Costa Rica Archives

06/14/2017

How to Lose a GoPro

The last photo captured on the lost GoPro.

A year and a half ago, while vacationing in Costa Rica, we lost our GoPro in the Caribbean Sea. We were devastated about losing the footage we had captured at that point in our trip, but we tried to see the positives: Perhaps some kid would find it and get good use out of it; Graham stumbled upon a woman in need of help in the water while looking for it; and we still had the memories of our trip, so sharing video was not entirely necessary. I wrote a blog post about losing it:

Somewhere in the Caribbean Sea off Costa Rica is our GoPro. The ocean took it from us yesterday. We were swimming at Playa Cocles, south of Puerto Viejo, when we decided to take some video of us playing in the waves. The waves were a little more rough than I expected. A big wave knocked me over as I held it using a GoPro stick. I was submerged and pushed forward and then I felt myself being pulled backward. The GoPro was pulled out of my hand and I lost sight of it. Despite searching for almost two hours, we couldn’t find it. I was devastated. We had video of our entire trip so far, including riding in front of a boat going 20 mph down the Pacuare river, surrounded by rainforest. We saw howler monkeys, white-faced monkeys, and even crocodiles. I had planned to share that video on this blog, not to mention I constantly look at/watch old photos and videos of our adventures when I’m having a rough day or when I want a look back.

For the next 18 or so months, we wondered if anyone had ever found the GoPro. We figured that if someone would have found it and wanted to be nice enough to return our photos it would have happened that week, month or even year. I think I might have even posted on a group where people search for lost GoPros in hopes of getting it back.

But no, we were totally wrong. It would be a year and a half before someone messaged me on Facebook telling me her boyfriend had found our GoPro.

A YEAR AND A HALF.

When a gal named Jenny messaged me on Facebook last month, I thought maybe the message request was a collaboration opportunity. But the message said:

I’ve been travelling with my boyfriend in Central America. A week ago my boyfriend was snorkeling by Playa Cocles and guess what – found your GoPro you lost there more than a year ago buried beneath some sand . It’s not working anymore, but we have saved your photos/videos if you would like them . I found you through some facebook group where I posted and then someone showed me a blog post where you wrote about losing it.

My first reaction: “OH MY GOD!”

I immediately told Graham, who was in complete shock as well. I re-read the message: … someone showed me a blog post where you wrote about losing it.

That’s when the doubt creeped in. You mean to tell me some random person had read my blog and also happened to be in the same group as the stranger who found my GoPro? It just didn’t seem likely. I tried to downplay my excitement as I replied asking what the group was called. When she told me, I searched for the group and requested to join. I wanted to see what happened for myself.

I also asked her to send them via Facebook, because the prospect of clicking on some random link someone send me didn’t seem smart or safe. Was it a scam? It couldn’t be, right? She seemed disappointed at my lack of excitement, but she sent me a photo. It was the last photo we took. (The top photo on this post.)

That’s when I became a believer. This was not some mean-spirited person; this was a kind-hearted soul who wanted to do the right thing and return the photos to their owner. She also sent me more photos from the trip and I was nearly in tears.

The next morning, I was accepted into the group. The group contains more than 100,000 travelers from around the world. I scrolled through recent posts and there we were: Graham and I were shown in photos as part of Jenny’s post. She sought advice on finding us and the thread had countless replies from people offering tips and to post the information on other Facebook groups to find us. In one of the comments, someone left a link to my blog post, the one I wrote when we lost the GoPro.

This was part of a screenshot of her post in the group. As you can see below, it had hundreds of likes (and that grew) and many comments.

It was all so incredible.

She posted a request and within hours she had found me. Someone had found my GoPro blog post and shared it with the person who found it. Someone had found a GoPro that had been under the water for more than a year! Someone took the time to send the photos and video to me.

I was beyond grateful that so many people tried to help. It reminded me that you receive what you put out there, and that there is plenty of good in the world, even if it may be hard to believe sometimes.

