EL CAMINO DE COSTA RICA - January 2026

Thursday January 1, 2026

At the Caribbean Sea

Winter came early in Wisconsin this year, with snow before Thanksgiving and many sub-zero temperature days already.  Light snow was falling again as Ryan drove us to the airport and we were happy to be headed to a warmer climate.  I was engrossed in my movie before takeoff and was oblivious to the de-icing process and we were airborne before I knew it.

Dan and Tam were on our flight, and it was smooth and easy journey, with about a two-hour layover in Atlanta.  Sandra and Matt flew from MSP with a transfer in Chicago, where they were delayed, but with perfect timing to arrive in San Jose Costa Rica just minutes after our arrival.

Our travel partners Lynn and Kent delayed their trip due to Lynn having an ear infection with a perforated ear drum!  We’re hoping they can fly out in a few days and meet up with us. Our buddy Gary couldn’t make this trip and it feels wrong adventuring without him.

This trek was our friend George’s idea, and it took a while for me to get on board with it!  I’m always on the edge of my comfort zone in Costa Rica, even when we’re in a nice resort - hiking through the jungle and staying in platform tents?  Stay tuned!!

George, his son David, and friend Mark arrived at the designated hotel earlier in the day, but it was about 10:30pm by the time the rest of us cleared customs, retrieved our luggage and caught the shuttle to the hotel.  We checked in, repacked our bags and tried to fall asleep.  We were to meet our guide in the lobby at 4am!

Friday January 2, 2026 El Camino de Costa Rica Day 1

I rolled over to check the time on my iPad and it was 4:01am!!  Oh no - I’d screwed up the alarm!  I woke Jeff up and we scrambled to get dressed and pack the rest of our stuff, but we were twenty minutes late to the meeting, and profoundly embarrassed.

We met our guide, Elisio, and by 4:30am, the group was loaded in the van for the 3+ hour drive to the Caribbean coast.  As soon as we were on the little bus, it began to rain.  We drove for about an hour and stopped at a place along the road for a toilet / beverage break.  During the break, I grabbed my puffy jacket out of my pack and was able to sleep for about the next hour.  Then we turned off onto a smaller unpaved road with potholes, the kind of road I’d expected we’d be traveling on and the kind that made additional sleep impossible.

We stopped at what seemed like the end of the road, and there we met the boat captain that would take us to breakfast and the Caribbean.  The ride was similar to what we’d done on the Pacific side of Costa Rica, however there were fewer mangroves here.  After about 20 minutes, we pulled up to a bar/restaurant where they’d prepared breakfast for us.  After breakfast, we motored across the river to an unsteady dock, then disembarked for our 0.5 mile walk to the Caribbean.  Even though this isn’t “rainy season,” the path to the sea was very muddy, and flooded in spots!  Along the way, our guide spotted a red Poison Dart Frog - so cool, and some kind of bright yellow snake, an “Eyelash Viper,” that was actually pretty cool (he was just laying all coiled up and didn’t slither or stick his tongue out - the two things I don’t like about snakes).

We dipped our hands in the Caribbean - in two weeks, we’ll jump into the Pacific.  There was no time for swimming today, but the surf was awesome and the water was warm.

We boated back to the original dock where we met Manuel, who we were told would be “shadowing” us today - which meant he drove along in his truck, stopping about every mile.  I guess he would have been a “sag wagon” had someone needed it.  We learned later that our luggage was in the back of his truck, and that he was the husband of Yolanda that made us lunch when we got to Cimarrones.  A cool example of the jobs that the El Camino creates for Costa Ricans.

The walk was interesting - mostly roads today, some gravel, some paved.  We walked through a few small villages, where we got a glimpse into the humble lives of the villagers: small houses, open front doors and barking dogs!  We took a break at a Supermercado at about mile 5, then at mile 8 we had another break where Manuel had fresh cold fruit for us set up at a bus stop.  We walked through massive Chiquita banana plantations, then later in the day, some Dole pineapple fields.  With about 4 miles to go yet, most of us were really feeling it and conversation lagged.  At about the same time, the occasional drizzle became real rain, and we marched on.  With 2 miles to go, we came to a river crossing.  Most of us already had damp socks and boots, so some rock hopped / waded through, while most of us took off our shoes and socks and walked through barefoot.  I was glad to have my hiking sticks with the slippery rocks.  We came to a spot where we walked on the railroad track for a bit - yet another different experience, and then thankfully we saw Manuel’s truck again!  

We went into a gated area in their back yard, and Manuel and Yolanda brought out platters of food for our lunch (even though it was 5p).  We all stuffed our faces with little conversation!  After the plates were empty, Eliseo conducted a little chat, discussing the day and the couple of days to come.  He said we did great today, and said today and tomorrow (shorter hike, but a lot more elevation) are sorts of “tests” to see if the group can do Stage 3 and 4, which are in a more remote area of the country with no cell service and just a few indigenous villages (therefore, no bail out or rescue!).  I’m sure we’ll talk more about that tomorrow!!

After lunch, we were told it was just 300m to our evening accommodation, but it was more like another half mile on the other side of a busy highway.  There we met Juan, at Casa Tamamdua, an accommodation that opened just this year for Camino hikers.  It is so far beyond my expectations of accommodation – I was so pleasantly surprised!!  We have little cottages that contain just a bed with mosquito netting, a communal cold-water shower (refreshing), and a little bar and shop.  We took showers, then hung out in the communal area enjoying WiFi, playing backgammon and rubbing our sore muscles.  Dinner was served at 8pm, and most people ate again - I had just the lentil soup and banana/ ice cream dessert.  We’re going to sleep well tonight!

Hiking - 17.7 miles, 6:32 hours, 440 elevation gain

Stage 1a and 1b: Muelle Goshen to Pacuare Reserve: Embark on a wildlife excursion through the Madre de Dios River canals. Trek past banana and pineapple plantations, and savor a traditional meal at Cimarrones.

Saturday January 3, 2026 El Camino de Costa Rica Day 2

From the Uritrek Website (after just one day on the trail, I concur with the accuracy of this statement):

“El Camino de Costa Rica is more than just a physical journey; it's a transformative experience that combines adventure, cultural immersion, and a deep connection with nature. Hikers traverse rainforests, cross rivers, and climb mountains, encountering diverse wildlife and learning about Costa Rican traditions along the way. The trail also highlights the importance of sustainable tourism, supporting local communities and promoting environmental conservation.”

We all reported a good night’s sleep in our little casitas.  I’d slept with ear plugs in due to the highway noise.  I got up at 2am to walk up to the toilets, and I put on my rain jacket as it sounded like heavy rain on our tin roof, however, it was just dripping from the trees I guess?  I’d washed out the clothes I wore yesterday, and hung them in our room on my little clothesline, but to no avail – still very damp this morning!

Jeff and I packed up and we reported promptly to breakfast at 7am - didn’t want to be “those guys” holding up the group again!  Turns out it was a more casual morning today, which was great.  Eventually, we were served the traditional Costa Rican breakfast and by 8:45am we were headed out - hiking uphill most of the day.  

The day started with thick clouds, but moved in and out of drizzle as the day progressed.  It never rained hard, but we seemed to be wet all day.  The road wasn’t very travelled, not sure how vehicles would have climbed some of the hills we hiked today – besides the steep grade, there was mud, erosion and on occasion, large rocks.

We walked by a few farms, and spots where there were cattle in the fields.  Once we saw a guy with a machete that seemed to be clearing a field by hand.  Tam called out “Hola, Como Esta,” and he replied “Pura Vida,” the Costa Rican motto that translates to “good life.”  

