what happened to the boards???

We took the ferry over to the Nicoya peninsula (the Guanacaste on maps) and the roads are horrible over there!  We got so shook up on the roads that 1) a ceiling fan got knocked off, 2) the boat started to come off the rack twice, 3) the surf boards came off the rack just as we passed another car (good bye 50,000 colones about $100 U.S. to pay for the scratches and slight dent) and finally 4) the boards came off in such a way that we lost them, but still retained the soft board that Teresa uses and John ratty old long board.  Ugh.  We drove back but were told by a Tico that a couple of gringoes (that we know we passed) grabbed the boards and split!  Oh well.

We came back to the Jaco area to buy an used board and then NOT go back to the Guanacaste and will head towards the border tomorrow, but surf near the Nico border for a day or so.  

Not sure how long we will be in Nicaragua, maybe a week.

Health and happiness,

toni

Travel thoughts

Real quick, thought I would add to my list of things to do and not do in Central America...

Do not bring your dog with you over all these borders.  It is a big drag on time and money.  Then again, I do love having Kit kat with us.

I love, love, love my Dr. Braunner's peppermint liquid soap and it has helped me deal more with camping and the heat, than any other thing.  Wet the rag, put a few drops on, rub on all sweaty parts of body until clean and not sticky.  Repeat as necessary.  Honestly, I love it.

When I get bored of drinking water (hey, being a hypoglycemic is not fun.  I can't have caffeine, OK so I cheat on this with some coffee once or twice a week, and I am not supposed to have sugar.  This severely limits my ability to buy anything to drink in CA- sigh) I have taken to making individual drinks in spare gatorade bottles, with water and a tea bag and then make sun tea.  I still have Trader Joe's organic mint tea bags and Good Earth decaf tea, and between the two of them, well I am loving them.  Good for me, and tastes great, without the caffeine, or the calories of sugar.  Yay.  I am finally not grumpy all the time.

And neither is John.

peace and health,

toni

Costa Rica thoughts

Hey all,

  We're in Costa Rica after 5 days on the Caribbean side in Panama on Bocas del Torro Island (rained on every 3 hrs. and just dumping rain!) and then 9 days on the Pacific side of Panama at Santa Catalina (beautiful, surf was in, Brazilions came by the 6-pack, and rained on us 4 times there and again, dumping rain with lightning added for effect!).  We went to Pavones, then onto the Osa Peninsula, saw coati group of 15 running by the road with their funny way of holding their tails upright, more Morpho butterflies, lots and lots of scarlet mackaws, saw some cupuchins so close that I could see the expression on their cute little faces.  From the Osa, we went to visit our friend Brain Skinner, who lives around Dominical.  We stayed in the area for 3 nights, but finally, the trash strewn beach bummed us out enough to move on.  Let us say, we just love Uncle Brian!

From there we looked up our friends the Smileys, Dorian and Angelina.  Well, were we ever surprised to see that Angelina has been cooking something up for the past 34 wks.  A baby named Coral, and we can't wait to see pix on their blog when she comes!  We got the privilege of celebrating Angelina's birthday with her!  Yay!

We are hoping to do a major shop in Jaco (5 min. drive away) and then the ferry from Punta Arenas to the Nicoya Peninsula for some surf on Sun. Mon. Tues. and then some pretty places beyond!  We are having so much fun on this part of the trip.  We are hoping to be in Guatemala City sometime in mid. March and then home for tax day.  Not sure if that will completely work out like that, but we are hoping.

Peace and health to everyone who reads this!

toni

Sorry, no internet in Santa Catalina, Panama where we were for 10 days or Pavones, Costa Rica where we are now.  We are slowly trying to head home.  We are trying for the Osa Peninsula today, to camp and fish off the beach outside a huge national park.  That may be our only chance as the dog is not allowed in any of the national parks in CR.

      We saw a troop of squirrel monkeys outside our restaurant the other day in El Golfito, they were so cute with their red bodies and little white faces.  We saw a toucan from about 4 feet away and took pix that I will post when we have the ability to do so.  Outside the cabina that we stayed in here in Pavones, there is a lavender orchid tree and red-orange passion flower vine.  So beautiful.  Again pix to be posted when I can do it.

       The surf is not cooperating.  Flat, flat, flat.  Hopefully on the end of the peninsula there will be something, if just fishing for John.  Humidity was killing me, but after 4 days of AC, I am in a better mood.  At least to finish up the trip.  Hope all is well in US, we will see you before tax day!