And so, in honor of one of the craziest stories I have to tell, I’m sharing my tips for losing a GoPro (jokingly — in case that doesn’t come across):

1. Don’t use a wrist strap or floating device.

2. Play in rough waves. Repeatedly.

3. Try to take photos of said rough waves.

In what seems like a miracle, I got my GoPro footage back recently via Google Drive. Jenny and her boyfriend are also mailing me the SD card from Panama, but it’s still on its way home. It’s been a gift to relive those memories of one of my favorite trips to date and I’ve been sharing videos of our 2016 Costa Rica trip on YouTube. I can’t help but smile when I think about this story and I am so grateful to the couple who found the GoPro. I hope it will inspire others to do the right thing when they find a lost but cherished item, or to just be loving and helpful in general to our fellow humans.

Have you ever lost something you cherished on a trip?

In case you need these**:

** These are affiliate links. I make a small commission for purchases made through these links.

GoPro Floating Hand Grip (which we have since purchased)

Waterproof Housing Floater (We got the GoPro brand one, but this is an alternative.)

The Lost GoPro Videos:

12/30/2016

2017: Making Moves | 2016 Recap Plus Goal-Setting Tips

** This post contains affiliate links.

Graham and I set an intention every year, and every year we have been amazed by how it comes true. 2015 was the year of adventure. 2016 was the year of growth. And now 2017 will be about health and success. Our version of success is to be business owners and work for ourselves. We’ve already made headway: Step 1 was paying off nearly all of our debt in 2016. I am grateful and proud that we accomplished that. Step 2 is to make the necessary investments and build up our wealth. It’s scary. It’s exciting. It will probably take some time, but if we go for it, we could be living our dream in early 2018 — or sooner! Of course, to get there we need to make small steps to better ourselves. Breaking down that intention further, here are my 2017 goals:

2017 Goals:

Run a marathon. I missed the lottery for the 2017 Chicago Marathon, so I will wait to see which marathon seems like the best option. I would love to cheer for the Chicago runners or volunteer, though.
Build up our savings for both emergency funds and a long-awaited international trip we’d like to take.
Make investments into our future business.
Go on an international trip as well as several trips out of state (road trips, visiting family and more). I’m thinking Orlando, Minneapolis, New York City and Seattle.
Take video editing and photography classes.
Volunteer at least once every quarter.

Whenever I set new goals I like to look back at what I have just accomplished. 2016 was the year of growth, and we certainly did that in every aspect of our lives. Graham and I progressed in our skills, we added a little one to our household and we each accomplished personal goals.

2016 highlights:

We traveled to Costa Rica, New Orleans and Michigan, and we visited family in Phoenix and Louisville several times.
I ran the Chicago Marathon.
We watched the Cubs’ journey to the World Series and rode in the victory parade!
We brought Victoria home.
We celebrated our second anniversary.
I was promoted at my full-time job!

Books to motivate you in 2017**:

Most of the books I like to read are autobiographies and self-improvement works. My favorites of the year:

Tips to set your 2017 goals:

It’s OK and great to be inspired by others, but don’t feel like you need to set 20 goals for the year because you saw someone else do it. It’s perfectly fine to set one goal or to set many. It’s also OK to break down larger goals into smaller ones. More tips from my post on setting goals:

Brainstorm and Analyze.
Create lists of what motivates you, want you desire out of life, etc.
Write down words that describe your priorities. Ideas: Friendship, love, money, music, strength, confidence, generosity, admiration, nature, laughter, comfort, travel, family. Identify the areas that are most important and use them to guide your goals.

Ask yourself: What do you want your life to look like? What are your passions?
Write down what you want to achieve. If it helps, break the goals down into categories for different parts of your life. (Career, health, personal, etc.)
Ask yourself why you want to achieve a certain goal? What’s the underlying desire?
What resources can you list to help you achieve your goal? (Trainer, friends, books, classes, etc.) Write them down.
What investments (of time or money or anything else) do you need to make? Identify them.

Dream big but make more realistic short-term goals to work toward that big goal.
Try to find a middle ground between setting too easy of a goal and too unattainable.
Leave fear out of the goal-setting process. It has no place in it.
Leave judgment out of goal-setting. You might be worried about what people think. Put your own thoughts of why you want to achieve the goal above all other opinions.
Do you have a goal that you think it’s too late for? Repeat this: It’s not too late! Write down reasons and ways it can still be achieved.

“If we wait until we’re ready, we’ll be waiting for the rest of our lives.” -Lemony Snicket

Be specific.

Write down exactly what you want (when, with whom, and how). The more specific you can be the better.

