Costa Rican Jungle Adventure: 1. Getting to Costa Rica

This adventure all started with a voluntary departure from work at the end of November 2010. Then it seemed like a good idea to bring my trip forward a couple of months....eek! Suddenly there was limited time.

Okay so the plan was pack up my apartment, sell as much as I can, get all my CDs on my ipod, put all the books I want on a kindle (which I didnt have!). Oh yeah and I was doing the Sydney to Hobart yacht race with the good ship Jazz Player as well!

Sounds simple, right? Apparently it really takes a long time to pack up a little apartment, particularly when you are shedding as you go..what, how and where to get rid of stuff....Unfortunately due to a southerly buster 'incident' we didnt finish the Sydney to Hobart race. Noone was injured and relatively minimal damage sustained (ie we still had a mast and a hull) but disappointing given all the effort that goes into preparation for a race like that.

Despite the amount there was to do, and my inclination to be easily distracted, it all got done. Thanks Alicia :)! I even had time to catch up with family and some friends before I left. Thanks to all who put me up when I was homeless before I left, just a reminder Ill be homeless when I come home in April (she says trying to look cute!).

The trip over to Costa Rica was uneventful (or as I remember it anyway, it seems forever ago now!) I flew Melbourne – Brisbane – LA – Dallas – San Jose without too much waiting time in between. After arriving in at the hotel at San Jose Airport about 10pm (on the same day I left!), it was a door to door trip of about 32 hours. I felt surprising good...just glad to not have to get on another plane, well not until tomorrow. I had met up with my friend from the US in Dallas and we got to travel from there to San Jose together. A fluke in planning that his flight from the US and mine from Australia both went through Dallas. Although if you ask my travel agent...it was all him...:) thanks James, you did an awesome job!

But there was one more flight...eek. This one was a little different. The flight from San Jose to Quepos is only 25 mins on a little plane that seats about 12 or so. My friend flies little planes so we sat up the front to get a good view of what was happening. He was so excited and even though I dont fly, I was too. After all, this was my new home for the next 4 months. The scenery on the flight was excellent. Particularly the banana plantation, which turned out to be the airport....we're going to land where??...:)! Of course it went without a hitch. I have done this flight twice since then and highly recommend it.