The Carribean Paradise

After more than 1'000 kms driven in Costa Rica in a week, and a long Friday on the road, I decided that I deserved some rest, took a long boat for one hour sail on a small river, till Tortugero, a remote Carribean fishing town on a superb beach, famous because of the Sea turttles coming there to lay eggs.
It wasn't the heart of the turttle season, thus I tried to go on a kayak trip on the calm river. too bad, being the only customer, it wasn't possible. Thus I gave up any sport activity, and spent my 36 hours there in my 12 USD/night hotel with swimming pool, direct beach access and breakfast.

I've mixed my time in the swimming pool, reading a book on the hamac, avoid electrocution with the water heater in the shower and taking 49 photospheres of the town, mapping this remote place way before Google eventualy send a street view backpack there.

The town is obiously split in two : where the tourists are supposed to spend their money in any kind of turtle related souvenirs and where the rest o the population live, with a rather simple living standard.
Long time ago a large fishing company had a factory there, but is no longer running: in several places large machinery where hanging there, the plants having colonized what hasn't yet been eaten by the rust.

On the way back, I met 3 French backpackers, and as we were all going back to the capital San Jose, we shared a ride, quite squeezed in the Jimny :)

The long drive North

After this night in middle of nowhere, I didn't feel proud to be lost... I drove back to the closest farm, and the local guy must have been quite surprised to see a tourist in his mountains, at 5 in the morning.

He confirmed me that I didn't have to get back south to Quepos (I was relieved for that...), but told me to take some path that are not on the map... I must admit I didn't felt very confident at this time, smelling a tourist trap, but the farmer' advice were honests, and after several hours of ultra curvy/bumpy roads, my smartphone felt less useless when we joined a sealed road...
On the way, I've reached a cliff road with a view on the Pacific. After the close-nightmare on the evening before, I was simply the happiest man on earth with my Jimny.

But who says sealed roads, says eighteen-wheelers, driving slowly...

Around lunch time, I reached Cartago, a nice town with a nice church (it feels like Indiana Jones and the last Crusade, as the custom says prayers must walk the last meters on their knees)

My next stop was in Orosi, a pool with thermal hot water, bath which ended under a typical tropical rain :)

After the rain I got back to the Jimny, to drive for several hours, with just a stop to buy some food. And here, bananas are huge (it's a 250 ml milk bottle for the scale).

My shelter for the night would be again the Jimny, in a small village on the way to La Pavona.

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The most epic start and end of the day ever

Falling asleep at 18h has some advantages, but also some drawbacks... one of them being to wake up at 3h in the morning...
The sulotion I've chosen was to find an activity I could practice early... like a sunrise !
At 4h30 I've started to walk toward the summit of Cerro Amigo via a track used to maintain a set of TV antennas at the top of the moutain. it was steep and muddy, but my will was strong, and I got in time for the 5h15 sunrise.

It was also possible to enjoy the view on the Arenas Volcano from the top, as well as a good rest.

While walking back to the parking lot, a new (stupid) idea rises : why not trying to get back to the top, with the car...
It's steep, so it could be funny to try !

I've managed to get half way to the top with the car, then I staleld... I was quite nervous to slide like a rock on the mud, handbrake pulled and two feet on the brake pedal...
I stopped the car and decided it was not a good day to break the rented Jimny.

I decided to reward myself with a nice and healthy breakfast in Monteverde, to polish the plan for the rest of my day, taking into account the roadworks with closing hours.

- a long drive to Playa herradura, for the lunch. This quiet beach was very hot and desertic, I've enjoyed a lot my lunch there.

- Another long drive to Quepos, the initial aim was to get down to a famous National park, but ticket booth was closed when I arrived. I've decided to enjoy the view from Playa Espadilla for a fruit cocktail

- The clouds started to stack over the coastline, so I've decided to have a dinner in a restaurant using a plane as backbone to shelter me from the evening tropcial rain (it reminded me Thailand). After the World's coolest McDonald, it was mandatory for me to eat in... :) The view over the Pacific was awesome

- After the rain comes the sun the night, and because my GPS told me there was a possibility to cross the mountains straight North instead of bypassing them, I've decided to drive in the mountain. Alone. At Night. After tropical rain (sounds stupid he?). Well, it was. I drove for 2 hours, on a gravelled road, then a path, then a narrower path, then crossing a torrent... I said to myself: I'm the first car to drive here for weeks, all in first gear AWD. At one point, I saw a public telephone booth, so I felt (a bit) relieved, but few klicks later, the path ended... not on my GPS... but in real life, I can tell you yes!
I ventured into a farm land, opening gates, hoping to not face a raging bull. Then it was 22h30, I was in the middle of nowhere (no lights could be seen), in the mountain. I've decided to stop there for the night...
(to be continued)




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The Start & Stop day

Nothing special in Canas, except this gorgeous morning picture:

 the first part of my day was dedicated to driving on the InterAmericana, heading South. The objective of the day was Monteverde, a mountain town famous for the bridges over the canopy, and many other extrem adventures.