Start with one or two main goals. Once you have your main goal(s), you can break those down into smaller milestone goals.

Remind yourself of your goal(s) and your “why.”

Write them down and display them around your desk, bedside, in your wallet, etc.

Make a vision board or create a Pinterest board.

Set reminders on your phone of your goals.

Share them with friends or on social media.

Surround yourself with people with a similar goal(s).

Meditate or pray about that goal.

Schedule time for your goals.

Break your goals down to smaller goals and plan out when you can work toward each goal.

Ask yourself: What small steps can I take today to bring me closer to achieving my goal? What can I do each week? Make working toward your goals a part of your daily to-do list.

What’s a realistic timetable for achieving your goal? Write down due dates.

Practice single-tasking. For each day or each week, consider focusing on just one goal. Focus all of your energy on it until it’s accomplished, then move on to another goal/milestone.

Observe the changes/Hold yourself accountable.

Measure your success. This is why I check in with myself with my monthly goals. Where did you fall short and can you break that goal down even further into smaller steps?
Celebrate your successes and don’t beat yourself up about the failures. Try again. Adjust in areas where you didn’t hit your shorter-term goals, but keep working toward them.

Don’t compare yourself to others. This is YOUR journey.
When you’re feeling discouraged, think about times in your life that you overcame an obstacle. You can do this!

2016 races:

I ran more than 500 miles in 2016. While I did not run as many miles as I did in 2015, I can forgive myself because the difference was 50 or fewer miles, and I had a hectic October and November that included bringing home a toddler. I managed to cut my half-marathon time and I completed my second marathon. I trained differently for my races and the hard work paid off.

My recaps:

Favorites for Fitness in 2017**

If, like me, you have fitness goals in 2017, you might be thinking about investing in workout attire. I’ve had my eye on new fitness gear in the hopes Santa would bring me some for Christmas. While he did bring me some amazing gifts, workout clothing was not one of them. I’m instead putting these on my upcoming birthday wish list:

C9 Champion Sweater Fleece Top in Vivid Violet

C9 Champion Women’s Freedom Leggings in Plum

Under Armour Mid Printed Sports Bra

Garmin Vivosmart HR + Fitness Band in Purple

What are your goals for 2017? Share them with me in the comments, and thank you for supporting Floradise blog!

** This post contains affiliate links.

03/31/2016

Tortuga Lodge, Tortuguero, Costa Rica

Our first stop in Costa Rica after flying into San Jose was Tortuga Lodge in Tortuguero. It’s a village on the Caribbean side of the country that is known for the turtles who nest and hatch on its beaches. The village is only accessible by boat or plane. Our options were to rent a car, drive to a nearby village and take a boat, or we could take a 30-minute $90 flight (for both of us) to Tortuguero. We did have the option to take a guided tour with everything included, but we prefer to be on our own.

The Nature Air flight made getting to the lodge extremely easy. We called the lodge the day before we landed and told them we’d be arriving at 7 a.m. They said they’d have a boat waiting for us at the air strip. When our flight landed, we deboarded the plane to see a young man, who asked if I was Mrs. Flora. He was there to help us with our bags and escort us to the boat that was waiting. The boat took us on a two-minute ride across the river to the lodge. How convenient is that?!

We were early for check-in and our room wasn’t ready yet, so we headed to the lodge’s restaurant for breakfast. We ate al fresco while admiring the scenery. I opted for the gallo pinto breakfast.

After breakfast, we checked into our room, which was located in the building next to the office. On one side of our room we had a view of the river, and on the other we had a view of the grounds, which led to a nature preserve area that is part of the property. We received a map of the trails on the property; they allow you to hike on your own and see monkeys, birds, iguanas and tiny dart frogs. Guided nature walks are held every morning around 6 a.m. and you can also book private walks at any time. For your convenience, rain boots, walking sticks and maps are available at the start of the trail (behind the office). It was such a treat being able to hike whenever we wanted. The hikes allow you to see animals in their habitat, but the iguanas weren’t shy about roaming the grounds.

We hiked every day we were there. It was so beautiful and serene. We could start our hikes right outside our door, and we roamed every trail on the property several times a day.

