Yep, not flushing poopy toilet paper took some getting used to for me. My husband thought it was so funny. As soon as the maid would come and empty everything, he would head back in there!

Socks?

Since you're not very experienced with outdoor/adventure clothing, don't forget to pick up at least 1 or 2 pairs of socks that are designed for "wicking" (absorbing persperation) and can easily be washed/dried. 100% cotton is NOT what you want on your feet when trekking thru jungle in Monteverde.

Thanks JBX! I forgot about socks! I just returned from the outdoor/adventure store and got some amazing bargins - everything I need is on sale. I found T-shirts in the "wicking" fabric, a great hat, North Face rain jacket that was half price and the best bargin of all - one of those large duffel bags with wheels marked down from $100 to $25!!!! It's the perfect size for this trip and very lightweight. Thanks again to everyone for the great advice! I'm almost ready....just need socks!

Socks that dry quickly are a great idea. We got caught in a downpour on our Monteverde night hike, and my shoes and socks never did dry. The shoes smelled awful when I unpacked them.

Good info here for our Feb. trip.
I'm still looking for a couple of ponchos, but have only found very cheap ones( @ 1-3 bucks)or very pricy ones (@ 20 bucks)that also seem very heavy-weight.
Anyone know if the cheapos will work for 4-5 wearings? Or where to find mid- priced, lightweight ones?I've checked on-line at REI, Campmor, Magellan, Target.
Thanks.

We got ours at Target; they came in a little zippered pouch.

Thanks, volcanogirl,
Were they the tiny 99 cent ones by Coleman or the nice Eddie Bauer ones that I saw a few months ago that have since been discontinued according to Target. And if the little ones, did they hold up ok?

They have something similar online to what we bought. Check out the EVA poncho. Ours are black with snaps. About 15 bucks I think.

Well, leave it to me for the $$$$ suggestion! If you are in the mood to make an investment, we have been really happy with our Marmot lightweight rain jackets. We do really like them and use them at home as well.

It hasn't been until the last 3 years or so that we have been taking any type of special clothing (quik dri, etc). For years, we got along just fine with regular shorts and t-shirts. Since that time, we've added little by little to our Costa Rica travel wardrobe. Makes us feel "official".

My "official" rain jacket is from LL Bean. Folds up to the size of about a nerf ball. I use it here when it rains as well, very much worth it.

Do not forget your sunblock. A bottle of sunblock will run around $15 because the natives do not use it. The same goes for basic paperback novels or ANY english reading material. A $4.99 book will be $15 if it is in english. My wool wigwam socks came in very handy for the walking time involved. They wick moisture and have lots of pad.

Are you laughing at me, Tully?!

You know, the purchase of new quik-dri stuff and zip-off pants moved into the category of seasoned tropical travelers!

Now, let's not have any feedback regarding the "seasoned" part!

By the way, wonder where Percy is? I would think he is off on another somewhere-in-the-world trip, but he usually e-mails before he goes and sends photos and e-mails along the way.

Percy, you out there???

Just joshing I haven't moved up to the quik dry stuff yet, probably due to my tendancy to lighten my load as the trip goes on.

Is Percy the new Waldo? Where could he be? Maybe he will send us clues and the first person to figure it out wins...some snow?

It just seems very odd that he hasn't chimed in on the earthquake story.

Tho Soloadventurer probably has gone and returned by now - as have we- thought I'd add some input for future readers -
Re rain gear - found and managed fine with some $5 ponchos from Modells, tho DH's was torn by the end of the trip. Also handy was a tiny umbrella for when the sky opens up en-route to the dining room or the bus for example -a lot faster than the poncho!
Also - remember to bring lots of small $ bills. Easy to use and accepted everywhere. If you try to use a large bill you'll get your change in colones - and the coins can be bulky.

Question for all of you who have visited costa rica. I am going for 10 days 12/22 - 1/2 and going to the following places:

12/22 - San Jose
12/23 - 12/25 Los Suenos
12/25 - 12/27 - Arenal
12/27 - 1/1 - Tamirindo
1/1 - 1/2 - San Jose
1/2 back to USA

My question is what does a man pack for this trip with respect to days and nights

Thanks,
JBD

The higher the altitude, the cooler it can be, especially at nights.
Lower coastal areas are warmer. San Jose and Arenal are higher.

The temperatures don't go really low, but the possibility of wind and rain in Arenal increase the potential discomfort.

Given my screen name, I feel obliged to chime in on the Frisbee packing question. I travel with one, for many reasons: toss for fun, and helps with meeting locals; plate; working surface for contact lenses etc.; travel pillow; dog dish; sunshade; portable sink... washing in between as necessary. At appx. 165 grams, it makes my list.