Driving fast on Interamericana was useless as I got stop in road works for more than 1hr around lunch time, baking in the sun in the car... Well, it was an opportunity to read the useless Petit Fute...
When I arrived in the town, I got impressed by the number of travel agency booth eerywhere: each one of them took their comissions on the wild water activities, zip lines or canopy tours.
I booked with Extremo, and was very please with the zipllines :400 500 and 600 meters & giant swing before ending with a one kilometer (yes 1000 meters...) zipline face forward (you simply feel like Superman for one minute).
A bit of math let you see that *on average* you roll at 60km/h, top speed is consequently higher...
For 60 USD more, they proposed bungee jump, this was a way for me to overcome the disappointment of the second day.
When I saw it was from 147m, the highest in Central America, I realised it would be easier to not see the ground "that" close...
Here is their promotional video.

After all these adventures, it was 18h and I needed some rest to balance the after effects of all this adrenalin in my body. I parked my car just 100m after the parking lot, and felt asleep immediatly...
It was a short, but very intense day...


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The 3-tiered day

Part 1

wake up behind the gas station, enjoy the Sunrise over Liberia

and the mega large 18 wheelers

I drove back to Rincon de la Vieja, but the West sector this time, taking 3 German girls with me (for the funny part, they were hitchiking, and I picked them up only 300m from the ranger station ).

We explored the small trail to view some fumeroles

then headed for a 2h30 trek to a waterfall that could easily be used in a shampoo ad. We bathed and ate there, and made friend (or not) with a crab.

The trail to get there was really a mix of dried savannah and wet & dark jungle, very pleasant, with some owling monkeys.

Part 2: 

It's 16h, I've just dropped the 3 Germans to Liberia, and headed for the coast to have a post card sunset. Here too, nice timelapse, and diner on the beach.

Part 3:

Head South ! It was time to drive by night on the Interamericana, and I must admit it was quite hectic... After a couple of hours driving fast, my stop for the night would be a 15 USD room in Canas.

The Adventure starts here

La Fortuna is a good base to practice extreme activities, but I'm more in the mood to go and explore by myself,
My first select destination is the Rio Celeste, a river blue because of the (natural) chemicals in it, but once a poet said : "God cleaned his brushes in this river after painting the sky".
But to view this wonder, you have to drive there first ! For the first time I set "all wheel drive", which increased the stability on the gravel covered roads. I took 2 Costa Rican hitchiking, including a "guide" of the national park, but I wanted to get there by myself. The road started to be bumpy and steep, but my Jimny got out of it easily.

Once parked (a "donation" to local school is mandatory, renting boots is recommended), I bought for 10 USD an entrance to the path, and started walking. Rather quickly, you understand why boots are recommended: you've got 15 cm of mud, literally, and the sturdiest hiking shoes will not change anything... It took me a while to reach the point where the river has its deepest blue, but it was definitely worth it !

on the way back, I got D.R.E.N.C.H.E.D... to the bone... (it was the edge of the rainy green season, yes CR tourism office decided to rename the rainy season the "green" one, it's better for marketing purpose...).
After these two days where the sky was rather cloudy/rainy, going on the North West made me realise how strange weather can be here... after few kilometers, I crossed a landscape looking like a decent savannah

I must admit I was very pleased to meet the Sun again... and the deserted InterAmericana where many construction work are ongoing to enlarge it to 2x2 lanes.

I take the opportunity to clarify something: Costa Rican drivers are.... careful (a polite way to say very slow) but this could be explained by the HUGE 18 wheelers that you can find here (and in curvy mountain roads, passing (or just crossing) them is a true thrill...)

After a couple of hours driving under the tropical Sun, I turned right, objective : Rincon de la Vieja National Park. The unpaved road was a nice bonus, and I've reached the Santa Maria Ranger Station just in time to start the hike to a Hot Spring, just for me. On the way, I crossed exaotic and wild fauna and flora, including the famous leaf cutting ants (as soon as there is a small breeze, they are like little sailboats on the ground with their green sails)

Surrounded by nature and literally kilometers aways from the closest member of my species, I've enjoyed the 38C bath like rarely. I didn't want to walk back in the dark so headed to the car and enjoyed a fresh shower at the picnic area.
The Sunset over the station was gorgeous, there is no other word, except the mosquitos...

It was completely dark to drive back to the Interamericana, but the road seemed shorter than on the way up.
Once in Liberia, I ate at the Burger King, and decided to stay in the vincinity to enjoy the other sector of the Rincon de la Vieja National Park. I found a quite area in the suburbs... to be waken up by the Police at 2 in the morning (ÿou can't stay here, it's dangerous). I ended my night in the parking lot behind the gas station...