Each morning, we awoke to the sounds of howler monkeys, which the lodge called nature’s alarm clock. You really have no choice but to adjust your schedule here because the lodge rooms have no windows, only screens. Every room has hammocks and chairs outside your door where you can sit with your coffee and watch the sunrise. You are open to nature, and this trip is about relaxing and exploring. You won’t find a TV or A/C in the room; the lodge considers itself eco-friendly. We found that we were OK with the fans that were provided. At any time we could ask for ice from the bar or a wet towel.

Another nice perk is that free snacks are offered every night before dinner. You can lounge in the bar area and grub on hummus and chips or whatever they provide that night. Coffee and tea are always ready as well, along with cookies or crackers.

The property also has a pool and hammock area. Boats wait at the dock and regularly take guests into town. You can also book a water taxi if the lodge boats aren’t running. If at any time you want to go to the beach on the other side of the air strip, you can ask for a boat to take you and they will gladly do so. When you want to return to the lodge, you simply wave your arms in the air. People in the office will see you and send a boat to go get you.

Various tours are offered by the lodge. We booked a nature tour ($100 per person) on the rivers and canals and when we returned, we had lemonade and wet towels waiting for us. It was a much-needed treat on a hot, sunny day.

The weather tends to be unpredictable. It might start off raining but turn into a gorgeous sunny day. Or vice versa. That’s why those rain boots are necessary! The lodge has umbrellas and bug spray waiting outside the office for guests to use at any time. You can sit and watch the rain from chairs that are set up with a view of the river.

The service was excellent. When our transportation out of Tortuguero left us, one worker called multiple times to straighten out the situation, and another waited with us and tried to console me. I really appreciated their kindness. I would definitely stay at the Tortuga Lodge again.

Have you been to Costa Rica? What was your favorite thing to do?

Research**:

** This post contains an affiliate link.

03/29/2016

Physis Caribbean Bed and Breakfast, Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica

If Graham and I owned a bed and breakfast, we would want it to be like Physis Caribbean B&B near Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica. It’s clean, comfortable and adorably decorated. It’s also relaxing and has amenities we loved.

We arrived in Cocles on Graham’s birthday after being delayed for three hours. We were tired and hungry. We were welcomed by two friends of the owners who were taking care of the bed and breakfast for a few days. They were so warm and welcoming, and they had welcome drinks for us, which was much-needed after a long day. They showed us to our room, Room 3, which had an outdoor shower. It is located downstairs of the two-story home. The room had both queen and full beds, closets, a safe, a fridge and satellite TV.

Outside our room were two hammocks, a drink station, shoe racks, books and lots of tropical plants. A calming water feature and a vibrant mural on the wall added to the relaxing ambiance. In the back of the yard was the third room and a picnic table. A cat named Mr. Lucy roamed about. We often found him snoozing in a seating area located in the front of the bed and breakfast.

The bed and breakfast offered several breakfast options, and we tried nearly all of them: eggs and toast with a cup of fruit and tea or coffee; pancakes with fruit; and French toast with fruit. The upstairs dining area has no windows, so we always felt the breezes and watched the rain. Each morning we met and chatted with our fellow guests. We met a couple from Argentina, a businessman from Tennessee who was looking for his retirement home and a couple of Germany. We loved hearing their stories and about their long vacations. I envied the fact that most of them were spending weeks in Costa Rica.

Physis offers bike and snorkel gear rental. Bikes are $8 a day and are a great mode of transportation in Puerto Viejo, Cocles, Manzanito and the other small towns on the Caribbean side of the country. You see many people riding bikes on the main road. It was also nice to have the option to rent our own snorkel gear and snorkel at Cahuita National Park. Many online sites had said you need a guide, but some people we met told us they often do it without one.

Our hosts were happy to book a ziplining tour for us and tell us how to take the local bus to Cahuita. The owner Emily gave us a schedule to take with us and Jeremy gave us a recommendation to get sandwiches at Bread and Chocolate and take them on our hike. Good call! The bus stop actually stops at the end of the street leading to Cocles, so it’s easy and cheap. A cab ride to Puerto Viejo was only $4.

The best part of our stay at the Physis bed and breakfast was the service. When we lost our GoPro, the first host’s husband, Chad, helped us look for it in the water for more than an hour. He then gave us a ride back when we gave up looking for it. Owners Jeremy and Emily encouraged us and gave us advice about owning a bed and breakfast in the future. If we return to Costa Rica, I would love to stay at Physis. It’s a well-run, comfortable B&B.

