Off we go!

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Geo: 39.74, -104.992

"Travel - it leaves you speechless and then turns you into a storyteller." Ibn Battuta

This is the story of our latest traveling adventure. I am the storyteller and maybe, just maybe, something in this trip will make us speechless. Jeff and I are returning to one of our favorite countries - Costa Rica. We have been here twice in the past and, indeed, both of those trips were awe-inspiring and memorable. We are looking forward to exploring more of this Central American country.

I've been packed for four days - including my sneakers - and since they are on the bottom of my suitcase, I have resorted to wearing my old "lawn mowing" sneakers to work and about. Why, you may ask, did I pack my shoes? The answer is simple, they take less suitcase room than my hiking boots. We've learned that the trick to packing early and light is to think about what we're planning to do (hike), what the weather may be like (its the rainy season), and how much washing out of clothes we're willing to do (enough to get by). I do pack stuff like bandaids and cold medicine, obviously it is easy to pick these thing up at your destination, but if you need them in route they can sometimes be tricky to find.The biggest trick of all, however, when packing light and early, is to NOT put stuff into your suitcase on a whim, because you "might" need it. Of course, you do have last minute stuff to toss in like a hairbrush, toothbrush, etc. Oh, and you always want your TSA approved suitcase locks even if you just have carry-on..

Our good friend, Tom, who seems to have become our personal airport shuttle driver, arrives and soon we are on our way to Denver International Airport. We make great time, thank you, Tom! We breeze through security.

Jeff and I have one carryon bag each and when we are at the gate the inevitable announcement that "there won't be enough overhead bin space, so you can check your bag for free" is made. Hmmmm...okay. We open our bags and take out a few essentials. I reach into our bathroom bag for cold medicine because this morning Jeff woke up feeling really crappy and doing so I double sliced one of my fingers on my razor blade. Ow!! Jeff quicky dug out the bandaids. Not a promising start to a vacation!
Happily we have our TSA approved locks and have no qualms about gate checking our bags.

Our flight to Houston isn't bad at all. We are flying United Airlines and on this plane there are large seatback screens and a huge variety of movies to choose from - and they are free! I'm so excited because one of the movies is "San Andreas." True confessions time: something most of you don't know about me is that I adore disaster movies - the campier the better. San Andreas is right up my alley and it is two minutes shorter than our flight. This is great and the flight time flies by.

We have a two-hour layover in Houston and since we don't have to drag suitcases around we walked the concourses for about 45 minutes figuring it was the only exercise we are going to get today. After that we ate our brown bag lunches and soon it was time to board our flight to San Jose, Costa Rica.

I am so bummed! This is a smaller United Airlines plane which has normal seatback screens, a much smaller choice of movies and there is a charge to watch movies or TV. What? This is an international flight. Oh well.
But, wonder of wonders! There is no one else seated in our row, so we spread out using the middle seat for snacks and magazines. I pull out my Kindle and Jeff goes to sleep. I feel so badly for him being sick.

When we land in San Jose, we know exactly what to do...clear immigration, pick up our luggage, and while Jeff goes to the liquor store, I head for an ATM. Seriously, there is a liquor store right at baggage claim and it is duty free. This is the only country we've been to where you can buy duty free liquor and take it INTO the country. The prices are much lower than in country.

Jeff has better luck than me - he got 2 bottles of rum and two bottles of wine.
I, however, have tried two different ATMS to no avail. ATMs give you the best exchange rates and I want 160,000 colones (about $300). The first machine gets me all the way through and then tells me I didn't enter my pin. I most certainly did! So I go to a different bank machine only to learn that "my bank has denied the transaction." Well crap. I learned something a long time ago and forgot to do it on this trip. I buy something at the Denver airport so my bank can see that I'm at the airport and travelling. I didn't do that this time. No colones for me. Jeff makes his withdrawal and we head out clutching our two small suitcases, backpacks, liquor and our customs form. Here they scan your baggage when you LEAVE the airport to make sure you aren't bringing in fresh produce. I guess that's what they are looking for anyway.

As we leave the small terminal there are cops and cop cars everywhere and TV cameras. I gave the TV camera a big smile and wave but don't think I'll be making the evening news. We learn that Costa Rica's national futbol (soccer) team is returning from a game in the US and they won. Big excitement!

We cross the street to where we know the Holiday Inn express shuttle will pick us up. The hotel is less than a mile from the airport and has a free shuttle back and forth. It is dark now even though it is only 6:30 because Costa Rica doesn't have daylight savings time and it is warm but raining.

Once we've checked into our room, we do just a little unpacking. We're only here for the night. As I get things organized I find that I've forgotten my toothbrush. Unbelievable! So I walk down to the reception desk and say "Yo quiero uno cepilla de dientes, por favor." (I want a toothbrush please). The hostess told me that I said it perfectly - I'm so excited!

Back in the room, in about 2 seconds, we realize that Jeff has forgotten HIS toothbrush, too!! So back to reception - "Yo quiero uno cepillo de dientes por mi esposo, por favor" - I would like a toothbrush for my spouse, please. The hostess laughs and I slither off with the second toothbrush. If we've forgotten any other sundries we'll do without!

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Comments

[Tom]

It's a good thing you forgot something that you know the word for :)

[mjanesmith]

I knew how to say it but looked it up in my Spanish dictionary anyway. Not quite that self-confident!