Wes2004

Hello,

I'm going to Costa Rica in three weeks and I have many activities that could possible cause me to lose or destroy my passport. I'm going on an overnight Pacuare White Water rafting trip...HOW do I carry my passport on this? Also, going canyoning and worried I might lose it. Any suggestions??

*Also, I have recently heard a horror story about the food not being cooked all the way and how everyone caught food posion. Is it really THAT bad? I know I'm being over cautious, but I worked too hard for this trip and I want everything to be perfect.

Would you recommend the Frommers Book?

Thanks,

Wesley

Dude

Make three photo copies of you passport leave one at home and take two with you putting them in different places. In the unlikely even you loose it this will facilitate replacement. In my travels I decide if my passport will be more secure if left where I'm staying or on me. If I choose to carry it I have a small pouch that I attach to my belt and let hang inside my pants. If I think it might get wet I put it in a baggie inside the pouch. A far as food- use common sense. People get sick in all countries when they don't. As far as the perfect trip- in hundreds I've never had the perfect one; but I have had lots of realy good ones. Don't worry so much.

shillmac

We have eaten at lots of little roadside places all over Costa Rica. Never had one single problem in many many meals! I keep hoping we won't! I think you're pretty safe with this!

RufusTFirefly

Travel and perfection just do not go together. However, if you research well and pay attention to what is going on around you, you will have a great time.

Food problems can happen anywhere in the world--just use common sense. If a place looks dirty, has a lot of bugs, grungy looking employees, then it might be best to find another place.

Most folks in CR are very friendly and helpful. It's one of the nicest places we every visited.

In over 50 years of travel, the only places I've ever had a food related illness are Denver, Colorado and Bamberg, Germany--two places that would normally be unlikely candidates. Again, using common sense can eliminate a lot of potential problems.

Mama

My father traveled extensively all over the world and never had any problems with food until he got to El Remanso on Osa Peninsula last January. Almost four months and he is still recovering from bacterial infection. Avoid El remanso on Osa and you will be fine. Be careful what you eat but sometimes using common sense cannot eliminate some of potential problems.

shillmac

As RufusTFirefly said, one can be susceptible to food poisoning anywhere--even the best of places. Sometimes, it happens. You could go to the same great restaurant for years without this happening and then, wham! I don't think it is a case of a particular restaurant always being a problem. Although someone got sick at El Remanso (or wherever) that doesn't mean that it was anything more than an isolated incident. It happens! It really isn't something you can worry about. Some of the little sodas we have lunched at didn't look so great, but you know, you're just as likely to get sick at Burger King down the street from your house!

Mama

shillmac, I agree with you. You could get sick at home as well

welltraveledbrit

Photocopying your passport is excellent advice. When I backpacked around Peru years ago I have a tiny photocopy of my passport and $100 in my shoe!

Costa Rica is a very safe destination...don't worry too much about your passport. Remember it's replaceable!

suze

Wes~ Listen to Dude, he's a savvy traveler with always good advice. What kind of places will you be staying? Most hotels will have a safe in the lobby you can check your passport and stuff into. I carry a photocopy too, but have yet to need it.

Getting sick from food can come from all kinds of reasons, not just undercooking. Since you are a worrier, you might want to read up a bit more on this (don't eat raw vegetables, only fruits you can peel, bottled water, etc. are all common advice). When I've gotten sick in Mexico a couple times I'm pretty sure I blame mishandled dairy products. My partner one time got very sick from roast chicken he picked up late at night that we realized later had probably been sitting around all day getting warmed up over and over. Pack some Imodium in case you find yourself ill and not near restrooms (you've gotta get on a bus or plane for instance).

Lastly get over the idea of perfection... it ain't gonna happen. Travel is about adventure and any good trip has its ups and downs.

Wes2004

Hello everyone,

I want to thank you all for helping me, I feel more at ease now. I'll try now to worry so much, I just want to have a good trip. I'll go and make some photocopies of my passport.

Hey, do you have to carry your *ACTUAL* passport or can you carry photocopies? I would feel better locking my original passport in my hotel room.

As for food, I guess there is nothing I can do, just be cautious.

I really do appreciate all this help! Thanks so much!!

Ally

No, you do not have to carry your actual passport on you. In 9 trips to Costa Rica the only time I've ever had to show anyone my passport is for check in at certain hotels, banking needs, rental car pick up, and once 7 or 8 years ago when we got pulled over by police for a 'random paper check'. I don't think they have many, if any of those 'checks' anymore. So have them handy for those things and carry a copy for everything else, if it makes you feel better, but you'll most likely NEVER need it other that the four circumstances above.
As for food, I'm in agreement with Shillmac. I've eaten all over the country and have never gotten sick. Not that it can't happen, but it's not likely. And, it's not like certain parts of Mexcio either, so eating raw vegetables, fruits without peels and drinking water from the tap has never been a problem either. In fact, there were 7 of us on our last trip. We all got big bottles of water on our first day, then filled them up from taps for the rest of the trip and none of us got sick.

shillmac

Yes, yes, yes, Ally! So many people think the food standards in Mexico would also be applicable in Costa Rica--absolutely not true! Fruits and vegetables are quite safe. We take no special precautions regarding food AT ALL when traveling in CR. It just doesn't seem to be an issue!