Research*:

*Affiliate Link

Have you been to Costa Rica? Share with me your favorite place to travel in the comments.

03/10/2016

Getting Around Costa Rica Without Renting a Car

When I planned our Costa Rica trip, I had no idea how expensive car rental in the country would be. I was quoted $400 or more for the smallest cars available for my dates in January. Our costs would have been a lot more because we wanted a vehicle with four-wheel drive, just in case. By contrast, car rental on our last trip to Hawaii was about $200 and we were upgraded to a Cadillac SUV. On top of the cost of accommodations, airfare, activities and food, the quotes were too much for me on top of our nervousness of not knowing where we were going. We decided instead to use alternative modes of transportation during our trip. Here’s how we were able to go nine days without a car:

We took taxis and airport shuttles to and from the hotel in San Jose. It’s a great idea to find a hotel with a free airport shuttle.
We took a $90 flight to Tortuguero for two nights. The only way to get to the small village of Tortuguero, which is known for the sea turtles who nest on the beaches, is via boat or flight. To drive here we would have had to drive 4-5 hours to a village, pay for parking and then take a boat to the lodge. A flight was actually a lot faster and not much more expensive. In fact, it might have even been the same cost when you factor in gas, parking and the boat ride. There are tours that offer two-day trips to Tortuguero but we prefer being on our own.
We paid $150 for boat transportation/tour from Tortuguero to Puerto Viejo, our next destination. This was part wildlife tour and part transportation because we stopped to look at animals often. It is about an hour and a half or two hours down rivers and canals to Moin, followed by an hour in a shuttle. Because our boat left without us, we received a private boat ride and private car transportation to our bed and breakfast.
For the four days in Puerto Viejo area, we walked and rode bikes from town to town. They are close enough that this is possible and bikes are a popular mode of transportation here. We also took a $4 taxi one night.
We rode a local bus for less than $10 each to Cahuita roadtrip to explore the national park. It was a nice little day trip.
Our raft tour picked us up in Puerto Viejo and dropped us off at our next destination, La Fortuna, as part of the cost of the tour. It’s such a good deal! The rafting tour costs the same whether you are dropped off at the same place or whether you go to another town!
We booked private shuttle service from Arenal to San Jose for about $75 on our last day.

Advice from Lonely Planet:

The local bus is a cheap and reliable way to get around. According to Lonely Planet, you can travel domestically for less than $20 for the longest route, but note that it would take hours of travel time.
Expect to pay $15-$25 a day in insurance to rent a car. “Full insurance through the rental agency can be up to $50 a day,” Lonely Planet says.
There are no addresses in Costa Rica, so you might want to rent a GPS if you do rent a car.
Outside of San Jose, negotiate the taxi fare before getting in. (Even in San Jose I asked for an estimate of how much it would be and watched the meter.)

Our transportation costs were less expensive (or perhaps the same as renting a small car), but we didn’t need to worry about getting lost. Also, some of these costs doubled as entertainment/tours. Now that we have been to Costa Rica, we would consider driving on a future trip, but it was worth it to have a mostly carefree first vacation there.

More on Costa Rica:

*Affiliate link included. I am compensated for purchases through affiliate programs.

03/04/2016

Arenal Hanging Bridges Park, Costa Rica

A theme of my Costa Rica trip was fear — fear I discovered and fear I released. The dizzying heights of the rainforest canopy taught me I am extremely uncomfortable in those situations. It’s not really fun for me to zipline. I know this now; I did it once and I don’t need to do it again. I similarly felt the rush of fear while crossing the Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges, though not nearly as intensely.

When you arrive at the park you are given a map, but it’s fairly easy to navigate the trail without it. You continue walking the loop, staying to the left. At each bridge you find an exit trail to the right in case you need to leave. I should mention that I walked the trail in flipflops because I lost my running shoes the previous day. I would recommend closed-toe shoes; it was a challenge getting through in some spots. The trail is well-maintained, with bricks arranged on it to prevent the trail from getting muddy.

