Samara

Another early rise for the chaps. 6 pancakes for me, 2 for D and were on the road. Chicken bus change another chicken bus then border (there were actual chickens on the bus! (How cliché)). European borders can be crossed with relative ease i.e. there basically isn’t one. And whilst the States are rather stringent on immigration (updates coming soon) at least they tell you where to go. Central America has the worst of both worlds. They get very angry about mishandled immigration (one bloke got fined £45 when he tried to leave Guatemala). But also have no signage. So after wandering this border town, weaving through trucks trying to first leave Nicaragua then enter CR (immigration was in a bank! Why?!), we finally get on a bus bound for Liberia.

Many backpackers complain about Costa Rica. Too expensive, too many Americans. But is then blasphemous to miss it out on your travels. Yes it does look like Florida and when we passed the airport, there were thousands of balding white men in polos. And it’s quite expensive. But the buses are a fucking nightmare. 3 hour bus to Liberia, 4 hour bus to Nicoya, 1 1/2 hour wait, 2 hour bus to Samara. Unhappy but burger was good. Then got hit with a tropical thunderstorm on the way to the hostel. 

Up the next morning in search of the waves (we surf now). But first time for a grilled cheese and smoothie before a quick bike ride to another beach. We don’t really think things through and went without suncream, water or a towel. But luckily capitalism has reached CR so there was a shop en route. Very very beautiful and empty beach with ridiculously warm water before D got stung by a jellyfish (that’s 2 for 2 this trip). Bike ride home and made some pasta. Off to the beach again to rent some boards. Lasted about 45 mins before we concluded this beach was to hard to surf on so we went to eat.

Up at 3:30 the next morning (yeah wow) before another 12 hour travel day to La Fortuna. 

It’s raining again. Oh well.

Lots of love,

Charlie