Costa Rica Day 15 - Puerto Jimenez

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I awake at 6 am – rush hour in Puerto Jiménez as planes and 4x4s ferry visitors towards the National Park.

I get up and prepare breakfast; as we have a kitchenette, I’m going to have a go at cooking plantain. At least, I think it’s plantain – as the Spanish for plantain is plátano, and the Spanish for banana is also plátano, there’s a 50% chance I’m cooking plantain.

We don’t have much planned for today; we have aborted our original plan to visit Corcovado National Park as it would have cost $85 each for the opportunity of a long off road drive (check) to hike for several hours in the heat and humidity (check) to possibly see some wild animals (check).

So instead, a quiet morning. The old man plays candy crush while I take my book to the pool.

In the afternoon, we attempt a walk to the mangroves where you can see caiman but it’s so hot and humid we abort. We take one of the hotel’s kayak for a spin instead. We initially paddle to the mangroves, but it’s a double kayak and the old man has a history of capsizing. I panic at the thought of capsizing in crocodile infested waters and we turn and paddle round the bay, watching the sun set as we go.

After dinner, I have a fun evening hand washing underwear as there is no laundry in Puerto Jiménez. The sink is on the balcony which contains one dim light and two powerful lights. The powerful lights are motion sensitive, so the only way I can see what I’m doing is to constantly rock from side to side. I manage to get my pants clean before I get too dizzy. Then it’s time to try and sleep whilst the unidentified creatures scurry over the bedroom roof.

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