The bridges have signs that specify that not more than 15 people should cross at a time. At one point, I reached the beginning of the bridge and waited for it to clear. Behind me was a tour group, whose guide told me to cross. “It’s fine,” he said. There were more than 15 people on the bridge, and it wasn’t worth taking a chance for me. I quickly crossed before the tour group behind me stepped onto the bridge. As people crossed, the bridge would wobble from side to side. Some people thought it would be fun to run onto the bridge and jump up and down to shake the bridge. I waited for them to cross before walking onto the bridge. It’s all in good fun, yes, but I preferred to just cross in peace. I discovered I am not a fan of heights, and that’s OK.

The serenity and beauty of the park will impress you. Overhead you’ll spot howler monkeys jumping from tree to tree. We even spotted a baby howler monkey following its mother around.

You’ll also see a waterfall if you take the short trail to it. You can’t really swim in it because it’s closed off, but it’s beautiful nonetheless.

Expect the entire walk to take about two hours if you really stop to look around and watch for animals. If you prefer, a guide can take you on a tour so that you don’t miss any wildlife. Guides will also point out the flora and tell you about the history of the area.

After the hike, we checked out the view from the cafe and gift shop. Arenal volcano towers over the area and, if you’re lucky, you can spot its peak through the clouds. We had been told in previous days that people hadn’t been able to see the volcano because of the cloud cover, but we were able to see the entire Arenal volcano from our hotel room and from the park.

I would highly recommend a visit to Arenal as part of a Costa Rica tour. We only spent a day in La Fortuna, but I would recommend more than two days if you want to experience more of what the area has to offer.

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How to get to the park:

It would be helpful to have a car, but a tour would be a great way to get around if you don’t have one. The park was about a 20-minute drive from La Fortuna. We took an expensive cab ride ($60) roundtrip, which is what it would have cost to have a shuttle pick us up. This was probably not the best idea, but we didn’t have a car and we had limited time that day. The cab driver drove us to the park, stopping along the way to check out Arenal Lake and a sloth in a tree, then waited two and a half hours as we explored the park. On the way back to our hotel, he stopped so we could see a toucan he spotted in a tree. Park tickets were $24 a person.

02/11/2016

Ecothermales Hot Springs, Costa Rica

** This post contains an affiliate link.

Sometimes in the middle of a crazy workweek I find myself daydreaming about sitting in hot springs near the Arenal volcano in Costa Rica. Ecothermales can be summed up as nature’s spa. Of course, there are other hot springs to choose from in the La Fortuna area, but I chose Ecothermales for its limit of the number of people that can soak in its 100-plus degree waters. While you can soak in the hot springs for free — the locals swim across the street from the pricey Hot Springs Resort — I chose to pay the $36 entry fee to Ecothermales to have a more spalike experience with no crowds. After a day of rafting on the Pacuare River, the hot springs are just what I needed. I reserved the 5-10 p.m. time slot, one of three available to visitors. It was an $8 taxi ride each way from La Fortuna to the hot springs, where we found a quiet oasis.

The restaurant at Ecothermales

We tried every single one of the small pools before walking around the property to take a look. Just off the main walkway we saw a small venomous coral snake, which we stopped to admire with other passers-by, including the loveliest Australian woman who complimented me several times. She was incredibly charming and sweet. I suggested to her that she visit the Grand Canyon at some point in her life and she told me I absolutely must take four weeks to travel around her country. (If only!)

That wasn’t the only wildlife we saw. Overhead were howler monkeys resting in the trees. A couple of workers pointed them out to us with their flashlights. You can also take advantage of a bar, changing rooms, showers and the fanciest restrooms I saw in Costa Rica.

Cahuita National Park, Costa Rica

If you’re staying on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica, a trip to Cahuita National Park is a must. We were in Cocles, outside of Puerto Viejo, so we decided to take a day trip north to the park. We didn’t rent a car in Costa Rica, opting instead to use shuttles, a plane, boats and taxis to get around. On this particular day, we chose to try out the local bus. I had no idea how much it would be or what the schedule was, but luckily our bed and breakfast host had a schedule to offer us and the bus stop was only 80 meters from the B&B. It cost about 2000+ colones (or about $3.75-4) for both of us to ride to Puerto Viejo. When we arrived in Puerto Viejo, we walked around looking for a restaurant called Bread and Chocolate that had been recommended to us. The restaurant was booming at lunchtime; it seemed to be popular with tourists. We were told the mint brownies were to die for and that the sandwiches were cheap. Only one of those statements was true. … We ordered two sandwiches (which came with sides) plus two drinks (coffee and lemonade) that came out to $22. As we waited for our to-go order we also grabbed a mint brownie for the road.

