tyrak33

Hi again,
OK.. I promise that once I finally get our route planned and our transpo/hotels/larger tours booked I will try to limit my posts in the next 4 months, to stop pestering everyone! I am a little obsessed.(In a good way I hope) After a month of agonizing over how to get EVERYTHING into a 7 night trip, we finally agreed to let go of Monteverde (hopefully there will be a next trip), and I think we have finally settled on a general itenerary.

We will be driving from San Jose to Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort, stay one night, explore around there, head up to arenal to AOL for 2 nights, explore/tour area for one day and cano negro/eco termales the next, drive to Manuel Antonio to Costa Verde for 4 nights. We will do some touring there and then back to SJ to fly home. My latest questions are...

1. Where should I look for better maps? I know it's hard to get great ones, but there has to be something better available than I am finding. Shillmac... you seem to be the guru of directions. I would love to just take you with us in the car! Do you perhaps moonlight as a gps voice?? lol

2. I think we are going to use Eurocar through Tico travel for a small 4x4. They were the ones that seemed to be able to get us an automatic transmission on the cheaper 4x4s. Has anyone had any problems or dealings with them?

3. Is there anything on the route from Arenal to MA that we should stop and see?

Thanks again

volcanogirl

We stopped at the Rio Tarcoles bridge. There's a little area where you can park. If you walk to the bridge and peer over, you'll see huge crocs down below. It's a good photo op spot. I'd leave someone with the stuff in the car though just to be safe.

shillmac

You have a nice plan. I like the Villa Blanca part. Hope to stay there someday. Wise of you to drop Monteverde (or something) for a 7 day trip. You enjoy yourselves more with a more leisurely itinerary.

Guru of Directions? My husband would chuckle at that. But it has a nice ring to it. G.O.D. Hmmm. . .my husband would have a comment to make about that as well--as would my children (control freak that I am)!

Okay, enough of that blasphemy and baloney! Do you mind a gps voice with an Oklahoma twang?

Seriously, ALL JOKING ASIDE!!, try to find the Berndston & Berndston, if for no other reason than it is laminated and very durable (usually a problem with large maps). I bought mine at Barnes & Noble. You might also try Amazon. It's worth it.

Yep. . .see the crocs. They are pretty cool--and big! Have great fun! When are you going? May? We'll be on our way down there in June. Can't wait! Trying to fit in a short little April trip right now. I have some travel points on an OLD credit card that need to be used before they go bye-bye. In which case I would croak!

plumboy

Definitely stop and see the crocs at the Rio Tarcoles bridge -- they're pretty cool -- but just be careful. There apparently have been hold-ups and car break-ins there. Just don't leave anything visible in the car when you get out -- and make sure there are other people on the bridge.

Maybe others have other advice about this -- it's just something to be aware of.

qwovadis

www.mapcr.com