Everything is Just Fine

---

Once my dad dropped me off at Arenal Backpackers in La Foruna, I was a little nervous to be on my own, but it turns out, making friends is easy. I put on my bathing suit right away and laid out by the pool with my book and a beer. A couple from Santa Cruz immediately came up and started talking to me because I was wearing my San Francisco Giants hat. They invited me to go to Baldi hot springs with them so I instantly had something to do that night. The hot springs were amazing. There were countless pools ranging in degrees of temperature and even a few water slides. There was a sign that said “no lifeguard on duty, go at your own risk,” and for good reason too. The fastest slide shot you out the end, hitting your head on the way out. I heard that some kid had to go to the hospital after that slide, but it could have been just rumors. After the hot springs, we came back to the hostel and I spent the rest of the night talking in Spanish to a couple of Chilean guys. Pretty good first night on my own, I´d have to say.

The next day I just spent reading by the pool, but at night I met up with Rachel and Jonathon again (the couple from Santa Cruz) and we went to a discoteca. It was a fun atmosphere with dancers on stage and just as many Costa Ricans as tourists. The Saturday after I booked a Canyoning tour and left early in the morning. Canyoning was so beautiful. It involved hiking through a canyon with sheer rock cliffs on either side of you and ankle deep water every step of the way. We also had to rappel down waterfalls and cliffs to continue on down the canyon. It was just me and four people from New York, but it turned out to be a fun group. The tour guides were of course all a bunch of jokers, which always is a good time. Later that night I spent time with the owner of the hostel and we turned out to be good friends, so the next day he invited me on a much taller canopy tour, because he had an extra ticket. This canopy tour was amazing. We literally flew through the top of the canopy, only seeing treetops and waterfalls beneath us. It was breathtaking and I´m so grateful Diego invited me to tag along.

After La Fortuna, I made my way to Tamarindo. I heard a few things about Tamarindo, but it really wasn´t what I was expecting. First of all, I heard it is one of the touristier beach towns there were, but when I got there, it didn’t seem any more touristy than San Jose for example. There were a lot of signs in English, but the roads were all dirt, everyone walked around in their bathing suits, and it all seemed very laid back. Another thing I heard was that there were people around every corner that will try to sell you drugs, but I didn’t encounter that once. Maybe that’s because I was hanging around with a good group of people. I stayed at Tamarindo Backpackers and it was very different than Arenal Backpackers. Not better or worse, just different. Everything in Tamarindo is easy going and pura vida. As soon as I got there, I asked the guy that worked there if he had towels or locks for rent and he just gave me a towel and a lock and said, “don’t lose the keys, they´re our only set.” I surfed with some people I met at the hostel pretty much right after I put my stuff down. The waves were small, but perfect size for me to get up on. At night, the whole hostel went together to go see a friend´s band play (Matixando). They were so fun! The music was very chill and relaxed. They had bongos, a guitar, and one of the guys who is from Costa Rica, but was also staying at the hostel played a didgeridoo, bongo drum, and a harmonica! Johnny Dread, a famous reggae singer from the US was also staying at the hostel and he came up during their show for a little collaborative jam sesh.

The second day I paid for a Catamaran tour that consisted of all you can eat and drink plus snorkeling or kayaking. I chose to snorkel, because I couldn’t resist getting in that warm ocean water. I went on the tour with three German guys from the same hostel and one of them had a GoPro, so I bet he had a great video to show later of our snorkeling adventure. I saw fish of all colors, star fish, stingrays, and I even got to hold an octopus! It was so slimy on top, but the suction cups under the tentacles had the strongest suction I ever felt, it was kind of scary how tight they hold on. We even saw whale spouts in the distance when we were on the boat.

The next day in Tamarindo, I had a family dinner with the people that worked there and a couple of the guests, it was really cute. After that, everyone from the hostel went together to go fishing off the coast of Playa Langosta, the next beach south from Tamarindo. We didn’t catch anything, but it was still fun to try. Even though I got my sandals, sunglasses, and a shirt stolen in Tamarindo, I still think it was a great place to stay for a little while.

I don´t have many pictures from these days, but I promise to be better about that in the future.

---

Photos

Playa Langosta
Where the river meets the ocean