We walked toward the bus stop with about 45 minutes left until the next bus. (It comes pretty much every hour.) We sat on a picnic table next to the beach and ate half of our sandwiches. We also took a short walk on the beach and admired our surroundings.

Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica

This North Face Recon backpack was amazing to have on our trip. (Affiliate link included.)

We walked toward the bus stop, and I realized other passengers had tickets in hand. When we boarded in Cocles we just paid directly to the driver, but I wondered if we needed tickets in Puerto Viejo. A teen next to me instructed me to buy them at the Boleteria across the street from the bus stop. It was about another $2 for the rest of the ride to Cahuita. The bus took us to the bus station in Cahuita, and from there we walked down the main street until we reached a park. I asked a woman for directions to the national park, and she instructed me to walk east a few blocks. Just after I asked I saw a sign for the national park. Duh!

When you walk into the park office, you sign your name on the register and record your time in. You don’t have to pay anything to enter, though donations are accepted. Also, guides like to hang out by the office offering you a tour of the park. It’s up to you if you want to hire them. We opted for our own leisurely hike. By this point we had gotten better at spotting wildlife in the trees. It doesn’t take long to see the fauna at the park. The trail goes through the jungle directly adjacent to the beach, so you’re surrounded by beauty the entire hike. At any time you can take a break from the heat and humidity to swim in the calm waters of Cahuita.

This momma raccoon is actually yawning. It was not mean at all.

One of the most incredible things I saw was a lizard running on water. Its nickname is the Jesus Christ lizard for its talent.

Cahuita’s calm waters are great for snorkeling, and the park is said to be the best place to snorkel on the Caribbean side, but it had just rained, so we knew we wouldn’t see much.

An old well along the trail.

Watch where you step. We saw a venomous snake just off the trail.

Don’t forget to record your time out when you leave!

We spent about five hours here before heading back into town for to get some snacks. We caught the 6:15 bus back to Puerto Viejo for dinner and then took a taxi to Cocles for $4. It was one of my favorite days in Costa Rica. Have you been to Cahuita? What did you love most?

More on Costa Rica

P.S. I used the Lonely Planet book gifted to us by relatives for planning. I highly recommend it.

*Affiliate links included. I am compensated for clicks and purchases.

02/02/2016

Our Visit to Jaguar Rescue Center, Costa Rica

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One of my favorite places on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica was the Jaguar Rescue Center in Playa Chiquita. It was only a 10-minute walk from our bed and breakfast in Cocles. I highly recommend going on one of the tours ($20 a person), which are offered Monday-Saturday at 9:30 and 11:30 a.m.

What you should know:

It’s not a zoo. The animals are rehabilitated and released back into the wild.
You could see different animals each time. Despite the name, there is no jaguar at the center at the moment. The name is based on the first animal that was rehabilitated there.
The founders still live in the home at the center.
You could volunteer there, but there’s a minimum time commitment. See the website for more information.
The monkeys are taken to a forest area where they are released regularly. You’ll learn more about this on the tour.
You won’t get to touch any animals, except the white-tailed deer, which came up to us and licked our hands. You’ll need to wash your hands afterward.

Some of the animals we spotted:

These baby howler monkeys were adorable. I envied the volunteers who were able to play with them and hold them.

Ocelot

One of several baby caiman.

On patrol.

I highly recommend a stop at the Jaguar Rescue Center if you’re on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. Get more tips on Costa Rica itineraries in Lonely Planet’s guidebook, which I used in my own planning.

