Things to Bring:
Jul 17th, 2005, 06:08 AM
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Things to Bring:
THINGS TO BRING ON THE TRIP:
I learned a lot of things from this board and some things were great and some we never used. Here is a list that was helpful to us:
Very good binoculars
Plastic bags (for wet clothes and shoes)
Repel insect repellant
Suntan lotion with insect repellant
Spray bottles with a fan
Bandana (keeps you cool on the hikes)
Woolite
Febreeze
Batteries for camera and whatever
Scented candle
A lot of singles for tips
Journal book
Dramamine, Aloe Burn lotion, Advil
Daypro (an anti-inflammatory), our family ended up taking this a lot because we were so sore from the beds and hiking and rafting. I guess having a bad back and being 50 has its drawbacks but I still was able to have an amazing time.
Penicillin- This was so great we brought this because my husband had a tooth infection while we were in the Osa. His mouth swelled up terribly and would have been a real problem without it. It cleared right up in a few days without destroying our trip.
I can't wait to return to Costa Rica to visit all the other wonderful places I have read on this board. Thanks to everyone's advice and suggestions...eve
I learned a lot of things from this board and some things were great and some we never used. Here is a list that was helpful to us:
Very good binoculars
Plastic bags (for wet clothes and shoes)
Repel insect repellant
Suntan lotion with insect repellant
Spray bottles with a fan
Bandana (keeps you cool on the hikes)
Woolite
Febreeze
Batteries for camera and whatever
Scented candle
A lot of singles for tips
Journal book
Dramamine, Aloe Burn lotion, Advil
Daypro (an anti-inflammatory), our family ended up taking this a lot because we were so sore from the beds and hiking and rafting. I guess having a bad back and being 50 has its drawbacks but I still was able to have an amazing time.
Penicillin- This was so great we brought this because my husband had a tooth infection while we were in the Osa. His mouth swelled up terribly and would have been a real problem without it. It cleared right up in a few days without destroying our trip.
I can't wait to return to Costa Rica to visit all the other wonderful places I have read on this board. Thanks to everyone's advice and suggestions...eve
Jul 18th, 2005, 09:09 AM
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What type of shoes did you bring and were you happy with your choices? Did you need long pants/zip-off pants? In the way of clothes-was there anything you brought that you didn't need and was there anything you wished you had more of? We aren't traveling until December but need to purchase our clothes and shoes now (Lands End already sold out of the shoes I wanted in the color I wanted) Sharon
Jul 19th, 2005, 05:00 AM
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Not to contradict Mothraeve on "Penicillin" - but it might be better to say an "Antibiotic".
Only mention this due to FainaAgain's question. And it seems when one person asks a question, there are normally others questioning too. Yes, penicillin is a prescription drug and one that quite a few people are allergic to. Consult your family physician.
Only mention this due to FainaAgain's question. And it seems when one person asks a question, there are normally others questioning too. Yes, penicillin is a prescription drug and one that quite a few people are allergic to. Consult your family physician.
Jul 19th, 2005, 08:13 PM
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Sharon,
I bought 2 pairs of shoes from advice from this board. I bought a pair of Salomon mesh shoes and a pair of Lands End mesh water shoes. I disliked both of them. The Salomon shoes were used for hiking in the Corcovado rainforest. The pebbles went through the holes and they had no traction. Our lodge gave us rubber boots to use for the hike and that worked out great.
The Lands End shoes I bought for my son gave him blisters in 5 minutes. I bought them for white water rafting. We never used them and we ended up using our own Teva style sandals with a backstrap. They worked out great and were very comfortable.
I noticed one woman had on a pair of Teva sneaker water shoes during our hike. They looked perfect and I only wished I bought those.
As far as clothes, I wore shorts everyday (I traveled in July, you should read my trip report for a more detailed description, "Back Safely"). I only really wore pants once and they were a light pair made of linen. They were good for the plane and one cool evening. Zipoff pants are probably a good idea if you have them because they make packing easier. I didn't feel like buying any.
My favorite shirt on the trip was one I bought at a great website www.campmor.com. It was on sale for $5 and was one of those water wicking light weight shirts. It was so great. It was very cool to wear, lightweight and washed and dried really fast. That is important because if you travel to the rainforest with just a few clothes, you want something that dries fast and is light.
I brought a sweatshirt with a hood which I wore almost everyday. Sometimes the restaurants are cold from the ac or you get a little cool after a rain shower. I loved having that.
The other things that I was really happy to have was Repel for the bugs (they weren't bad but I wasn't taking any chances)and a great pair of binoculars which I used as an extension of my eyes. I wore them everywhere. I also enjoyed having a candle while we were in Corcovado without lights. It was very romantic and smelled delcious.
JANE:
The daypro was from a prescription I had for my back. I think any anti-inflamatory would work if you are a bit older with aches and pains and are doing crazy stuff like we did on our trip.
FAINAAGAIN:
You do need a presciption for penicilin. My husband happened to have some that he never used and brought them along. It was great to have but I'm sure you can get it in Costa Rica if you had a problem. I was just very happy he had them because his cheek looked like a chipmunk and it was a bit scary!
I bought 2 pairs of shoes from advice from this board. I bought a pair of Salomon mesh shoes and a pair of Lands End mesh water shoes. I disliked both of them. The Salomon shoes were used for hiking in the Corcovado rainforest. The pebbles went through the holes and they had no traction. Our lodge gave us rubber boots to use for the hike and that worked out great.