We came upon a 4-wheeler parked on the side of the road and took a short break there (breaks were short today - nowhere to sit on the muddy, wet road).  After a bit, the men motioned for us to move on.  I thought they didn’t like us hanging around their 4-wheeler, but it turns out, they were going to use the road to move their cattle to the next pasture and they wanted us to move out of the way!  Jeff, David and I lagged back.  I heard a noise behind me and looked back and the cows (with horns) were surging up the road behind us.  For a second there, I imagined us in a “running of the bulls” scene, but they were leery of us.  After a bit, they jumped up a steep road cutting up towards the left.  It was a fun moment.

After a while, we turned off on a smaller track that was less road and more path.  We continued to climb, and the track was very muddy - sometimes with quick-sand like pools that would suck down your boot.  A few of us, me included, were smart to wear gaiters today - and because of that I purposely walked through the puddles and rivulets that were running down the path, trying to clean the muddy clay from my boots! Most of the day, I felt like I had 5-pound ankle weights on!

The clouds were low which made for limited visibility all day, but supposedly, the vistas should have been beautiful views of the flatlands and the ocean.  

We walked by a few homesteads that were very rustic - large gardens, woodsmoke likely coming from the fire in the kitchen, no electricity, dogs and kids in the yard.  Eliseo said they were indigenous people living completely off the grid.  About 2pm, we got to the outskirts of the village where we’re staying tonight (Matina), camped out in a school that reminds me a lot of the school we’d worked at last year in Guatemala.

We were met by Vivian, our hostess for the night.  She had tents set up for us - some in the classrooms, some under the awnings.  Our luggage had been dropped off by Manuel, along with a lunch prepared by Yolanda (some traditional tortilla sandwiches, like a quesadilla).  We were given the tour - two toilets and two quite rustic cold-water showers, and enjoyed lunch in the little lunchroom of the school.  During lunch, we asked Eliseo if there was a Supermercado we could walk to in order to buy beer.  He said it was 3 km away in a guy’s house.  But he texted the guy to see if he’d deliver it to us - love that!  He only had 2 six-packs, so he drove it here on his motorcycle, then drove somewhere 30 minutes away to buy some more for us.

After my cold shower, I hung out my clothesline with little hope that the stuff would actually dry!  We played backgammon, some napped, Sandra led a rambunctious game of “Avocado,” a card game she brought along.  It was still a tough hike today, but so much better to be done earlier with this time to relax!

Hiking:  9.63 miles, 5:40’, 2784’ elevation gained

Stage Two - Cimarrones to Las Brisas

Sunday January 4, 2026 El Camino de Costa Rica Day 3

Title for today’s episode is: Flailing Gringoes (Matt said, “Do you think they ever get tired of watching gringos flail?”).

Early start this morning, as it was going to be a tough day!  We were supposed to be up, eating breakfast and ready to go about 6am, but it was about 6:15am when we walked out of the gate.  I was filled with curiosity for what today would be like, as Eliseo made it sound tough - hilly, muddy and remote, with some interesting river crossings.

Just before dinner last night, a solo hiker named Steve came into the school yard.  He huddled with Eliseo and Vivian, and they let him camp with us, and also join us for dinner and today’s hike.  It’s not possible to walk the next two sections without having an indigenous guide to escort you through their land, and Steve didn’t have a plan for that, apparently!  We welcomed him into our group.  He’s from London and has done many cool sounding adventures around the world.

We hiked a mile, then we met our local indigenous guide, Anderson, and turned off the road.  We hiked down through a pasture, past a few horses and cows and into the jungle.   We were all in long pants and most had high gators on.  It wasn’t long until we were all mud-caked from the knees down.

We slipped and slid down until we crossed a river on a newer hanging bridge (still frightening to me)!  Then we climbed a bit.  The canopy was thick enough that we didn’t feel the sun, but it was very warm and humid and the sweat was dripping.  About 5 miles in, we had our first pack off break.  

Last night during our route talk, Eliseo implored us to enjoy the moment and not be looking ahead to how much further we have to go, which is always tough for me!  As I am walking, I find myself watching the miles, calculating the time left hiking today (12 miles), counting the days left hiking (11 more days of this!!!!), and looking forward to the cushiness of the yoga retreat (where we know there will be warm showers)!  As we were walking, San reminded me of the “enjoy the moment” mantra, and I tried to stay in the moment.  I also tried to focus on how lucky we were to be having this adventure - both the means to be traveling like this, and the good health that allows us to accomplish the trek!

The hike continued in the muddy jungle. Lots of ups and downs, and river crossings.  My feet were so wet, I didn’t care about carefully picking my way across the river.  Once I sat down on a rock mid-stream and washed off the outside of my gaiters, which only stayed clean for about 30 seconds.

We didn’t see any wildlife today, but we heard some beautiful birdsong in the forest, and spent a lot of time studying ants.  Once we saw what looked like small ants carrying white things, but it turns out they were WHITE ants!  We saw another “stream” of small ants, and Anderson told us you could predict the weather by the color of those ants bellies, which was a bit on the red side so that means it was going to rain (and it did, about 9pm).  My favorites though are the Leaf Cutter Ants, and Eliseo told us a lot more about their sophisticated society.  Most interesting is that there are three divisions of ants - the ones that are most visible are those that cut and carry the leaves, but they also have “guard ants” and “cleaner or QA ants.”  The QA ants you can see “riding” on the leaf, and I saw a few of those today.  Also quite interesting is that they digest the leaves and it turns into fungus, which is what they live on.  In that regard, they’re sort of in the agricultural business!!

I mostly did a good job of staying in the moment, and the mud was kind of fun.  As we approached the 12 mile / 8 hour mark however, my misery factor increased to a 9/10!  We all slipped and slid down the last hill - there were only a few of us that didn’t fall as we were all so exhausted, but no injuries and we were all very dirty anyway.  During one fall, the emergency feature on my Apple Watch activated and asked if I needed to call for help! 

What relief to finally come down to the “restaurant” where we sat in the sun, removed our gaiters, boots and wet socks.  There was a faucet that some people used to clean themselves up a bit.  We were served pork chops, casaba and rice & beans.  We also had the most delicious tea, which really revived me!  The last hour, all I could think about was my miserable wet feet!  Even though I knew it’d be yucky to put my wet boots back on, it felt heavenly to air out my feet.

Lunch at the Indigenous Restaurante

By 3pm, we were back on the muddy trail, hiking down to the Pacuare River crossing.  In Peru, we crossed a river using a manually pulled cart suspended over the river.  I was scared out of my mind, but after surviving it, I thought it was really fun. So, I was delighted to hear a similar operation would be part of our adventure today.  It was a bit different than Peru (larger cart and not as high), but still fun.  Just the same, I rode the first cart over and took photos for the rest of the crossings.

Crossing the Pacuare River

By the time that was done, we needed to climb out of the river valley and daylight was fading as 5pm was approaching!  I put my sunglasses back in my pack and pulled out my headlamp.  Yesterday on our route chat, Eliseo said today would be tough and we could do the 15 miles, and then a 4km walk on a road to our accommodations.  He suggested a Plan B would be we’d have a taxi meet us at the top of the hill and drive us to the accommodation, an option we all thought sounded terrific and not like “cheating” at all.  in addition to the extra mileage, there was also something about hiking through a pasture with bulls that didn’t sound like a good idea!  Apparently, bull fighting / running is a big deal in this part of the country!  Our taxis were waiting for us at the top, and a whole line of bulls were standing there watching us, very odd indeed!

We crammed into the taxis for the 15-minute drive into Tres Equis.  Anderson was riding on the second taxi, standing on the bumper and hanging onto the luggage rack as we bumped over the potholed road.  We dropped him at a bar, and a friend was going to pick him up on a motorcycle for his ride back to his village. 

Kent and Lynn arrived today and were waiting for us as we arrived at the accommodation.  It was dark and we were cranky - needing to get our wet boots off and wash the mud off.  We were delighted to be shown to our Cabanas with en-suite bathrooms - wow!  Towels too, but still cold water showers.  I washed my hair anyway, but it didn’t dry (like the three days worth of clothes now) and I was chilled all night.  Besides cleaning ourselves, we used the outside sink to wash gaiters and boots.

