So, since last, I have been out on grand adventures. Not only on my snow scooter, (which at the moment is parked outside the hut awaiting my return), but i have actually left the island, flown half way across the world and spent three weeks prior to christmas in the wonderful land of Costa Rica.
To go into detail about all the crazy stuff that happened would probably take just as long as the trip itself, so i will therefore tell it in short. Very short. Notes more or less. I leave it to you to fill in the blanks, enjoy.
5 months of planning, 4 hours of packing, 15 new, never-met contacts, 3 phone numbers and 20 hours of continuous travel. One sick girl, full of fever the night before departure. 2 hours of sleep. One worried mother, one questioning father.
Up, down, seats back, belt buckles off, cramped toilets with water everywhere (where does it all come from?), numb feet, snoring all around, crash-learning spanish in-between fever dreams. Hola.
25 degrees, humid and dark. All alone, excited, scared and very sceptic. One phone call, 3 unknown friends, one kayak, one long drive. Up and around a volcano, fog, un-wanted sleep and a empty house. My house. Sleep.
Pinto (rice and beans), full to the brim, banned from english, just spanish. como estas?
Kayaking, warm water, jungle, beautiful bliss. meditation. happiness. Crash, no paddle, running on snake-paths, swimming. woops... pinapple, freshly picked bananas. "misplaced" money. Costa rica adventure.
First spanish conversation, 1 beer, 2 dollars, laughter. no entiende..
Kayaking, pure joy. paddle back. smooth smooth smooth. Fresh mango, hot sun. happy happy happy.
Broke. que?
Unexpected surprise, good times with the family, up, down, all around. Ice cream, rain, rain, rain, flood. time to go. money exchanging hands, cheated again.
Excited, new place, more paddling, good friends, known friends.
Bus ride, warm tears on hotter cheeks, everything gone... que pecao!
paddling capital, no stuff, broke, still sick and the non stop rain.
Rafting, promises that never get fulfilled, hot thermal pools, jungle trips, crazy birds, colorful fruits.
Amazing sushi.
Canyoning, waterfalls and scared tourists. Engulfed in books and strange people. They are everywhere, detectives, lottery salesmen, waiters, locals and lonley tourists.
Endless conversations, life stories, emails promised that will never be written, endless amount of spanish, hand gestures. smiles. si, si, si
3 weeks, 5 new friends, 1 new language, 1 new culture, 0 dollars. 3 flights, 20 hours, freckles and a small tan-line only visible in the strongest light, 3 "random" security checks, one last home grown coffee. One flight almost missed, one very angry border-lady picking a fight, one very hungry girl, one very relieved mother.
home.
feliz navidad.
