Coatin' Costa Rica

Hola amigos! Buenos dias. Cómo estás?

So last time i left you i was temporarily stranded at Denver Airport. Since then it's fair to say i've improved my situation. I managed to board the next flight 24 hours later and so my holiday was only momentarily delayed while we worked out some finer details.

At this stage i had managed to prolong a decent nights sleep going on days. The last night in LA (loose), the 24 hours spent in the airport overnight (patches of half hour dozes) and then the overnight flight which is impossible to sleep on. I think i was running on a mixture of nervous anticipation and excitement. Well whatever it was seemed to kick in once i landed in San Jose and stepped out into the crisp air of a new country.

It took me only moments to realise that this was in fact not the case, and that in reality San Jose is a fairly polluted and smoggy city. Immediately i was greeted by the familiar faces of the GATS (Global Airport Taxi Services) who are looking to over-price the new foreigners. Many foreigners opted for this 'safe' option, while I on the other hand dismissed them in broken Spanish and proceeded to find a bus stop that would take me into the city centre.

With no idea where i was going i used some 'textbook' (literally reading it out of a textbook) Spanish to locate my first destination. Braving a foreign public transport system i jumped on the bus that was recommended and took my seat. Either i was wearing someones shirt, or I'd done something to one these guys in a past life...because everyone seemed to stare at me. I eventually made it to the city centre and was ready to hit the inner city living of San Jose. I had arranged to stay at a Couch Surfing hosts house for my first night in town and i needed to find another bus to make my way to her place. This was not easy given the limited instructions I'd decided to scribble down. With the help of many locals i was able to find the necessary bus and made my way to the hosts house. Upon arriving i felt like i could have slept for days, but given that it was only 10am this would have be disastrous for my daily routine (or what was left of it anyway.) Instead I showered, changed and hit the bus again to go explore town. It was a Sunday so once everyone was done with Church the town really started to fill up with people. I hit the city centre (a long street only accessible to foot traffic) that was full of shops, bars, restaurants and street hoarders. I wandered the streets aimlessly absorbing the new culture and all the differences it offered.

San Jose is pretty in parts, but other areas are quite dirty, crowded, polluted and generally not very exquisite, however who was i to judge. Every city has its problems. On the other hand the people were extremely friendly, helpful and most importantly happy, unlike other cities, so i thought it was a fairly even compromise.

While stopping off to try some local cuisine i came across a fellow traveller who looked like she was flying solo as well. We got talking over lunch and it turns out she was also a new arrival in San Jose and that she was out exploring the city as well. We mutually decided that the two of us should go exploring together and so after lunch we set off. We ventured out of the city a little more and got to see some really interesting parks, architecture and local landmarks. Next we sought out the local 'zoo'. Perhaps we caught them on a bad day, or perhaps this was a closing down sale exhibit, because for a zoo it was pretty strange. The animals didn't seem to rapt to be here, but i guess when do they ever. Apart from Werribee Open Range Zoo i don't think animals are ever really gonna feel stoked to be in captivity. Regardless it gave us something to do and killed some time. After that we said our goodbyes, exchanged Facebook (seems to be the most common and easy way to internationally network) and went our separate ways. That night i went back to the hosts, they cooked me a lovely dinner and then i called it a night early to catch up on some much needed Zs. I went to sleep with what initially sounded like a drug cartels gun fight, but after some time realised it was fireworks going off nearby...well more hoped than realised.

The next morning i got up early, said my goodbyes and then went to the city to board a bus to the beach town Samara. Before i got on the bus i was fortunate enough to be privy to a street bum fight. 5 on 1, seems his friends weren't very happy with him about something. Unfortunate, but I wasn't exactly gonna step in to help. He made his bed, and now he had to lay in it. Anyway Samara is situated some place between heaven and paradise (mid-north Western Pacific Coast) and is an unbelievable place. Upon arriving i was instantly hit with the changed in climate. 

Although only travelling by bus for 5 hours north (in which time i saw quite a horrific looking highway motor accident) the temperature was completely different. It was HOT! First thing i did was hit up the beach for a swim with a new friend i met on the way. For the rest of the night we swan, ate, drank and talked the night away. It was good to be back near the beach.

The following two nights i spent at another hosts house and followed a repetition of events. Checked out the beach, met people, ate awesome food and even got a surf in. I was staying just out of town at a place called Bueno Vista (probably some German translation as everyone here seemed to be from Germany. People working here, staying here, visiting and volunteering). I felt like an outsider in an outsider. I befriended two cool Germans from the local restaurant/hotel that was near the place i was staying. We went on a massive surf mission one day that took us to Playa Patagona, only to miss the good incoming high tide surf and get stuck with crappy closing out sets. Still stayed for over an hour though on the search. Walked 40mins in 40 degree heat, and then on the way back decided a 'short cut' across the coast line would be quicker. At high tide though that means scaling rocks barefoot for at least 45mins. Good times either way. The sun is hot here. I'm using SPF 70+ and if i forget to reapply I'm gone.

Now I'm back staying in a cheap hotel in Samara. 10 bucks a night accommodation, 10-15 bucks a day on food, and I'm pretty set. Right on the beach and living it. Life sure is tough. Not sure how much longer I'm gonna be here for, only time will tell. I'm at a cross roads now as to what i wanna do. If i can stay in this cheap accommodation and land a under the table job for a couple of days a week i might stay in town for a while and enjoy it, otherwise I'm probably gonna have to keep moving on and start my climb down to Chile where I'll hopefully start teaching.

Adiós amigos, hasta luego!