At 7:30pm, we gathered to walk down the road to a bar/restaurant where we’d been promised cheeseburgers, but alas, they were out of burgers!  We found yummy substitutes and washed them down with cold beers.  Exhausted from the long day, we hustled through the rain back to our little rustic cabanas.

Hiking:  14.81 miles, 10:22’, 3320’ Elevation Gain

Stage Three - Cabecar Nairi-Awari Indigenous Reserve

Stage Four - Tres Equis

Monday January 5, 2026 El Camino de Costa Rica Day 4

Funny how perspective changes what feels like “luxury” to me!  Our cabana was rustic, but having the en-suite bathroom and fluffy towels was heaven (never mind the cold refreshing showers)!  We were up before our 6am alarm, time to stretch and do sit-ups and push-ups, and try to pack away our wet things.

At 7am, the proprietor was doing an “artisanal chocolate” presentation, but we skipped that and joined the gang at 7:30am at the restaurant down the street for the breakfast we’d preordered.  Later in the day, I regretted ordering Huevos Rancheros, too many peppers and onions for a physical day!

Back to the accommodation, we grabbed our packs and took our morning selfie and headed out, walking up the highway.  We were glad to have Lynn and Kent along on the hike, although it still feels odd to the group to not have our buddy Gary along.

After a few hundred yards, we were taking a left turn onto a smaller road, when we saw Steve hiking DOWN the highway towards us.  He said he’d missed a turn.  George hung back and told him it wasn’t cool that he’d spent the day with us yesterday and didn’t offer a tip to Eliseo, and all of a sudden he disappeared and we didn’t see him again!  Matt described him as a “Super Tramp,” the kind of guy that tries to travel the world without paying much.

Today’s hike was a nice break from yesterday’s slogging.  We hiked roads without much traffic - only the occasional truck or motorcycle.  The weather was mostly overcast, with periods of drizzle.  We had a lot of climb today, with windy roads so you didn’t always see how high the climb would be, but we did notice the trend that the very steep sections of the road are paved in order to prevent erosion!

We passed hundreds of houses today - most with elaborate, beautiful landscaping, and of course, the obligatory barking dog (or two or three).  They all also had power, most had satellite dishes, and in the last town, all seemed to have fresh water cisterns with blue portals where the water truck must fill them - first time we’d seen that.

We had a break at about 4 miles, overlooking the village of Pacayitas.  Then we walked down to the village and stopped at a Supermercado, where people bought snacks, drinks and used the bano.  From there, we walked to the other side of town, where a woman and her two sons were set up in a little shelter with lunch for us.  It was just before noon, which was perfect for me.  It’s been a standing joke that Eliseo didn’t know that “lunch” was typically served at noon and not 5pm (or even 3pm).  Lunch was like the other day - massive veggies, meat cakes, beans and rice on a homemade tortilla, all wrapped in banana leaves.  They also gave us some kind of juice tied in plastic bags, and a snack size baggie of sugar cane to chew on (we’ve entered sugar cane territory).  The older boy took our Camino passports and gave us the stamp for Stage 5.  There are two Australian hikers that we’ve seen nearly every day.  They passed by as we were eating and we offered them leftover sandwiches, which they gladly accepted to eat later.  There was one sandwich left and people joked that if cheapo Steve came by, he wouldn’t be offered it.

From there, we climbed out of the valley and proved that we could still work up a sweat!  There were some properties for sale, and we worked up a business plan about buying one to set up a stand for Camino walkers where we’d sell drinks and paninis.  Not at all interested in doing that, but it passed the time to make some plans!  I can’t imagine trying to run a business in a foreign country - utilities and maintenance would be a nightmare!!  Not to mention, there aren’t enough Camino hikers currently to make any money, but in our plan, we’d be in on the gig early as people are just becoming aware of this experience!

At eight miles, we took another sit down break and it was heavenly, even though it had just started to rain harder.  I had just started to see a few dry spots appear on my thoroughly soaked red hiking boots, but they quickly disappeared!  We walked through a few more small, prosperous-looking villages, before getting to Turrialba and our accommodations for the night:  Cabana Vistas del Sitio.  Jeff and I chose the furthest away cabin, which made for a tough trip hauling our heavy suitcases, but it was so worth it!  We have an AFrame, with a nice deck, a sleeping loft and enough seating to host a pre-dinner party.  We took warmish showers (first in 5 days), and walked to the Supermercado where we bought beer, wine, and a small bottle of whisky.  

We headed back to the common area where we had a nice dinner - salad and pasta with meat sauce, and NO rice and beans!  After dinner, Eliseo talked us through the next two days.  Tomorrow will be much like today, but 15 miles. The next day will be another 17-mile day with an early start, as that evening we are staying in a hotel with hot showers and a laundry service.  We’ll also have the option of having a massage (yes, please) or traveling to a nearby Hot Springs - fun too.  

Hiking:  12.26 miles, 6:50’, 2623 ft gained

Stage Five - Pacayitas

Stage Six - Pacayitas to La Suiza de Turrialba

Tuesday January 6, 2026.  Day Five of El Camino de Costa Rica

It was a good night’s sleep snuggled in the loft of our cabin.  However, sometime in the night I snagged my left foot big toe nail on the blanket and the nail came off!  I knew I was going to lose it, as I damaged it on our descent down the Bright Angel Trail in the Grand Canyon last August.  Last time the nail polish was off, it didn’t look good and you could see the new nail pushing the dead one off, but there was nothing to do at that point but polish over it and see how long that would hold!  I put on my “Injinji” toe socks, even though they’re a bit damp, hoping that will give me some added cushion.

It rained all night and there was still light rain as we were packing up for the morning.  According to Google Maps, we’re on a bluff overlooking the Angostura Reservoir. However, being socked in with clouds, all we had was a slight clearing yesterday that looked like there might be water down there.  

We met for breakfast at 7am, the classic CR breakfast of eggs, rice & beans, fried plantains, fruit, and toast with peanut butter and jam (I didn’t have to use the PB that I brought)!  It was a yummy start to the day, prepared by two joyful ladies that just laugh when Eliseo flirts with them. 

After breakfast, Eliseo said he had news about our plans for tomorrow.  He said it in a way that made me think he was cancelling our night in the hotel with warm showers, laundry and massage … but he actually said the next night’s accommodations were an issue, so we’re going to stay in the hotel two nights!  Yeah!!  We haven’t quite figured him out – sometimes he has a wry sense of humor and it turns out he’s been kidding us, other times he acts like he’s delivering bad news when we think its actually great news!

By 8:15am, we were packed up and ready to go.  We walked a few blocks to town and stopped at a house with beautiful ornamentation on their patio.  Eli asked if we wanted to tour their garden - of course!  They had a greenhouse / conservancy that was amazing.  I don’t have words to describe it, and the photos won’t do it justice.  Tropical plants interspersed with orchids and bromeliads, the presentations themselves were so unique - pots hanging from other pots and wood covered with moss and plants.  A labor of love, for sure.

To get to last night’s accommodations, we had detoured off the route a bit. So, this morning, we took a “shortcut” through a sugar plantation to get back on the route. That resulted in 2 km downhill on a muddy slipsliding road again. We got to a river where others were changing into water shoes, but I just walked across to try to get some of the mud off my boots.  Then I took off my pack and went back to the river to wash off the mud off my gaiters (again). By mile three, we were back on the route and back on hard surface roads.

We walked along a fairly busy road, past a field where they were harvesting sugar cane by hand (Eli said mostly migrant workers from Honduras).  By mile five, I was dying for a break and we came upon a Supermercado with a nice courtyard with tables - perfect, much needed break!  There were two cute dogs there, putting on quite an act as they were begging for snacks.

