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Purple is the new black doncha know…
We head off the next day to Monteverde, there really isn't much to do here apart from Zip lining so my recommendation to anyone going to go only for that, do it in one day, & then get out :)
We used Salvatura Park tours who were excellent & with our Hostel we managed to get cheaper deals due to being students *ahem* …I won't go on too much anymore but basically there was 11 platforms & some of the zip lines were so high up we were way above the huge tree's, I couldn't even estimate how high it was because we were that high! There were massive hanging bridges which were cool & we also got the opportunity to do a Tarzan swing too. Well f*ck me sideways as I was up first I thought I would be fine but I completely bricked it when he opened the gate, the lack of support from the rope made it feel like you would never be caught & would smash yourself to pieces on the floor. That being said that was the best part about it so after a few no no no no's & gripping onto the railing I went (with little running feet in the air) & was met with lots of laughter on my attempt :)
The next day we get a bus to San Jose to then catch another bus to Cahuita on the Caribbean coast! Another long bus journey & we arrive to a kookie little run down town with a lovely atmosphere. In the morning we're quite rushed so head to the National Park, which is practically a 2 mins walk from the beach, nice :)
After this we grab our bags & head out of town to the Sloth Sanctuary, Yipee!! We pay $15 for an hour tour including a funny video that almost makes us feel stoned…bless those happy sloths :) then we get to see a few babies & then some young adults that are a lot bigger (see pics). I won't bore you with the fascinating facts about sloths but it's really worth looking up some information about them, they are like little super human animals but super animals that are trapped in slow bodies..with really smiley little faces ahhhhh :)
After this we grab a bus & head onwards to Puerto Viejo, a small but lively town only about 1.5 hours from the boarder to Panama. Here we stayed at Bungalows Calalu, I would recommend this place to anyone. Really lovely bungalows, small family run place with a good atmosphere & a small pool which makes you feel like you're in a lovely warm bath. Puerto Viejo is a great little place & somewhere I would have liked to spend a little more time in, the beach wasn't that great but it just has such a good vibe about it. We didn't do too much as we were pressed on time as normal, so we chilled out for a bit & ate some amazing food on the 2 nights we were there. On the last night we went out to a gorgeous bar/restaurant called Koko where we both had a fab meal & a few drinks but I think maybe something didn't agree with me (prob too much salt as they over salt everything) & I proceeded to projectile vomit down the toilet for the rest of the night. Boo. Left with fab memories though & as a pretty hasty, last minute decision, we decided to head top Bocas Del Toro in Panama for 3 nights, madness!! :)
The border crossing from Costa Rica to Panama was painless enough & we didn't even get charged the $26 departure fee we were expecting, bonus. Crossing over the Panama Bridge was exciting, I'm not sure why I found it so exciting, maybe because I'd seen the picture so many times & really didn't think I'd manage to get Panama in, but still I'm really glad I did. We stayed on the main island called Isla Colon, here we managed to get a cute B&B called Lulu's where the owners were this cute American couple who really couldn't do anything more for us, they were so friendly & helpful we even started to call them mum & dad (not to their face mind). The main area is Isla Colon, I would say is fantastic for the lone traveler, lots of Hostels full of young people & there is something on each night if you want to go get drunk. We got drunk one night & I danced like a fool, laughed like a fool & we dangled our legs, off the bar decking, over the sea where we could see fishes swimming beneath us. We ate fish & chips out of newspaper, went on an overpriced snorkeling trip when it was raining and cloudy (saw no dolphins, or fish haha) but managed to get some sun at the end on Red Frog Beach on Isla Bastimentos while Matt played in the waves (weirdo).
The next day we caught a local bus to Starfish Beach, all for just $5 return, bonus. Now this is what I'm talking about…clear clear still water, beautiful sand, walking along in the sea & spotting starfish, not just one or two but up to twenty around me in one place. I felt so happy that day, the water was like one huge swimming pool, the sun was clear & hot & we're sipping on a coconut, it just topped of the Bocas trip for me.
Sadly after only 2 whole days we left Bocas for the trip back to San Jose in Costa Rica, luckily it wasn't too bad & eventually we found a place centrally located so Matt could leave for the Airport the next day & I could head to the bus station for my bus to the Southern Peninsular. The following morning we say our goodbyes & Matt drops me at the bus station to save me some pounds..little did I know the bus station was actually a 10 min walk from the Hotel & I arrive at about 10am with my bus not till 2pm, hmmm what to do, what to do….
Well nothing, I literally sat & waited for 4 hours at this bus stop. I almost, very almost said f*ck it & went to Jaco instead but the bus was full so that scuppered that idea. I also got talking to a really nice English couple who were on the same bus but to Montezuma & who were on their honeymoon, they were so lovely & it made time go a lot quicker than sitting there listening to men preaching (banging on) about the bible (see they get it in Costa Rica too, it's not just London!) & disabled people coming round begging for money.
