After two traveling days (the first on plane, the second on bus) and lots of time relaxing poolside (albeit yesterday a pool at the side of a volcano), we are all ready for today's trek into the rainforest. I am writing this entry, as my family grabs their last few minutes of sleep before a 6:00 a.m. alarm, which will summon us to pick up our bags (filled with rain ponchos and bug repellant) and hit the road. Since I have so few adventures to report just yet, I will devote this blog to a few words about Swiss Travel, the agency through which we booked our trip.
Once we settled on Costa Rica, we quickly realized that our usual plan of renting a car and becoming intrepid explorers was likely not the best idea. There are few road signs here, and even fewer street lights (driving back from Fortuna after dinner last night, we marvelled at our driver's expertise at maneuvering the curves of the road by being incredibly adept at turning his brights on and off, never blinding an oncoming driver - it was as if he had Peter Parker reflexes), and there were tales of petty thieves slashing the tires of tourists' rental cars in order to offer aid, while taking everything they had. Yup, we were going to find an alternate way to explore Costa Rica.... Enter Swiss Tours.
Ever since I was a teenager, and my family took a tour of the Pacific Coast Highway, we have all made fun of how little information the bus driver provided and how shrouded the PCH was in fog (which was NOT his fault, of course); tours, we all determined, were decidedly not for US. Well, we're only on day three, so I'm reluctant to say too many positive things lest I doom the rest of our trip entirely (not sure if there is an "idiot clause" provisions for vacations. Clay?) Let me just say that so far, it's been wonderful. Our travel mates for yesterday's 3 1/2 hour drive from San Jose to Arenal were a young couple from LA, an older couple from Scotland, and two other couples of questionable origin (as they were the last to board and, therefore, were not part of our original exchange of pleasantries). The small bus (or big van?) was comfortable, with huge windows all around for maximum viewing, and the driver (Ricardo) navigated some twisty roads in dense fog (which luckily only lasted for about 10 minutes of the drive).
We arrived to Arenal Manoa, our stay for two nights, with ample time to have lunch, enjoy the grounds, check out the pool, hot tub, and natural hot spring, and take a short trip into Fortuna for dinner and supplies. Now we are ready for our trek deep into nature - bring on the sloths!
Here's hoping the rest of the trip continues as it has begun. The family is up, and it is time for us to head out. Until tomorrow....
A few shots from the day. Maddie by the pool, our lunch spot, with the shrouded volcano in the distance, and the volcano just minutes ago from our balcony.... the clearest view of it we have had since arriving yesterday at noon.
1 comment:
Beautiful pictures as usual :) There is nothing like a tour when it's done right, as we have experienced ourselves most recently in Cuba. I hope yours continues to impress :) xoxo
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