We walked another 5 miles until our lunch spot, on the veranda of a house in the middle of nowhere - it was perfect.  We had a small piece of chicken, rice and beans, and a salad.  For dessert, we had a lump of condensed processed sugar cane.  When we were here 14 years ago, we toured a rustic sugar cane processing plant and the guys working there laughingly told us this sugar cane “candy” was their Viagra!  They also offered homemade “ice cream” for purchase, but JT, our ice cream connoisseur said it was more like frozen coconut water.

As we were finishing up, the Australian guys came in.  They had a reservation to stay there tonight, and were going to drop their stuff and walk into town for lunch.  It was funny how Eli greeted them, showed them to their room, and convinced them to stay there for lunch.  We enjoyed talking with them, and also trashing Steve a bit (he owes them money as well - he IS a Super Tramp!!).

By 2:30p, we were back on the road – with lots of up and downs.  The weather felt a little cooler, and the clouds remained.  We crossed a river over another hanging bridge, then walked along a highway that actually had lines painted on it!  We walked into the largest town we’ve been in so far, Pejibaye - it had a big Central Park, several Supermercados, and other stores.  We had some time there - George went to five different stores looking for a hairdryer (to dry out our boots) but struck out.  Dan and Tam bought beer and wine for our camp tonight.  Then it was about a 2.5 mile hike to our tent camp tonight in an Environmental High School.  We walked along a beautiful river (Rio Pejibaye) which apparently is known for its white-water rafting - it looked awesome!

Camping at the Environmental High School

We arrived at camp about 4:30pm.  There were larger tents set up in one room for the 4 couples, and the guys were in a different room.  Our room had two nice, new toilets, and two simple showers (cold water from powerful jets).  It’s a nice set up.  We set up our tent with our additional air mattresses, and it feels like it’ll be snuggly in there.  

I took a quick shower, then joined the gang in the dining area for a few rounds of the card game “Guacamole” and a lot of laughs.  We started talking about pizza and George attempted to call back to Pejibaye to order pizza to be delivered (didn’t work out).  At 6:30pm, two ladies (Karolina and Kattia) brought us food for the evening, and told us about their rafting competition.  In December, they won a gold medal in a world championship in Malaysia.  It was so much fun to meet then and hear about their experience!!

Mileage 13.82 miles, 6:33’, 1440 ft elevation gain

Accommodation:  Environmental High School, Taus CR

Stage Seven - Through Sugar Cane Fields and Pejibaye River

Beginning of Stage Eight

Wednesday January 7, 2026 El Camino de Costa Rica Day 6

The first alarm in our little tent camp went off at 5am.  I crawled out of my cocoon about 5:15, and got dressed in my slightly damp clothes and packed up my overstuffed bags again.  I am so looking forward to two nights in a hotel tonight and laundry service!! The day dawned cloudy, but not too thick - nice to start out without the drizzle we’ve had the past days.

The ladies arrived at 6am with breakfast.  No rice and beans!  Instead, we had pancakes, eggs, sausage, toast and drinkable yogurt.  Karolina told us that her 14-year-old son attends school here, and she linked UrriTrek with the school and it’s been a good boost for the school.  We were on the road hiking by 7am - slightly off the suggested schedule which was to depart at 6:30am.  

Today’s hike started at an elevation of 2326ft and climbed to 5141 ft over 11 km.  The hike was along a gravel 4x4 road, which was decent hiking.  We had a few easy river crossings and some nice up and down.  While the sun broke out a few times, mostly we had cloud cover, which was perfect for hiking.

Near the top of the hill, there were a few accommodations, and we saw a “false coral” snake nested in some construction materials.  Eli knew right away it wasn’t a Coral Snake (very venomous) because of the pattern.  Coral Snake is “red touch yellow, kill a fellow.”  This guy had red touching the black, and Eli called it a “Black Milk” snake.  Gladly, it was just a baby, as they can grow to over two meters long.  Two snake sightings so far and I’ve been okay with it!

Down the hill to lunch at an Albergue in the little village of Puricil. We arrived at 1:35pm, having hiked over 11.5 miles already.  Lunch was a slushy pineapple drink - quite yummy and a massive platter of food: fish, salad, red beans and fried plantains.  Like everyone we’ve met, the ladies were happy and friendly, and they had the most adorable 4-year-old there, Sophia, with whom it was fun to interact with.  The ladies and Sophia were all gaga over Eli.

After lunch, we had another 4 km to the hotel.  We walked along a newly paved road, but not much shoulder.  The cars gave us friendly toots and waves, and the walk was nice.  We walked past agricultural areas and coffee plantations.  Near one plantation, there were hundreds of parakeets in the trees - making a terrific racquet and flying off in formation.  It was hard to capture on video, but it was a spectacular site!!

We could see a large city in the distance, but we turned into a neighborhood and up another steep hill to our hotel for the next two nights.  I kept my expectations low, and it is a good thing.  We were greeted by very friendly staff and shown to our rooms.  Jeff jumped in the shower right away, and it’s a tricky electoral hook-up, but the water can be even too hot!  Eliseo had really played up Carlo the masseuse and the “spa room” at the hotel, and perhaps I anticipated too much in that area.  It was only a mediocre massage, but I got a big chill in the open-air room as it’s probably in the 60’s here.  The walls of our hotel are very thin, we can hear our friends / neighbors even more than we did in the tents last night!  We sent our large basket of laundry out, and it came back nice, clean and dry around 8pm - that itself is fantastic.  There is a “hot” tub, but reports came back that it was more of a “warm” tub, and when we checked out, they had to pay for using it!

We had a nice dinner, but JT and I pooped out after dinner.  The pace of our adventure seems to have relaxed a bit.  Eliseo is a fun and knowledgeable guide, and the group is getting along well - supporting each other and enjoying each other’s company.  I figured Sandra and Matt would fit it well, and they do.  Everyone loves having Matt, the Podiatrist, on the trip - he’s getting lots of business in his morning and evening foot clinics!!

As usual for me in tropical climates, I’m starting to react to multiple bugs bits.  I’ve learned to travel with Benadryl, and that’s been helping somewhat.  I’ve seen a few mosquitoes, but that isn’t what is biting me.

As I tried to go to sleep, somewhere nearby it sounded like a Motocross race happening.  In go the earplugs again - it’ll help with the snoring that will no doubt come through the walls anyway.

Mileage 14.49 miles, 3806’ elevation gain

Accomodation:  Hotel Rio Macho

Thursday January 8, 2026 - Day Seven of El Camino de Costa Rica!

Breakfast at 7am, but it was 8:30am before we stumbled out of the gate for a 1.5 mile, >1000 Ft climb - really got the heart rate going.

We set out for an easy day, 16 km (about 10 miles).  During our first break, Eliseo said he had an idea.  It’s such a nice day and we planned to spend the afternoon at the hot springs.  Since tomorrow is also a short day, he suggested we do shorter day today and a bit longer tomorrow.  We unanimously approved that idea!  It was funny that once again, he broached the subject like it was going to be bad news.

We hiked a series of steep inclines and then steep declines.  Even though the mileage was lower, it was still a tough day, especially the steep down.  There was no flat.  During his route talks, Eliseo likes to joke about “Costa Rican flat,” because there is so little flat ground in the entire country!

The day was sunny with blue skies, our first day without clouds and drizzle.  It was a beautiful day, not too hot - just right.  We’re at about 4000 ft of elevation, which makes a bit of a difference too.  Eliseo says it will be cooler now until our last day (but maybe that’s “Costa Rican cold!)!

We had several great vantage points overlooking the town of Orosi, and two active volcanos.  We turned and walked down through a large coffee plantation and past what was likely housing for their migrant workers.

About 12:15pm, we finally arrived at our van.  I was so happy to get my boots off!  I’d popped two blisters yesterday and my feet were just tired today!  We were back at the hotel for lunch at 12:45pm, along with a birthday celebration for one of the staff members.