I'm not feeling too great at this point, in fact I haven't been feeling too great since I threw up that time in Puerto Viejo. The coach journey is 6 hours & all I eat all day is 2 bits of toast, some fruit & then a random chicken pastie a guy brings round on the coach. I arrive in Santa Teresa & rock upto a Hostel for surfers, I mean I was so out of place it was ridiculous. The Hostel was huge & actually if it had just been cleaned & sorted would have been fantastic but alas it wasn't but I'm sure the surfers didn't mind a bit of grime, I'd go as far to say they quite liked it. At this point it's 10pm, I'm feeling rough so I head to bed…fast asleep I am when BAM I wake up at 2.30am on the dot…12 hours since I ate that damn pastie. I go to the loo & then I am literally on the loo for half an hour, every half an hour. After going to the loo about 30 times in the night & spending more time sat on it then sleeping, my other room mates probably think I either have a really extensive beauty regime or have twigged onto the fact I'm not a well bunny & in the morning one of the lads gives me a bit of sympathy.
10am in the morning & I want to leave this Hostel like you wouldn't believe.It's hard though when you can't leave the toilet for too long, sweat profusely whenever you move, it feels like 40 degree heat & with the dust that's everywhere you could well be mistaken for being in the Sahara desert (I sh*t you not).After finding the owner of the Hostel (he was surfing, what a life!) & paying him I pinch his bike & head over 2k down the road to find a cash machine as I have nothing. This ride seems like the hardest ride of my life (no jokes here please), I'm struggling & it feels like god is holding onto my back wheel while laughing at my pathetic efforts. I make it eventually & decide to screw all this sh*te, I'm moving to my own private room & while I think about it, I'm going to stay at Franks Place as that's the closest to where I'm standing & I just cannie stand no more!
Booked into my own private room with ensuite YAY, I head back on the bike to get my stuff, as I wait for the taxi man to pick me up I honest to god feel like I hate my life, I hate Santa Teresa, I hate food, I hate water & I especially hate surfers who are all so brown they have turned purple. I mean honestly, that's really not a healthy look.
I spend the next 3 nights holed up in my own room, slowly getting slightly better as time goes on. I eventually start eating more normal & on my last day I even hit the pool for a bit (much needed). To be honest though I actually really enjoyed just having my own space, watching movies/TV & slobbing out like I do at home. I think people think travelling is all just sh*ts & giggles & sunbathing, I mean don't get me wrong it's good but it's also a lot of hard work when you're moving about so quickly & on such long journeys. Also travelling alone has its advantages but it also means there is no one there to pick you up when your down or laugh with when you need lifting up a little, I think I just needed some time out & to feel like I wasn't travelling for a bit, being ill allowed me to do this :)
It also made me realise just how much I miss doing nothing sometimes…just sitting on the sofa with a takeaway, cr*p tv on & in my slouchy clothes. It also made me realise how much I miss family & friends, people to call up or go out with to *let lose*.. I feel like I haven't just let lose for a long time now, which also means I may just explode once I get home! I'm also sick of ordering from a menu, I want to eat normal food & make it myself without then having to carry a load of stuff around with me, & I want the gym dammit, I so want to get back into training hard. And, and a washing machine so I can just shove my stuff in the wash, leave it & sort it out later…ahhh home comforts haha.
I'm incredibly happy I am doing this trip, I am grateful for all the opportunities I am getting so please don't think this is me being ungrateful but sometimes I would just like to be able to jump in my car or on the tube & see someone I care about for a good ole squeeze when I'm feeling blue, ya know :)
It's made me realise what's important to me & what isn't, which is the whole point to this travelling lark so I must be doing something right, I must be on the right direction?
After a long journey back to San Jose then a long flight to Panama then to Rio, I'm finally in Rio, YEAH BABY!!!!!! I've had about 1 hours sleep, hence the long jumbled blog but I hope you haven't found it too yawn inducing.Haifa arrives on the 3rd, the girls I met in CA arrive on the 3rd so right now I have a lot to be positive about..this is going to be BIG!
On another note, my thoughts on Rio…
Rio is like what Miami was meant to look like. In fact if I hadn't already been there & you were to drop me off in the centre of Rio, I would have said it was Miami for sure. On the bus ride to Copacabana the first thing I noticed was that everyone was blacker then the surfers in Santa Teresa. Now I did not think this was humanly possible, I mean how can people make themselves blacker? Well they bloody well did.
I was expecting Gods & Goddesses roaming the beaches. Nope.
I was expecting amazing boutiques with stylish & gorgeous clothes & shoes for me to buy. Nope.
The people here are an eclectic mix of old & young, fat & thin…it's basically like America or even London. I love the variety & I love the feeling that I'm somewhere like home. I would say the feeling of the place is like a hot London but with some crazy yanks in it :)
On the bus I thought my eyes were deceiving me when I spotted a man in speedos walking his 2 poodles…no no not just that alone but the fact that his poodles were wearing…were wearing….shoes! Shoes….shoes for dogs hahaha. Little black leather paw protectors :S
Well just to prove my eyesight was indeed correct as I walked along the town I did indeed see another little fluffy dog with little leather shoes on…then 2 minutes later I saw a dog attached to a woman on a moped. That in itself was interesting but the fact the dog was attached to her back in a BABY HOLDER, was even more interesting, its poor little legs were stuck out at 90 degree angles & it had the look or pure fear etched on its face. You had to laugh though, especially when people asked to take pictures & she really couldn't understand why :)
There's a lot of old people…a lot of old people walking around the high street areas wearing just bikinis, speedos or clothes so small even Mr Motivator wouldn't be seen dead in them. I love the boldness, the fact that they don't care, the fact that a lot of people here are hanging out of their clothes like they were playing dress up IN THEIR 2 YEAR OLDS WARDROBE, but they just don't care.
That shows spirit…or guts (quite literally).
:)xx
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