks like we have taken a wrong turn. We are on a highway but it keeps saying we are going to San Jose. Rene is panicking. There is nowhere to turn off and double back. Closer and closer we get until finally a few kilometres from San Jose we see a sign for Heredia. Then the signs stop. We are at a gas station and no one speaks English. A fellow filling up hears us in our broken spanish and tells us sort of where to go to hook up with the BC highway. Off we head again but soon we are lost, again. No one knows where the entrance to the BC highway is which is less than a few kilometres away but if you say Limon which is 150 kilometres away they give you all sorts of directions. Rene is at the end of his rope and is now cursing. We pull over and I tell him that we are in a country with no signs and that we have plenty of time and that we should expect to get lost. He calms right down and we ask another fellow and it turns out that we have been sitting on top of the entrance (unmarked of course) for the whole time. Off we go. There is a toll a few hundred metres along. I believe it was 200 colones. We have our directions from ALmonds and Corals so we are set. This highway is crazy. There are a lot of potholes and also a lot of trucks. We are in a huge long line beind many large trucks and cars. People behind us start passing and we have to brake to let them in so they won't hit oncoming traffic. Up ahead we see a semi trying to pass a tanker on a hill with a curve and double yellow line. As we go around curves trucks coming the other way are way over the line and we have to move over to the right. A light rain is falling which makes it all the more thrilling!!! I have been transported to a James Bond movie! Finally we descend and the humidity hits us. At a gas station Rene finds that he must pee al fresco as there is no door and the urinal is in full view of everyone. We pick up yet more water. I am beginning to feel like a camel. Carrying on we come to Limon where I pray that we do not break down. It is very dirty and piles of garbage and junk are everywhere. Suddenly it turns into a lovely drive with palm trees everywhere and signs that let you know every 2 kilometres where the next town is. Five and a half hours later we arrive at Almonds and Corals. Rene acts like he has made the Tico driving Hall of Fame. We unload our gear and check in. What an amazing place. Our cabin is number 13 and the lady checking us in tells us not to be scared in the morning with the noise. Huh? We walk along elevated pathways to our cabin which is a large mesh structure with a tent over it. It is elevated about 6 feet off the ground. Inside this are two more tents. One houses our beds (1 double and 1 single) and one houses our bathroom (sink, toilet and shower). Just outside our inside tents (ok are you all confused now) is a sitting area with a table, chair and hammock. We are completely under the canopy and cannot see the sky. This is so cool. Walking on the raised platforms we head to the large restaurant for lunch. It is seafood rice with french fries. There goes the low carb diet. While eating it clouds over and suddenly it pours down. This is a torrential rainstorm and boy is it heavy. After an hour it seems to have stopped but there is water coming down. We walk about 50 feet from the restaurant and come out to an absolutely beautiful beach. Palm trees and palapas are there and the waves are crashing. No swimming as there is a riptide, but it is gorgeous. Walk back into the canopy and see some monkeys in a tree. It is raining on us but just from all the trees. Quite amazing actually. Go back to the tent and read some books and play crib. Decide to book the Natura tour. The girl at the desk does not speak English but we point to the sign that says 8 a.m. Natura Tour and she nods and puts our names down for the next morning. Soon it is dark and we head to the restaurant/lounge for a drink and dinner. It is buffet and is fairly good. A large tour group from France is at the resort and so they bring in a reggae band from nearby Puerto Viejo. Now it is 9p.m and we are so tired. Back to the tent. I am sitting outside on our steps when all of a sudden a coati mundi walks right in front and stops and we stare at each other. I tried to get up to get the camera but he scurried off. I am slathered in bug spray but still getting bitten, my clothes are slightly damp and my hair has frizzed out like little orphan annie. But I am smiling and Rene has done the bed bug check so I am content. I am out like a light.

Next up Day 4 Loud Noises, Lessons and Lobster.

Wow it seems like driving in Costa Rica is not worth the hassle! I am going on my honeymoon to Manuel Antonio, then to arenal and then to La Paz - Should i just use Bus transfers? I am staying at Villas Valetas which is north of Maneul antonio.

LOL! Trvlbug, you are quite a writer! I have laughed so much at the way you have told these stories because it sounds SO much like when we travel! I can just hear you (almost) giving your husband little pep talks about "this is part of the adventure, you have to take it for what it is and enjoy, calm down, we have all the time in the world, etc" --we've been through it all! And, Blakeas, would not trade those experiences for anything! There is some kind of a rhythm to traveling in Costa Rica when you drive, (does anyone out there agree?) and once you are in it, it is quite enjoyable. As long as you fight it and try to pretend like you are still in the states and "these roads are interfering with my daily schedule" you haven't yet found "the ryhthm". I know, sounds crazy, but it is true! And it is fun!

Keep the stories coming. . .they are definitely entertaining! Can't wait to hear more Didn't you just love it over there? So few people go, and I think the Caribbean side is fascinating (and beautiful).

They should make a video game of driving
in CR. First there's the pot hole dodging.
Then fording streams in the rainforest.
(BTW, it will rain in the rainforest).
Then dodging oncoming cars that are
passing and the ox cart/cattle obstacles.
Then the twisty turny roads with the 100
foot drop off and no guard rails.
They could add groups of school kids with
their uniforms as background and
speed bumps for the schools.

I miss it already.

LOL! Actually, it's great for character development. . .patience, tolerance, adaptation to change etc! After some experience with the driving, it begins to seem more "normal" and at that point it improves--or I should say the mindset does a 180!

Hi trvlbug,
I love your trip report. We are going in August. How did you pay for your tours? Can you pay for tours with a charge card? That would be our preference. My husband is insisting on driving,too. I think driving is very convenient, you can go where you want when you want, but it does sound scary. Interbus and the public bus just doesn't sound convenient to me. Would your husband drive in CR again? Are you glad you made the decision to drive?

Trvlbug - you're killing me. I love the report. I just know that our drive from Tamarindo to La Paz is going to be nuts and only because we are wound up Americans who don't know how to relax and as Shillmac points out, there really is no need and to just go with the flow, aka "the ryhthm" (I had to cut and paste that from Shillmac, because I've already forgotten how to spell and I haven't started my vacation yet!).

I too will have to have these little "pep talks" with my hubby during the drives. Wanna hear the worst part? He stopped smoking 5 weeks ago. Maybe not such a good idea with upcoming Mr. Toad's Wild Ride we are about to embark on!! Hmmm... I better pack extra nicotine batches. At least he won't be a nutcase on the 5 hour flight from Los Angeles like when we went to the Cook Islands last year. Good God!

Okay, anyhow. Can't wait for the lobsters. Keep it going sister.

Lynne

I am glad to hear you are all lol; my son just came over to ask what's going on! Now, he and I have hidden from my husband any reports mentioning theft...but thinking about our previous car trips with dad...we will definitely have to consider a driver!! It's too bad we women can't all be in the car together, giggling, while our husbands are nervous wrecks and using unrepeatable language! You should write a book..this is a great report, Joyce
Kwo, maybe we will meet on the roadside this summer!

TrvlBug, keep 'um coming! I'm really enjoying your reports and picturing me giving my husband the same pep talks this July! Tell me you'd do it again...

Kwoo,
Renting a car is the best option for some. I prefer renting a car because of the freedom. Certain areas are worst for driving than others. I found driving out toward Tamarindo wasnt that bad once you get off the interamerican. The worse areas are in the central valley and dont even think about driving in San Jose.