Everyone but Kent loaded back in the van and headed to the Hacienda Mineral Springs for a good soak.  There were a series of mineral water pools going from very hot to cold.  It was AMAZING!  Just the break we needed to hike for the next 7 days.  I soaked, napped in the sun, soaked some more, then showered and changed and ordered some empanadas and a margarita.  

Hacienda Orosi Hot Springs

The hotel owner came to pick us up in his truck, with 6 of us riding in the back on a bag of dog food.  We arrived back at the hotel about 6pm, with dinner being served at 6:30p … fish, salad and rice - a nice dinner.  After dinner, six of us played a round of “Spicy Farkle” with Dan being the winner.  

Feeling good and rested as we head off to bed - seven more days of hiking!!

Mileage 7.64 miles, 1572’ elevation gain

Accomodation:  Hotel Rio Macho

Stage Eight - Tapantí Mountains

Stage Nine - Río Macho to Muñeco: the Orosi Valley

Friday January 9, 2026 El Camino de Costa Rica Day 8

I was lying in bed reading last night when I heard the sound of someone in our group vomiting.  Ugh.  I quickly put my ear plugs in and slept quite well.

This morning, we learned that both David and Kent are down with intestinal issues.  I gave Kent my Imodium and crossed my fingers that I won’t need it now!  They’re going to skip today and ride with the luggage transfer to the hostel where we’ll stay tonight.

Breakfast at 7am, then we waited around for our shuttle to where we stopped hiking yesterday.  The day started cool, but it was sunny with a beautiful blue sky, and it warmed up fast, especially since we started out by walking uphill!

We walked about three miles on a low-travelled paved road, then got to a turn off up a steep hill with a hard packed clay road.  Eliseo told us if it rained last night, we might not have been able to do this hike (we had enough experience with that a few days ago!!).  It was uphill for nearly two miles, with just some occasional leveling off.  When we neared the top, the clouds came down to meet us, and the mist was so heavy mist that we covered our packs.   As we started heading down, it felt colder, so I stopped and put my rain jacket on.  There were signs in English on both sides of the road that told drivers not to proceed - it said “your GPS and Waze are wrong - don’t come this way!”  We did see a few vehicles on the road, but they were small trucks or 4x4’s and people who obviously belonged there.  I was surprised at how many homes there were along a road like that!

The Photo Doesn't Do Justice to the Grade!!

We came to the Pan-Am highway - with trucks, motorcycles and cars flying by.  We walked along the ditch for about 300 meters, then turned off on another side road.  We were still doing a lot of up, but mostly down … nothing flat.  The rain increased a bit.  

I expected that we were hiking about 10 miles today (he always gives us the estimate for the day in kilometers) so I was pleasantly surprised when he stopped at a gate after just 8.7 miles.  He’d also described the accommodation as a “Hostel,” so my expectations were very low, but it’s a lovely place with amazing landscaping and cute little individual rooms (shared shower and toilet space).  It’s only been open for about a year and is new construction and very nice.  We were greeted by the owner, Adriana, and we dropped our gear in our rooms, shed our rain jackets and headed to the common area for lunch (yummy soup that hit the spot, pork, potatoes and a cucumber/beet salad).  After lunch, people dispersed - some to see if the showers were warm (they are) and others to nap and relax.  It was great to have these two relatively short days in a row.

After a nap, we heard laughter and voices outside and went out to see what was going on and found the group on the deck of the main house enjoying beer and wine.  We went to join them.  Sharon, the kitchen helper was preparing dinner, and Adriana was playing hostess.  She showed off three of her four cats - she’s quite a character, originally from Columbia, she used to travel to Costa Rica in her work in fashion merchandising, and then bought this place and is settling down here.  Tam fetched my Bluetooth speaker, and we moved our party to the little gazebo where our meals are served.  We danced a bit to keep warm.  It was in the 50’s, not rainy, but there was a chill in the air that made even us tough northerners put on their puffy jackets!!

Dinner was another amazing soup with garbanzo beans and a wonderful salad with chicken, followed by a passion fruit custard for dessert.  We were snuggled back into our individual rooms before 8 pm.  

8.70 miles, 4:15’, 2719’ elevation climb (we’ve now climbed just under 20,000 feet - more than the elevation of Mt Kilimanjaro)!

Saturday January 10, 2026 - El Camino de Costa Rica Day Nine

It was difficult to leave Adriana’s place today.  It was so cute and comfortable, and she was such a gracious hostess.  We had breakfast at 7:30a, a frittata with freshly baked Colombian donuts, and fresh fruit.

It was after 9am before we headed out.  Since we had a shorter hike today, we had a very relaxed feeling about the morning.  The skies were clear and the sun felt warm as we gathered around the common area this morning waiting for the others to organize their stuff.  Adriana let her 4 cats outside (all large calico, one with longer hair) and we enjoyed playing with them.  Both Kent and David are feeling better and back to hiking.

We headed downhill for the first 0.2 miles, over a river, and then began our climb.  The sky clouded over, which was good for our hiking.  I’m not sure what the altitude was at Adriana’s place last night, but we climbed up to nearly 7000’ today and mostly have stayed at altitude.  The temperatures feel cooler (60 degrees is cold) and the air is much less humid.  Also, we took more stops along the climb to catch our breath!  There were many Costa Rican’s hiking in the other direction, coming down as we were heading up.  It wasn’t clear where they were coming from or going to, but they looked chipper and fresh so I doubted they’d walked up the hill already.

At the summit, there was a gorgeous garden with thousands of hydrangeas, ornamental eucalyptus trees, and small arborvitae (they don’t have a deer problem here).  We took a quick break there, had some snacks and put on the layers we’d peeled off on the climb.  Just down from the garden, there was a man selling homemade baked goods and fresh fruit, so we took another little break there.

We continued walking up and down, but the ups weren’t as steep as what we’d done earlier.  I took my second layer off again, but put it back on after not much time.  There also was a pretty good breeze today, and that would cool us off quite fast.  There were a lot of houses along our walk today, as well as some small farms - growing coffee and passion fruit.  We weren’t quite sure of the total distance today, so we weren’t amazed when we came to tonight’s “hotel and restaurant.”

We arrived at the Cabanas Turisticas, our accommodation for the night, just after 12:30pm.  We had preordered lunch, so we had that just after arriving, along with some delicious pineapple juice, then dispersed to our individual cabins.  The cabins are quite spread out over the compound, and we were relieved that a guy loaded our bags into his SUV and dropped them off at our individual cabanas!  

We got settled in, took a warm-ish shower and then had a few hours to relax and recoup.  After my shower, I sat in the sun on our little patio for about 30 minutes before the clouds came in.  We have a terrific view of the city of Cartega in the distance, with lots of development on the nearby hillsides, including some wind turbines.  

We headed back to the restaurant about 5:30pm to see if anyone was there.  Mark was there, drinking beer alone.  The woman who seemed to be in charge was trying to start a fire in the cookstove, and Jeff took over and got it going.  I went to the kitchen and talked the cook into selling me a bottle of red wine, then Jeff, Mark and I visited around the fire until the others joined us.  

Dinner was nice - soup, fish, French fries!  The nightly route talk was interesting.  Eliseo told us that we’re going downhill from here, and our expectations for accommodations should go down too.  I didn’t want to hear that!! We were back in our cabin by about 8pm, trying to follow the Packer-Bear playoff game on my phone.  It seems a little odd to be in this remote cabin after the last several nights of being too close to our travel-mates with thin walls. It is chilly and cold, and we’ve piled all the extra blankets on the bed for the night.  I’d heard that the mountains of Costa Rica could be cold, but I just didn’t believe it.  It’s in the 50’s which sounds warm compared to what it is at home right now, but somehow, this feels really cold to us!

