Travel Day

I would be failing you, dear readers, if I did not include the occasional lengthy day of travel. This particular combination land-water-land excursion exposed me to Costa Rica's diversified terrain as I made headway from Mal Pais back to Montezuma, from there to Jacó, onto Quepos, and eventually to Manuel Antonio, the final destination on this travel day.

By sharing this day I will have more time to, first, re-dwell on the fact K.F.A. and I shared a twin bed the night before take-off. And because of this, my day started deceptively early, circa midnight. I must have been up every hour waiting for the night to end. When I was finally "up" I packed my belongings, and had and easy conversation over email and breakfast. The first leg of travel was a shuttle from Mal Pais to our previous home in Montezuma. No hiccups in this pre-arranged transportation. Smile.

Upon a re-stocking trip to the ATM, I noticed funds from my account had been misplaced. The discomfort settled in... realizing I was many hours from internet. I forced myself to enjoy the scheduled boat ride from Montezuma to Jacó. This bumpy boat trip was worth every penny--I spotted some of the best views waving goodbye to the Nicoya Pennisula. I have about twelve attempted shots of me riding in this janky puddle boat; I tried to capture an image that would cast light on the rough water experience. (I am not sure I succeeded, but for the record, when I awoke in Manuel Antonio the next morning, I could not figure out why on earth my back was painfully sore. Geee.)

Seasick and safe, I wandered the streets of Jacó--the quintessential rapidly developed Costa Rican city, more thankful than ever this was simply a one-hour stopover. And by sharing this day I can, secondly, further expound on the transformation from village to city when dollar signs are involved. In Jacó, moneyed ex-pats aimlessly lurked in the streets of this city built-up nastiness. In a game of "What came first, the chicken or the egg?" I ponder if the beaches were cleared for the high-rise hotels, the land was leveled for the paved road, and the fast-food chain came before the Western retiree? Oh boy! With the unending creature comforts... I almost convinced myself to stick around.

The 60-minute stopover had a highlight: BATHROOMS. Yes. That was Jacó's highlight. Tourism perk?

Next I boarded a hot, crowded Quepos bound bus where I used my devil eyes to secure a seat after standing 20 minutes too long. I opted out of the countryside landscape for an afternoon nap, Dispath playing in my iPod doubled to soothe my restful eyes and tune out the bus banter. I cannot adequately describe the aggressive, reckless driving style that the developing world practices despite hairpin turns over the narrow mountainous roads. I do not generally dwell on the negative possibilities of life. And I do not necessary want a safe life. I want a real life, a full life. But... that being said, every once in awhile my heart needs a break from each precariously close multi-car collision... even if it means skipping out of the naturally lush scenery.

This ride ended and I transferred to my final bus of the day, a short ride up, up, up from Quepos to Manuel Antonio. The evening began with an ocean-dip to the background of a setting sun; the drinks flowed generously as I was carried into the morning.

This is a sample of the ease of Costa Rican travel.