The Lands End shoes I bought for my son gave him blisters in 5 minutes. I bought them for white water rafting. We never used them and we ended up using our own Teva style sandals with a backstrap. They worked out great and were very comfortable.
I noticed one woman had on a pair of Teva sneaker water shoes during our hike. They looked perfect and I only wished I bought those.
As far as clothes, I wore shorts everyday (I traveled in July, you should read my trip report for a more detailed description, "Back Safely"). I only really wore pants once and they were a light pair made of linen. They were good for the plane and one cool evening. Zipoff pants are probably a good idea if you have them because they make packing easier. I didn't feel like buying any.
My favorite shirt on the trip was one I bought at a great website www.campmor.com. It was on sale for $5 and was one of those water wicking light weight shirts. It was so great. It was very cool to wear, lightweight and washed and dried really fast. That is important because if you travel to the rainforest with just a few clothes, you want something that dries fast and is light.
I brought a sweatshirt with a hood which I wore almost everyday. Sometimes the restaurants are cold from the ac or you get a little cool after a rain shower. I loved having that.
The other things that I was really happy to have was Repel for the bugs (they weren't bad but I wasn't taking any chances)and a great pair of binoculars which I used as an extension of my eyes. I wore them everywhere. I also enjoyed having a candle while we were in Corcovado without lights. It was very romantic and smelled delcious.
JANE:
The daypro was from a prescription I had for my back. I think any anti-inflamatory would work if you are a bit older with aches and pains and are doing crazy stuff like we did on our trip.
FAINAAGAIN:
You do need a presciption for penicilin. My husband happened to have some that he never used and brought them along. It was great to have but I'm sure you can get it in Costa Rica if you had a problem. I was just very happy he had them because his cheek looked like a chipmunk and it was a bit scary!
Jul 20th, 2005, 08:40 AM
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ONE MORE THING TO ADD:
I would definately bring some rain gear. I brought a plastic jacket and pants that cost about 5 bucks. I think a poncho or one of those jackets with a hood that folds into itself that you can just pop into your backpack. You will probably encounter some rain showers and it will really come in handy. I think an umbrella would be a pain to drag around...enjoy..(glad you love your shoes, they looked great!)
I would definately bring some rain gear. I brought a plastic jacket and pants that cost about 5 bucks. I think a poncho or one of those jackets with a hood that folds into itself that you can just pop into your backpack. You will probably encounter some rain showers and it will really come in handy. I think an umbrella would be a pain to drag around...enjoy..(glad you love your shoes, they looked great!)
Jul 20th, 2005, 09:07 AM
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I take a little travel pack of Kleenex. Great to have if you're on the road and the restroom you stop at does not have paper.
A sarong also comes in handy. I can wear as a skirt or bathing suit cover, drap over a horse saddle so I can still wear shorts without chaffing my legs, or use as a towel at the beach. It's much less weight than a towel and saves room too.
A sarong also comes in handy. I can wear as a skirt or bathing suit cover, drap over a horse saddle so I can still wear shorts without chaffing my legs, or use as a towel at the beach. It's much less weight than a towel and saves room too.
Jul 20th, 2005, 11:59 AM
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Just wanted to share my thoughts on the "must haves" in CR. My husband & I were there the end of May, beginning of June. Had 2 days with no rain, otherwise rained late afternoon or evening. We had no rain gear at all and didn't feel it was missed. Towels were fine! My husband was fishing when the rains hit, he so was pretty soaked when he got off the boat. But we did use our hotel laundry service almost every day. You figure your favorite things to wear, and wear them over & over. So yes, I packed too much. Light weight nylon shorts and wicking tops when you're not in your bathing suits and flip-flops. I do wish I had packed a long sleeved hoodie for the lounge & restaurant. The AC is always on HIGH...
As for shoes, I bought some TimberLand Hiking Shoes from Cabelas & loved them! I did wear them at home (wore them walking) for a couple months to break them in so I wouldn't have to deal with blisters. They worked excellent on rain forest hikes, bike riding, and I also wore them when I went WaterFall Rapelling. The guide told me they would be better than the water shoes I had planned to wear. That's when plastic bags are also a good thing to have with you. I went rapelling the last day we were there and they weren't completing dry when we left, so I wrapped them in some extra towels we had and put them in a plastic bag for the trip home.
Zip Locks are great; for everything!
One thing I didn't take that is worth it is a GOOD 35mm camera. Just make sure you have a plastic baggie for it. With all the rain & water activites, you need it. I didn't want to carry mine for that reason and really wished I had now. All the great pictures are not close and you need a good lens to see all the birds, flowers, monkeys, etc. Guess we'll just have to go back and take the good camera next time!!!
Life Is Good!!! Sue
As for shoes, I bought some TimberLand Hiking Shoes from Cabelas & loved them! I did wear them at home (wore them walking) for a couple months to break them in so I wouldn't have to deal with blisters. They worked excellent on rain forest hikes, bike riding, and I also wore them when I went WaterFall Rapelling. The guide told me they would be better than the water shoes I had planned to wear. That's when plastic bags are also a good thing to have with you. I went rapelling the last day we were there and they weren't completing dry when we left, so I wrapped them in some extra towels we had and put them in a plastic bag for the trip home.
Zip Locks are great; for everything!
One thing I didn't take that is worth it is a GOOD 35mm camera. Just make sure you have a plastic baggie for it. With all the rain & water activites, you need it. I didn't want to carry mine for that reason and really wished I had now. All the great pictures are not close and you need a good lens to see all the birds, flowers, monkeys, etc. Guess we'll just have to go back and take the good camera next time!!!
Life Is Good!!! Sue