Hiking:  7.29 miles, 3:39’, 3027’ elevation gain (today’s range was 4750-6887’)

Stage Ten - Palo Verde del Guarco: verdant cloud forest.

Sunday January 11, 2026 - El Camino de Costa Rica Day Ten

Chilly night - we had all the blankets piled on the bed, and made it so hard to get up.  Weather.com said it was “52 but feels like 48” however, it seemed much colder than that!  Google told me that the Packers had done well until the 4^th Q, when the game fell apart for them.  Better luck next season.  We packed up and hiked up to the restaurant for breakfast.  

By 8am, we were hiking, starting up with a climb.  We hiked a 4km stretch along the Pan-Am highway, sometimes on a path in the ditch, sometimes right on the road.  Being Sunday, lots of motorbikes and traffic on the road.  

At 2.7 miles, we reached the highest point on the El Camino (7630’), on the Continental Divide.  We stopped at a gas station / restaurant for a break, a spot where the bikers stop too.  Made for great people watching!!  What a contrast to last Sunday when we hiked through the muddy jungle and only saw 4 other people all day!!

We turned off the highway, but we were still walking along a fairly busy road so we needed to walk single file.  For the first time, I put in my earbuds and listened to some soundtracks to occupy my mind, since this style of walking made conversation nearly impossible.  

It felt like we’d walked down quite a bit, and I was surprised when we took another break at a Supermercado that we were still about 7000’!  After that, we were on smaller roads where we could walk side by side, but there was still a lot of activity:  4x4’s, pickup trucks, motorbikes, mountain bikes and other hikers.

It was our first day that the sun was out all day, with no clouds / drizzle on us.  In fact, when the pavement ended on our road, it was actually loose dust and when the trucks would go by they’d choke us with dust.  

About noon, we came to a hamburger shack and stopped for burgers, fries and “milkshakes.”  It was a nice break.  Jeff and Dan discovered a pavilion with two pool tables, but it was time to go before they could finish their game.  

We still had 6 miles to hike, and I was really dragging towards the end.  Nearly 14 miles was tough after the couple of low mileage days we’ve had.  

We arrived at tonight’s hotel about 1:30pm.  Based on Eliseo’s comments last night, I tried to keep my expectations low.  We were delighted to see they had a pool (unheated), and a buffet lunch ready for us.  We grabbed some food, then got settled in our very dated but clean rooms, and headed out to the pool.  It felt great to soak our feet, but no one was brave enough to jump in.  Some of us tried to nap on the concrete chaise lounge chairs, while others (Jeff) retreated to their rooms for a proper nap.  

The showers were amazing - none of that electricity running to the shower head stuff … instead, it was just a hot and a cold knob, and it seemed to be all the hot water you ever wanted - again, the perspective of what is “luxury” strikes!!

We gathered in the pavilion for Happy Hour, and then moved our party inside as we started to get chilled.  Dinner was a buffet, much like lunch, but it was good and fast.  By 8pm we were back in our rooms, sorting our stuff and preparing for tomorrow.  We have another chance of having some clothes laundered again (speaking of luxury)!  We are sending our dirty clothes in a plastic bag with our luggage, and tomorrow afternoon we’ll pick up our clean clothes at the coffee plantation - how is that for connections?!

Might be another night for ear plugs - thin walls, barking dogs, and motorcycles out on the highway!

Hiking:  13.59 miles, 5:50’, 2213’ of elevation 

120 miles total, 23,944’ climb total!!

Stage Eleven - Camino’s Highest Point: Reach the trail’s highest elevation, with ever-changing landscapes and panoramic vistas.

Monday January 12, 2026 El Camino de Costa Rica Day 11

I made the mistake of taking out my ear plugs when the rooster crowed without checking the time (it was 4 am).  Too lazy to put them back in, I just laid around listening to a cacophony of sounds:  roosters, dogs barking, highway sounds and something banging on the roof!

For the first time, I got up and did some yoga and core work.  It was a warm sunny day when we gathered for breakfast at 7:30am.

We were hiking just after 8:30am, uphill towards the cemetery we passed yesterday (our first 0.8 mile backtrack).  We had a lot of up today, and the sun was out for much of it, so we took it slow.  I pulled out my ear buds early on, and gave one to JT, and we shared music as we slogged up the roads.  We took several breaks today - much needed for some hot spots in my feet today.

We took our first break about mile 4 at a “Coffee Receiver” which measures how much coffee the farmer delivers to the cooperative.  Eliseo tried to explain the process to us, but it got a little lost on me.  The one thing that made an impression with me is that after processing, 256 kg of the red coffee fruit will net out to 47 kg of coffee beans.  He also told us about the function of the different plants we see planted with coffee to provide nutrients to the soil.  For example, banana plants add Potassium to the soil.

We passed quite a few more “Coffee Receivers” throughout the day, as well as small settlements that were primarily housing for the workers in the coffee plantations.  There were a few adorable kids hanging out outside the houses and we’d wave and say “hola” and usually get a shy smile and a small wave back.  Once we got a “como estas?”

There wasn’t much traffic on the roads today - just a few trucks dropping off workers in the coffee groves.  Despite the heat, they were wearing long pants, long sleeves and big rubber boots … except for a few indigenous women who were wearing brightly colored dresses.  As the day went on, some of the workers were sitting along the side of the road, undoubtedly on their “lunch break.”  It made me sad to see pretty small kids presumably working alongside their parents. 

We hiked down to a river with a fairly easy rock hop to get across.  At that point we were just short of 2000’ elevation gain for the day, so I joked we needed to climb a bit more to surpass that!  Boy was I sorry - before we got to the next little village with a Supermercado stop, we’d climbed another 700’!!  At the store, I bought a Gatorade, and two small chocolate ice cream sandwiches.  Jeff and I split an electrolyte drink about halfway, but with as much as we sweat today, we could easily split the Gatorade.  Tam and Matt bought some beer, and they divided it up to carry it down the hill.

Eli said it was just “a couple hundred” meters to our accommodations for the night, but we always take that with a grain of salt!  The group had to stay close as he was going to take us in the “back entrance.”  The lead group made the turn but then missed the next turn.  It was a narrow and complicated path system with no markers - it’s a wonder Eli could find his way!  

Eli described tonight’s accommodation as a little rustic, but with the best food on the whole Camino!  So far, that’s a perfect description.  We were greeted by the couple, and they’d prepared our lunch for us:  lentil soup, roasted chicken, rice and salad, with rice pudding for desert.  They’re a couple from San Jose, and have been living out here for 22 years.  They have a “bunk house” in an old barn, and have 4 small two-bed rooms elsewhere on the property.  Near our room is a newer shared “toilet / shower” set-up, offering amazing views of the jungle while you’re enjoying your cold water shower!  Most of us jumped into the cold showers while we were still hot and sweaty.  We’re still at 5280’ elevation, so we expect the evening will be cool.

At 4:30p, we gathered to walk to a nearby coffee plantation for a demonstration and tour.  We had seen interesting coffee tours in Peru and Tanzania, but this was something altogether different!!  For days, we’ve been seeing large coffee plantations, and this was a family run operation “Fabarzu - “family and tradition,” and their processing seemed quite archaic … simple machines and a lot of PVC pipping.  A young man, Mathias (fifth generation) came out to show us the operation, although it was largely Eli doing the explanation.  Grandma and Grandpa came out to watch and add a few things here and there.  Eli strapped on a picking basket (laundry basket) and a few of us walked up on the hillside with him to pick the coffee “cherries.”  It wasn’t too hard to pick off the trees, but we learned the quick pickers will fill the basket in 30 minutes, and fill 30 baskets in a day!!

They showed us how the coffee cherries are washed, and then a one-day fermentation to make it soft and get the coffee bean out.  Another process is to seal it and let it ferment for a week; it has a different taste and they call it “anaerobic.”  Then the beans dry on beds in the sun for a week (covered with tarps if it’s raining).  When the beans are gold, they’re ready to be roasted.

