I just got back from Costa Rica last night after a whirlwind tour with my fabulous parents. I think I could have stayed for another month (especially if i happened to be spending that time on my parents budget rather than my own). Pappa Svend loves loves loves his GPS. He'd probably turn it on to direct him to the grocery store down the road. Well, as much as I make fun of him, getting a GPS to go with our car was the best decision he made on our trip. Once we pulled out on to the roads of San Jose, I was in constant fear of my life. First because (as much as i wish i could deny it), I'm a wicked back-seat driver and second because the traffic laws in Costa Rica are more like suggestions. In reality, it's perfectly acceptable to pass a truck going around a hairpin turn of a partly washed out mountain road. At least it wasn't me behind the wheel.
As the (incomplete) Hansen family made our way to Manuel Antonio we crossed a bridge with a curious amount of cars parked on either side and people peering over the edges. And then we hear a new voice coming from the GPS, not the one that constantly says "recalculating" when you pull off to pump gas but a friendly man who turned out to be a great travel companion. His first message went something like this "Are you wondering why there are cars parked on both sides of this bridge? That's because there are Crocodiles down there... Hundreds of them...!" Our car was in park before the man could finish warning us to look both ways before we cross the bridge. We walked down a ways and sure enough there are HUGE crocodiles soakin' up the rays on either side of the bridge. After a few solid minutes of gawking like only tourists can do, we shuffled back into the car and finished our drive to the hotel in Manuel Antonio. That night we shared a few drinks on our private balcony as a huge thunderstorm raged over our heads.... life was good
As the (incomplete) Hansen family made our way to Manuel Antonio we crossed a bridge with a curious amount of cars parked on either side and people peering over the edges. And then we hear a new voice coming from the GPS, not the one that constantly says "recalculating" when you pull off to pump gas but a friendly man who turned out to be a great travel companion. His first message went something like this "Are you wondering why there are cars parked on both sides of this bridge? That's because there are Crocodiles down there... Hundreds of them...!" Our car was in park before the man could finish warning us to look both ways before we cross the bridge. We walked down a ways and sure enough there are HUGE crocodiles soakin' up the rays on either side of the bridge. After a few solid minutes of gawking like only tourists can do, we shuffled back into the car and finished our drive to the hotel in Manuel Antonio. That night we shared a few drinks on our private balcony as a huge thunderstorm raged over our heads.... life was good The next day, bright eyed and bushy tailed we got on our walking shoes and headed down down down the road to the Manuel Antonio National Park. We saw monkeys playing in the trees only meters from where we stood, sloths doing a whole lot of nothing a bit higher in the canopy, land crabs hanging out in the bushes and even a HUGE sea turtle doing its thing in the ocean. So far so good.... Destination 1 was definitely a success.
Our next stop was Jaco where I parted ways with my parents to stay the night in a Hostel with Robyn (only to run into my parents on the street later that night). Robyn and I rented surf boards and marched right out into what turned out to be a bit of massacre of waves crashing on our heads. By the next morning, I had at least stood up and made my way in on a number of waves i felt justified me in all the complaining i would do for the rest of the weekend about my sore arms and hands. 
Puntarenas was the next place on our list and it was definitely the most relaxing part of the vacation. We stayed at a B-E-A-uuutiful all-inclusive resort in which my biggest decisions were which pool I should lay by and when it was appropriate to order my next Mojito... I think this is where i discovered my love for plantains (or sugar and butter with a hint of plantains). Robyn stayed with us one of the nights and although she was in the middle of a week-long hangover (diagnosed by her host-padre) I think the R&R (and warm showers) did her well before she was thrown back into the lions den (aka San Jose).
The last leg of our journey took us to Arenal which is one of the most active volcanos in the world. We stayed in a great lodge and went on a jungle walk and watched the lava flow down the side of the volcano with Miguel (of "Miguel tours"). I even rented a kayak from a Tico on the side of the road to go kayaking on the beautiful Lake Arenal. I found myself in the middle of the lake listening to the howler monkeys in the forest (all with the volcano in the background) but was surprised by a huge thunderstorm that rolled in. I've always loved storms and I'll usually be the first person to run outside when there's good one. I've sat on the front porch of Camelot through many, on the roof for one, but never have I been as in the middle of it was I was on that kayak. I don't think there's a better way to get a unique perspective on life. Later, we all went to the hot springs in town and sat in the hotttt baths for hours (through another good storm) and left for San Jose just as we were beginning to resemble prunes.
As you can tell, we made it home safe and sound.... and it's back to reality of staring at the lake for hours at a time (for the record- the pacific is much more fun to stare at)
