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Published: December 16th 2007
SHG reunion!
Sophie´s greeting at the airport!We left San Jose yesterday after a small amount of sleep, Emma and Sophie resembling small packhorses and me travelling light as I still had no backpack. We went to the bus garage to catch the four and a half hour bus to La Fortuna where a local decided to try his fortunes with Sophie by telling her she was beautiful like a grape! We were lucky to get three seats together at the back as this was the last bus of the day and possibly becasue it was a Saturday it was packed with people having to stand up for much of the journey. The scenery was pretty, and in many places resembles the English countryside with the odd palm tree dotted about to remind us that we were in slightly more exotic climes! As we got nearer to La Fortuna we were enveloped in clouds reminiscent of severe fog and it seemed we were floating through them as nothing could be seen at all on either side.
La Fortuna is a very pretty town home to the Arenal Volcano which rises up at the end of the street enshrouded in mist with smoke drifting around its peak. The
Handbagging
Forget backpacking, I´m handbagging it round Costa Rica clouds here mean that it is often difficult to see the summit and everyone is heavily reliant on the good weather.
Our Hostel here is called Gringo Pete´s. It is painted in lurid pinks and purples and we have a small room that so far is only occupied by the three of us. It has a sink and its own shower and costs the princely sum of $3.50 a night. The shared areas are lovely with a small garden, kitchen and barbeque area, though I can´t see us actually cooking, but Sophie did brew an excellent cup of tea, spending about ten minutes to boil the water before realising we could have stuck it in the microwave!
We explored a little and spent ages on the phone trying to get through to the airline where the phone obstinately rang and rang with no response. Stocking up on crisps, biscuits and the other essentials for our stay we returned to our new home to find my backpack waiting for us! I never thought the words would ever pass my lips, but I have never been so excited or happy as I was the moment I saw my backpack!
My entire worldly belongings
Tranquilo Backpackers dorm in San Jose with everything I posess on the bed Emma and I were finally able to show Sphie our customised Small Hand Gang t-shirts and went out to eat with a slightly lighter step, before returning to our room with a far heavier one.
This morning we´ve had a small wander round the town, admiring the large square the maeks the centre of La Fortuna, it remins me of some of the less aflluent areas of Charleston, still beautiful and well tended with the community church at the head of the square.
This afternoon we are going on a short hike through the rainforest to (hopefully) observe the Arenal volcano in full pelt, then continuing to hot springs that have been described as similar to a Roman orgy!
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emma broomfield
non-member comment
jealous!!
ok, do you have any idea how cold it is here?!! and there's you swanning about in photo's in a vest top! you're making me very jealous!! xx