Lynn Picking Coffee Berries

We walked towards the house, past a barn, being careful not to step in cow pies.  We heard grunting in the barn, and grandma asked if we wanted to see the baby pigs - well of course we did!!  They were adorable, but it was hard to see how the adult pigs were so confined they could hardly move!

Then we went into the little shop, where we were fed homemade bread and had a presentation of coffee grinding and preparation. They keep 20% of the coffee to sell in their shop, they rest they sell to the cooperative in cherry form.

Mathias’s dad came in to do the presentation, in Spanish, with Eli interpreting.  I was happy with how much I could pick up.  He made a big deal out of HOW to prepare the coffee, and did one style using a Stanley French Press like mine, and another two batches using a pour over technique.  He had a scale where he was weighing out the beans, and a hand-grinder as the degree of grinding is critical according to him - too fine and the coffee will be bitter.  He also added the water for the pour over just a little at a time, so the water has just the right amount of contact with the grounds.  All quite interesting.  I liked their “natural” coffee via French press the best.  However, I don’t do caffeine these days, and drinking coffee at 6pm might not bode well with sleep tonight, we’ll see!  Besides the coffee, grandma made three types of bread and had samples for us.  She makes bread that is sold in local markets in the area.  Quite the entrepreneur, she also did our laundry for $5 a bag, and had the bags of now clean clothes that our driver, Allan brought her this morning!  

About half of us were smart enough to bring headlamps, as we walked back to our camp for tonight in the dark, down a steep hill, most of us in Chacos.  Dinner was delayed, because we’d taken so long on our coffee tour!

We had dinner at about 7pm, some kind of beef and vegetables.  Jeff and I hung out in the dining area and played a round of backgammon before heading off to bed.  People were reporting what kind of spiders were in their sleeping quarters; not great before heading off to bed!  We’re still about 5000’ and the night had cooled off significantly, so Jeff and I opted for snuggling together in the single bed to keep warm.  Earplugs and Benadryl helped to ensure a good night’s sleep!

Hiking. 8.93 miles, 4’30”, 2724’ elevation gain 

Stage Twelve - Pacific Side Welcoming: Begin the Pacific section of Costa Rica, and explore the region’s premier coffee plantations.

Stage Thirteen - Finca Lirios in Zona de los Santos

Tuesday January 13, 2026:  Day Twelve El Camino de Costa Rica

After dinner last night, Eli gave us a preview of the next two nights.  Unfortunately, they’re all going to be as “rustic” as this one, perhaps even more rustic?!  It’s amazing how a few days of relative luxury (enclosed cabins or rooms, warm showers) has made me spoiled.  Now faced with three nights of roughing it, I’ve got to dig deep!  

Our little room had two single beds. We used one for our suitcases and snuggled into the second bed in a nest of blankets.  It was another chilly night, not sure how cold as there is no signal here and we had a little WiFi yesterday afternoon but it doesn’t seem to be working now.  But we slept well snuggled in our nest.

Breakfast was at 7:30am, scrambled eggs and pancakes (with maple syrup and peanut butter).  Yummy.

It seemed to be a lazy morning and there was time to stretch in the dewy grass as we waited for the rest of the group to get ready.  It was 8:45am as we were taking our selfie and headed up the hill towards the family coffee farm, and onto to the paved road. 

We climbed the hill and then had our first glimpse of the ocean (using a bit of imagination).  Most of today was downhill, and our pace was faster.  At about three miles, we took a break at a little park in the only town we walked through today.  

It seemed like it didn’t take long until we were mostly out of coffee territory and into grazing land for cattle.  Still no flat areas, but the terrain was different.  We mainly walked along gravel roads that seemed to be carved into the hillside - drop-offs on the edge and lots of areas that had been repaired after avalanches!  

At seven miles, I begged for another break - needed a snack and to air my toes out for a bit.  We arrived at today’s rustic “tent camp” about 1:30pm.  There are four double tents and three single tents on raised platforms.  The tents have bed-like mattresses, pillows and blankets.  We’re down to 3000’ elevation now, so it should be a little warmer this evening.

Our camp hosts are a man and his sister; she’s cooking over a wood-fired stove and served us an amazing lunch of pork, rice, beans, salad and homemade tortillas.  From the common area, there are tables and benches and we found ourselves sitting in “classroom” style enjoying the view of the Pacific Ocean.  

After lunch, people headed to the showers - they have 4 shower stalls, with shower heads (instead of just a pipe) and a shower base set in concrete.  Also 4 fairly new toilet stalls in the same “bathroom” area.  We hung clotheslines to try to get some clothes to dry, and some napped, George worked, I tried to update yesterday’s blog and our host made us fresh pour over coffee and served a yummy dense cake.  

We have some power at the camp, but of course no WiFi, but I do have some cellular service.  We’d hoped to have an amazing sunset over the ocean, but about 5pm a cloud came in again.

GUACAMOLE!!

We continued to hang out and about 5:30pm the sky cleared enough for a gorgeous sunset.  We had a spaghetti dinner and some good laughs.  Lynn videotaped Eliseo doing some of his animal sounds and it set off Bobby, the dog went crazy - it was hysterical!

We had spaghetti with shredded chicken and vegetables for dinner, and rice pudding for dessert.  Amazed by the food they’re putting out in this kitchen!

The route talk was a little intimidating.  Tomorrow’s distance will be the same, but it’ll be hot and humid.  The next day (last day) we’ll have to do 15 miles, and be done by noon … hopefully this gang will get it together for an earlier start!

Hiking:  10.4 miles, 4:30’, 832 ft of elevation (5560 ft - 2968 ft).

Stage Fourteen - Nápoles de Tarrazú to Naranjillo: Witness the first glimpses of the Pacific Ocean, with some of the trail’s most impressive views.

Wednesday January 14, 2026 - Day 13 El Camino de Costa Rica

Everyone reported a good night’s sleep in the tent camp.  While it was very rustic, it was such an awesome experience.  Amazing food produced in their little camp kitchen!!  Breakfast was rice and beans, this time blended with a yummy spice, scrambled eggs, pancakes and fruit.  They also packaged warm empanadas and fruit for us to take for snacks - good for me because out of my large bag of snacks, I only have one small bag of trail mix left which I intended to save for our 15-mile push tomorrow.

It was a beautiful clear day, with a great view of the ocean looking down on Quepos.  By 7:50am, most were packed up and ready to go.

We set off at a pretty good pace and the first three miles clicked by fast, walking and chatting with Sandra and Tam.  The day heated up fast, and the downhill was killing me, so I slowed down after that.  We went from 3000’ elevation to about 700’, however, due to “Costa Rica Flat” we also climbed 1076 feet!

We continued downhill - agony.  All the while, I couldn’t imagine how we’re going to do 15 miles tomorrow in this heat, and finish before 1pm.  Time will tell!

We took a sit-down break where a river was crossing over the gravel road.  Some people dipped their heads in the cool water.  While we were sitting there, the guy from our place last night drove through with our luggage in the back.  I ate my empanada snack and some fruit.   I was at the back of the pack when Eliseo was standing by the gate of the Esquipulas Rain Forest, our accommodations for the night (I thought we were going ten miles, so it was a delightful surprise).  It was just noon, so we had some cold water and grabbed our bags and went off to our accommodation before lunch was served at 12:30p.  They have a tent camp set up, but we could choose to “upgrade” to what Eli called at tee-pee, but was more of a platform tent with a bed, or there were two cabins.  No one else wanted a cabin, so Jeff and I happily took it.  It’s the closest thing to a hotel from all of our accommodations so far - two beds, 4 towels (!) and a hot shower (with that odd little electrical hook-up).  