The failures you end up liking

First Morning in Costa Rica, Jet lag over, it's a good day to start seeing this national monument, the Poas Volcno which rises 2700 meters above sea level, 1700 meters higher than the Costa Rican capital.
...but it was without the first failure of the day: clouds... The ceiling is rather low, so after another wifi session to get sure the clouds will not move anytime soon, I go down a bit to enjoy the view on the San Jose valley with the sunrise

I change my plan to visit an (expensive) park with typical fauna and flora not that far away from the Volcano.

The afternoon, my goal was to experiment Bungee jump for the first time, after driving across several small towns, including Grecia, famous (??!) for 4 m high carts (I can't imagine the size of the horses/cows required to move them...)

This Sunday is also for me the opportunity to drive for the first time on the InterAmericana, it's just a road you might say, but with a name like this, it's just an open door to exotic dreams...
After several U turns (yes, I got lost, but to be fair, the "petit Fute" touristic book was very inaccurate :( ) I park the car and walk to the bridge that is suppopsed to host the bungee jump. Strangely enough, there is no one, despite the small plateforms to jump bolted on the (very) rusty bridge... No bungee jump today, it's all closed :(
Several days later, I'd learn that bungee jump stopped here because of risks on the bridge structure... well, that's the kind of failure I like to have after second thought...

I had nothing more to do here, thus I moved North, through what I call the Costa Rican Switzerland, a very charming pass in the mountain, where I'm pretty sure they've invented the expression "curvy mountain road"

I ended my day with a diner with a French Travel Agent living in La Fortuna who helped me prepare my next days, in a 20 USD/night room.

The First Night in the Car

After landing in SJO (San Jose International Aiport), I quickly collected my bag, withdrew some cash and found the chauffeur driven car to the 4WD rental company. It had been a while since I haven't had someone waiting for me with a paper with my name on it XD.

The car was a Suzuki Jimny, with AC, USB player (useful to charge your phone) and enough space for a backpacker for 10 days :)

AWD is a must have in Costa Rica if you want to be on the safe side, and I had in mind to test my driving skills offroad...
Talking about Navitaion skills, I took the Garmin GPS option for few beucks/day, but I've quickly found a cheaper alternative and somehow as efficient : the Open Street Map navigation App for Android, very useful. (you can download the map and have offline navigation, for free... and the map also have some hike trails...)

Most guide books recommend you to stay in SJO or in vincinity for the first night when you travel from Europe, bug I guess my body got used to jetlag, and I was confident to drive at night. Costa Rica being close to the Equator (the line, not the country), you have almost all year long same duration for night and day, which means that after 18h, it's completely dark, and for a strange reason, it's the time the Costa Rican start to get out of their houses and walk on the road.
I managed to avoid the pedestrian, grabbed a delicious sandwich made with unknown type (or better, you-don't-want-to-know type) of meat for 2USD and headed toward my first destination : Poas Volcano. The aim was to get as close as possible to the entrance so that I could enjoy in the morning the volcano without the clouds.

I don't count the number of bumpers I've had to climb (literally narrow and high mountains, shock absorber killers) before reaching a village few kilometers from the entrance of the National Park. I pulled over the car to a grass field and before going to bed laying down the seat I've found some pretty fast public wifi from the local school in thisremote Costa Rican mountain village...
Obviously, from airplanes to lost paradises, Wifi is now everywhere :)

The Journey to Costa Rica

Ryan Bingham: All the things you probably hate about travelling -the recycled air, the artificial lighting, the digital juice dispensers, the cheap sushi- are warm reminders that I'm home

This quote from "up in the air" sounded in my head as I was in the jetbridge to Barcelona... The Nice airport I was about to leave at night was empty, this last flight of the day was a start of a new journey. 

The Barcelona airport, empty when we landed after midnight, appeared to me as a stage for shooting a disaster movie, where everyone is gone.

My next flight being in the morning, I didn't want to go to the downtown to sleep in a hostel, so I found a relatively quiet and not ultra bright place on the North part of the bag reclaim area to sleep directly on the ground. The good thing is that still being on the air side, I wasn't bothered by strangers and I was safe with my bags.
The bad thing is that for 1h30, I couldn't sleep due to the noise of aiport employees moving bags trolley in giant lifts. (for more inspiration, feel free to browse Sleeping in airports.

I must admit I wasn't expecting much from a US carrier (last transatlantic flight with DL was on an old 767 without VOD) but I was honestly surprised by the overall flight on a rather new A330 (damn I love the 2/4/2 configuration), with AVOD, USB to charge my phone and a very decent meal (+unlimited drinks on board), with flight attendants proposing free drinks every 90 minutes.

The flight being bound to Altanta, the home of Coca Cola, this brand was everywhere in the plane, from the AVOD to the plastic cups to drink...

The connection in the US was a pain (or, to be honest, the mandatory immigration process even if you connect to another int'l flight), ATL barely have free public wifi, but it wasn't horrible.
I've spent the second flight (757 to SJO) sleeping and taking pictures of the sunset over the Carribean