Hey Guys! Sorry I’ve been MIA but it’s for good reason. I just came back from Costa Rica! Ten days of paradise, wildlife, and new friends. Earlier this year I was trying to decide on where to go on vacation. At first it was Australia, but seriously, I’m not ready for the long ass flight not to mention how expensive it is to go, and when I go I want to do it right. Then it came down to three: Costa Rica, Thailand, and Spain. (which I’ve decided will be next years trip)  I don’t want to take up too much of your time so I’m going to try and consolidate my ten day trip into one post. Of course if you have any questions, please reach out!

 

I decided to do an escorted tour through a travel company called “Gate 1.” I can’t say enough good things about this company. Everything was seamless to the booking of the trip to the day I arrived in Costa Rica, to the transfers in between all the places we visited. It was truly a stress free vacation which is how it should be.  This is a picture of me and tour manager, Manfred.  He was super sweet and very knowledgable about Costa Rica and its history. Everyday he would let us know our schedule, telling us where we were going, what time we were going and what to expect once we got there.  We went to four different places: San Jose, Arenal in La Fortuna, Monteverde, (the cloud forest) and Manuel Antonio famous for its beautiful beaches. Our tour group had 36 people of all different ages and backgrounds: a retired couple from Houston, a mother and daughter from California, a veterinarian couple from Florida….. me (ha ha!) I have to say we all got along  really great and soon it felt like a family. 

We did all sorts of fun things like stopping at an artisan town and watching the men painting wood work and other handmade items, going to a coffee plantation and learning about coffee, cocoa, and the harvesting of sugar cane. We even stopped at a local school and delivered school supplies we brought for them (a true highlight of the trip)

 

Even though it is the start of the rainy season there, the weather was very pleasant and there wasn’t that much rain although truthfully we were lucky with the timing of sudden down pours as they never got in the way of our activities. If you like a little adventure like zip lining in Monterverde, wildlife (including bugs, reptiles and monkeys which you are sure to find in Manuel Antonio) and warm weather, Costa Rica is definitely a place you want to visit. The accommodations at each location we stayed were very nice and the staff very friendly and helpful. Even though this was a group tour you did have options and time to explore on your own. On this trip I met people that I will remember for a lifetime and I’m so glad we all got to experience the wonders of Costa Rica together. It’s a beauty you have to see to believe!