More on Costa Rica:

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01/27/2016

That Time Our Boat Left Us in Tortuguero, Costa Rica

In the months before Costa Rica, I agonized over our itinerary. I second-guessed my decision to schedule travel to another town on my husband’s birthday. He reassured me that it’d be fine, so I stuck with my plan. After all, the whole week would be his birthday celebration. On the morning of his birthday, we hiked, ate breakfast, packed our belongings and said goodbye to the lovely staff at the Tortuga Lodge. Other guests were checking out and making their way to the boat heading for Tortuguero that morning, and we joined them. The lodge has a boat scheduled to go into town every day at 9:30 a.m., and our reservation for our boat/shuttle to Puerto Viejo said to be at the dock at 9:45. I was a little nervous about cutting it close, so I called Caribe Shuttle at 9:30 to ask that the boat wait for us if we weren’t there in time. They seemed to be confused by my call, but they assured me that our boat captain would not leave without us. Fifteen minutes later, we arrived in Tortuguero to see a boat next to us boarding. It seemed that it would be full of about 15 or so passengers and their bags. I wondered how we would fit on it. With my reservation confirmation in hand, I walked up to the captain and asked if this was the boat to Moin. He looked at it confused. He told us he didn’t hear anything about us (under our name). I wondered if there was another boat departing to Moin. I showed our lodge staffer the confirmation and he called Caribe Shuttle, who said the boat was departing at 10. Meanwhile, the captain was saying his boat was full and that no one called him to let him know. In 5 minutes, the boat was fully loaded and departing with Graham and I standing on the dock with our bags.
I called Caribe Shuttle repeatedly and was told that they didn’t know why the captain said that and that another boat would be sent to us. I was asked to call back at 1 p.m. if a boat had not arrived for us. Breaking the news to the birthday guy that we would have to sit with our things for three hours was tough. I felt guilty, angry and confused. We decided to make the most of our situation by grabbing him a beer and myself some fries at the adjacent restaurant. We met a German 20-something woman who was traveling by herself. She shared her itinerary with us, and she was heading to Puerto Viejo as well. It was nice to chst with such a nice woman over a snack. After about an hour and a half, we moved to the courtyard near the dock to wait. At long last, 1 p.m. arrived, but there was no sign of a boat. I would have no idea which boat was ours either, because no one seems to be looking for their passengers. At 1:05, I called Caribe Shuttle back. They asked me to wait on hold while they called the boat captain. Then they told me he was in Tortuguero already, and that once we arrived in Moin the owner of the boat (or shuttle company?) would drive us to Puerto Viejo in his personal vehicle. I could hear the dispatcher on the phone asking the captain what time we would leave and that I had already waited three hours. This is when I lost it. I just didn’t know what to say anymore. The frustration came out in the form of uncontrollable tears. I wasn’t even responding anymore. Five feet away from me, another Lodge employee was on the phone with them asking them what was wrong and trying to get us a ride out as soon as possible. Partly because I was touched by his kindness and partly because of frustration, the tears just intensified. Finally the boat captain motioned to us that he was taking us and we could board. I walked over wiping away tears that would not stop. Now they were tears of relief, maybe, I don’t know. As I boarded, everyone seemed to be concerned about the crying woman who wouldn’t say anything. The captain turned around and asked if I was OK, telling me he would get us to Moin in 2 hours. He had just returned from Moin and was going to take a lunch break but instead skipped it to take us. His kindness again sparked more tears. For the first 20 minutes I couldn’t let it go. We were on our way but I wasn’t enjoying myself. I wasn’t looking around. Then, finally, the captain turned around and gave me a thumbs-up to again ask if I was OK. It was then that I decided I needed to instead by grateful that we were on our way; we would be OK. He asked if we wanted to sit in front of the boat to see the flora and fauna better. I was hesitant; it seemed dangerous. I agreed anyway, and it was the best decision of the day. I will never forget the sights: Howler monkeys just overhead, caiman jumping in the water, birds flying toward and above us, and even two crocodiles. I will never know how, but he spotted a sloth hanging out in a tree, staring at us. He stopped each time we saw something so we could take photos and look around. Best of all, we had the boat to ourselves instead of being on an overcrowded boat. I realized that what started as a frustrating situation turned out to be the most amazing ride through rainforest on canals and rivers. We stopped to see where the rivers flowed into the ocean, we watched as angry white-faced monkeys threw branches toward us and we waved as packed tour boats floated by us. We spotted and said hello to locals fishing in the river. We arrived in Moin that afternoon, where the owner was waiting with his friend. He apologized profusely for the mixup and said he would take us to our hotel, which was an hour car ride away. The day was adventure made better by all the helpful people we encountered. I appreciated them tremendously that day.

Scenes from the ride: