So, you’re looking to plan a trip to Costa Rica? Here are some fun facts to help you plan your itinerary.
Costa Rica sits comfortably between Nicaragua and Panama in Central America and is home to a little over 5 million people, with over 50,000 of those being American ex-pats. It has long been touted as one of the most biologically diverse and beautiful countries in the region and is home to an astonishing array of wildlife.
Costa Rica was a country we, quite frankly, hadn’t been that excited to visit. Oh yes, we’d heard all about the lush jungles filled with exotic wildlife, but it seemed too clean, too touristy, too “ex-pat”. Well, having just returned, here is a quick photo Costa Rica preview depicting a snapshot of our two weeks roaming from the capital city to the jungles of the Caribbean coast, an untouristed small town high in the central hills, and finally the ultra-touristy Pacific.
Recently we’ve been feeling in a bit of a funk. With a long and busy high season behind us life had slowed down at work but we were finding ourselves spending every weekend with errands, doctor’s appointments, and the like and began to fully realize how errant we were in not planning a fall vacation. With Costa Rica still two months away…an eternity when in a funk, and fall weather turning to winter my mood was grim.
We recently headed to Puerto Vallarta for a variety of reasons, but food, food, and more food certainly became the theme of the vacation.
As regular visitors to this scenic city by the sea, we had many old favorites to return to but also discovered new haunts that were all spectacular. Truly, in 10 days we didn’t eat badly a single meal. A normal trip south finds me cooking the occasional breakfast or dinner but not this time; burned out from an extremely busy summer I declared my time as head chef in the family on hiatus. I advised Jim we were simply going to be “forced” to eat out every meal. He announced himself up for the task.
As we drove home from the airport, I marveled anew at the vast difference between the look and feel of Mexico as compared to our home in Oregon. Gone was the dramatic and contrasting colors and back were the endless neighborhoods wrapped in tones of beige, white, and grey.
Returning to Puerto Vallarta was a given. Although it’s been nearly four years since we last graced her beaches, PVR has always felt like a second home and it took mere minutes upon landing to release a deep sigh of contentment. We were home.
Many stories and photos are to come shortly but first off a short post highlighting the extraordinary color that breathes life into every moment of this remarkable country.
The lessons of living each day to the fullest never seem more important than now when I suddenly realize months have gone by since I’ve paid any attention to this blog. Life races by at warp speed and if we don’t pay attention entire months and years can fly by and suddenly we’ve had another trip around the sun.
It is nearly impossible to believe it’s been thirteen months since we said goodbye to Aspen and welcomed into our home this big, anxiety ridden sweet boy. The general rule of adoption suggests there is power in the number 3.
Lesson 1: Believe us, it sometimes takes longer.
I sat cross-legged, focusing on my breathing. Breath in. Breath out. My online yoga coach gently guided the practice and then said “search for your serenity”. My mind immediately jumped to one year ago, a time when the entire world was spiraling as a global pandemic began killing hundreds of thousands. As incongruous as it seems, my memories of April 2020 are some of the most peaceful and serene of any in the last few years. The exact image that brought me peace; remembering the pure contentment on Aspen’s face as we watched the sunset over the bay.
Let’s face it. 2020 has been HARD. So very hard. It’s no secret to anyone and we have also not been totally spared experiencing a couple of months of unemployment, myself being very sick for several weeks, and worst of all the loss of Aspen.
“Lean into curiosity” ~ Pena Choldren
In spite of it all, we consider ourselves beyond blessed in a year that has adversely affected so many people around the world.
What does adventure mean to you? Is it a weekend away to a new destination? Perhaps adventure to you means just pushing boundaries beyond your normal comfort zone. We have always gotten an incredible high from waking up in a new country or location with no idea how the day would play out. 2020 is not that year.
The official definition of adventure even adds in a bit of danger.
ad·ven·ture/
an unusual and exciting, typically hazardous, experience or activity. Especially the exploration of unknown territory.
During these last few months of time spent close to home, we have found ourselves endlessly discussing past adventures while craving for our own next big adventure. We’ve scoured the pages of this blog reliving the countries and continents we’ve explored and missing all those we’ve met along the way.
Recently a friend shared this quote: “Now is not the time to lament what we can not do, but embrace what we can do”. So true in this year of disruption on so many levels.
While BIG plans are in the works with more info to come about later, we have managed to have a few short trips up and down the Oregon coast. While the unusual and dangerous elements may have been missing, there is no question that this scenic route is one of the most spectacular we’ve ever driven.
Meanderings both north and south delivered on stunning vistas, magnificent empty beaches where masks and social distancing were unnecessary discussions, along with some damn good seafood.
Saturday we leave for our next mini-vacation with a two-week jaunt through Central Oregon hanging for a few days each in several of our favorite campgrounds and enjoy days of leisure. The only things on the agenda are sleeping in, days spent on the lake, and lots of R&R.
I suspect I’ll even read a book, or five. The majority of our time will be out of touch, fully unconnected from the chaos and dysfunction that is 2020.
New adventures await and one day our plans will again include international travel and far-flung locales. One day we will hug our friends close and enjoy group outings.
For now, we relish our time together. For now, we are grateful daily that our sweet baby girl is still with us and smiling daily. For now, we appreciate that we work in one of the few travel industry jobs that is actually thriving. For now, we take one day at a time dreaming of adventures to come.
Baja is a special place featuring just over 1900 miles of coastline, one of the main draws for travelers. Intrepid adventurers with 4WD can easily camp for months on remote beaches and rarely pay for a night’s stay.
