I didn’t marry her because of that, but it’s a very nice fringe benefit.
The other half of the answer is that I’ve never done this before, staying so long, and doing so much tourism.
It’s very expensive. I’ve blown about $8000 on my credit card, but i have 14 months at zero percent interest AND a decent paying job where i should be fine AND a wife with a decent paying job.
It took me about 15 years of crappy jobs before i fell into a decent one. Once i looked around and i realized i had finally gotten a decent job, i stayed put.
Most of my CR trips have been 2-5 days.
Having access to money via credit at zero percent AND a fairly good job (go unions!) definitely helped make this happen. I realize not everyone has that. I certainly didn’t just a few years ago, and i might not in the future, so im enjoying while i can.
But yeah, this is basically my wife’s yearly family reunion and im along for the ride (and we are paying for everyone).
Yessir, from the people I’ve talked to this is generally the impression I got and what I was shooting for. I’m specifically looking to spend my time on the Osa Peninsula, but I still have specifics to figure out.
I actually couldn’t remember which one was the Osa Peninsula and after checking some maps i see why. I’ve never been there because it’s really far from the 2 international airports. And no one i talk to refers to it, i figure because it is so remote it just isn’t thought about. I do know that there’s a huge famous national park down there. Do you have a plan for how to get there? Because a taxi will be 7 hours of frustration. I wonder if that area is actually possibly closer to Panama airports? Something i learned on this trip is that taking a “tour of the Pacific beaches” by boat is actually a way faster way to get around. Not cheaper, but faster AND pretty fun.
That has to be the coolest squirrel I’ve ever seen. I keep seeing stuff from there from a bunch of different people. I’d love to make a trip there sometime. It’s been too long since I’ve been able to go to the tropics
Yeah that squirrel was a BIG surprise. I knew i’d be fascinated by the animals i saw, but a SQUIRREL??? Definitely didn’t see that one coming. I guess that’s part of why we love animals…for the surprise suprises!
My wife is from Costa Rica, but she was just as amazed as i was. She says the squirrels in the interior of the country, where she is from, look just “normal” drab grey. She said they looked more like a monkey than a squirrel! And i agree!
You’re seeing so much stuff from Costa Rica probably because it’s one of the top safest tropical countries to vacation in. More tourists make it more visible proportionally, i figure.
I’ve actually been mugged in Costa Rica. Like, bloodied up mugged. But i was in their biggest city, San Jose. You go down the wrong street, alone, in any major city that can happen.
So, saying that to say if you’re around a lot of non-tourists in a tourist area, like a popular beach, you gotta be careful. But ESPECIALLY be careful near the two international airports and their big city, San Jose.
Drew, here is a photo i took of that hotel’s business card that you asked for, the one that quoted me $145 airport pickup. I’m replying to you here because someone else might be interested. I really enjoyed staying there and it’s the one where i saw the howler monkeys. I don’t remember the cost per night but I’m thinking $100 to $145. That photo i posted of howlers is from there. Literally from the inner sidewalks of the hotel. Another thing is it’s at an absolutely beautiful beach (Samara Beach) that is also probably the safest ive seen. They also have a surfing school i think. But it was very modern just a little bit back from the beach. I did some banking there.
As many great things as i have to say about Samara beach (attaching a few more pics), there are definitely cheaper options that are simply more adventurous (read: real possibility of getting lost), like buy a $15 bus ticket from San Jose to Puntarenas (aka Puntarenas Beach) and doing what i said, find a private whale watching tour (or snorkeling tour) that will drop you off on the Osa Peninsula. On my trip, i did two boat tours…a party snorkeling tour and a whale watching tour. I can’t tell you how much that’d be. But make sure it’s a reputable tour company.
Oh, you can do the same whale watching tour transfer from Samara, or anywhere along the coast. I think. Never quite done it…just talked about it.