We had a nice lunch, and just as we were finishing up a group of serious bird watchers came in for lunch - decked out in safari wear, with cameras and binoculars slung around their necks.  As we were goofing off on our private platform last night, Eli told us that we’d have to be respectful of the bird watchers at this place (there are feeders all around the open air restaurant so they attract quite a few pretty species here).

After lunch, most of us took a short walk across the street, through a gate and down to the Rio Naranjo, where we had the opportunity to go into a waterfall and swim in the river.  It felt fantastic after such a hot hike!  Back at the lodge, we bird-watched and drank some cold beer.  Starting this morning, the deafening sound of the cicadas came out - must just be at this lower altitude, and I recall them from previous years at the yoga retreat.  Mostly, I can tune them out, but they’re so very loud!!

We lounged around for the rest of the afternoon, played some backgammon but mostly visited and drank a few beers.  We had a yummy dinner, marlin with veggies and mashed potatoes.  After dinner, we all shared what we liked about the trip, how it met our expectations, etc.  We mostly shared the same sentiments: great group, fantastic leader, wide variety of accommodation and meal experiences, and the highlights of the coffee tour, the sunset last night, the animals and the people.  Eliseo said he was glad that we understood the cultural value of the trek, seeing how simply most Costa Ricans live, and being able to support them with our patronage.

Early to bed as we have 5am breakfast and plan to be hiking by 5:30am!

Hiking:  8.7 miles, 3:47’, 1076’ elevation gain

Stage Fifteen - Naranjillo to Pacific Coast: Transition through varied terrains from mountainous to coastal landscapes.

Thursday January 15, 2026:  El Camino de Costa Rica Day 14!

Figures that the night we upgraded our lodging was my worst night of sleep!  Scratchy sheets and concrete like pillow!  Plus some anxiety about waking early (4:30a) and the long hot day ahead of us, with a deadline to be completed about noon!!

We had breakfast at 5am - eggs and dry toast (unfortunately I’d used up my peanut butter yesterday).  We were hiking by 5:45am and I was a little frustrated in standing around waiting for some to get ready – we could have been out 20 minutes earlier.

We started out fast, trying to get as much distance as we could before it got hot!  We took a quick break at 3 miles, at that point we were walking through a town and on a fairly busy road with many cars, buses and bicycles.  I was glad when we turned off into the country again where we found pastures of cows and mostly shaded lanes.  

About 6 miles in, we were in another town and stopped at a bakery for a break.  Jeff and I shared a cinnamon roll and a bottle of OJ, not the best choice but it was gooey and good!

About 10 miles in, we walked along a busy highway for a bit and then turned into a grove of African Palm trees.  I figured we were near the Quepos airport as I remembered the vast field of palms from when we’d flown in and out of their little airport previous years.  It was amazing how big the fields seem when you’re walking dirt roads through them, the road was rocky and potholed, but at least it was mostly shaded.  We took another short break in the green space in what seemed to be migrant housing.  They were actively harvesting the seeds, which are in a massive heavy ball.  There were a few lying in the road, so we got to examine it up close.  They harvest them by climbing a flimsy ladder with a pole saw!  We’d hear a big “thunk” as another ball fell to the forest floor.  They’d load those into large trucks to take to the processing plant outside of Quepos.

We exited the palm forest and walked along a busy highway again, with occasional space for walking.  Traffic was flying by and there was no shade and we were hot.  We took a left at a road that said 2km to Quepos = I tried to not get excited as I didn’t know how that compared to where we were going in Quepos!!  That road had a narrow sidewalk, and we walked by businesses such as automotive shops and tourist excursion places.  Somehow above the traffic noise, Eli heard a squirrel monkey in the woods across the road and most crossed the road to look for it, but JT and I just kept plugging along.  Too hot and bothered to stop.

George and Eli passed us and we continued our slog.  All of a sudden, George broke into a run as he’d spotted his wife, Kimberly, up ahead.  She and a friend flew to Quepos yesterday.  We caught up and there were high fives and hugs all around.  We walked another 100 yards to the QUESPOS sign.  George and David went down to the water and had a swim.  The rest of us changed out of our boots into Chacos and into our white UrriTrek t-shirts for a final photo.

Then we walked about another block to the bar/restaurant for a celebratory lunch.  We had margaritas and cold beers, and some of us had the burgers we’d been dreaming about for two weeks.  As usual, Dan wrapped up our adventure with a poem that I’ll try to transcribe later.

Jeff and I both decided that our heavy, hot, and slightly still muddy boots didn’t need to make the trip home with us.  He asked the waiter if someone at the restaurant wanted the boots.  The waiter held them up to his foot and was excited to have them.  I handed him my boots as well.  They were great backpacking boots, but too hot for most of this hike, and I hope they’ll have a good life with someone here.

Kimberly had a rental car, so George drove Sandra, Matt, Mark and Eli to the airport for their hop to San Jose.  Sandra said it was just the second time Eli flew in his life and he was nervous and excited.  San and Matt will fly back to St Paul tomorrow.

George then took Dan and Kent to pick up a second rental car.  The rest will stay at a friend of George’s place in Dominical, then fly home on Sunday.

Dejuan came from the Imiloa Retreat Center and picked us up for the 30-minute ride to Imiloa to start our Yoga and meditation retreat.   We’d forgotten how steep the drive up the mountain was - almost steeper than some of the stuff we’d just hiked!  It felt like such a relief to arrive - we were greeted with warm scented moist towels and a cold mock-tail.  Jesus walked us to our room and gave us a bag for our dirty laundry.  It was like walking into paradise - I’d thought about this amazing room so many times over the last 14 days!!

We quickly showered and made it to the Opening Circle at 3:30p, and found a nice mixture of new people and others we’d met on previous retreats.  We hung out at the pool with another mock-tail and met some of the new attendees, then went down to our first vegan Imiloa dinner - then back up to bed as we were EXHAUSTED!!

Hiking:  13.84 miles, 4:35’ (<20’/mile pace!), elevation 726 feet

Stage Sixteen - Culmination at the Pacific Ocean: Conclude your journey with a celebration by the Pacific Ocean.

Dan’s Poem (Hiker #7):

Camino de Flailing Gringos

But first, an Ode to a Friend:

This New Year, we’re missing Gary,

He should be here with all his cheer,

He has no fear, we’re shedding a tear,

He drinks no beer and shines big cheer,

We’ll see you Gary, in the New Year.

A wonderific way to start 2026,

Traipsing in exotic land, and lots of pics.

Oh, the birds of different feathers,

Flying around all kinds of weathers!

Toucans, tanigers, parakeets, and hawks,

Montazumans, Ketzels, blessing our walks.

“These boots were made for walking ….”

Plants that cure, Ants endure,

Bellies predicting rain for sure.

Jackass beaters, hot lips too,

Poor-mans umbrella, and clueless, me and you.

“The long and winding road that leads us to …”

Barking dogs, with gates and fences,

Poison frogs, awaken our senses.

Gold medal powers and suicide showers,

An abundance of beautiful flowers.

“Raindrops keep fallin’ on my head …”

Muck, ooze, gunk and sludge,

Memories of this quest will never budge.

But the beeps and waves from our Costa Rican faves,

Gave us a lift on some very tough days.

“Slip sliding away …”

A big notch in suffering’s belt,

Bug bites that left many a welt.

Raccoon stories and reliving our glories,

Wine by the bottle,

A sporadic weak throttle.

“Take me to the river, drop me in the water …”

Songs of plenty, ‘cept this little ditty:

“Now old Matt Tucker he’s a fine old man,

Drying his socks in a frying pan,

Combed his hair with a wagon wheel,

And he cried with a toothache in his heel.”

“I can see clearly now, the rain is gone …”

Down we flew for the jungle view,

Then looked up - wait, those colors too.

Costa Rica and America, who knew?

We both rock the Red, White and Blue!

“Celebrate good times, C’mon …”

Now all good trips eventually end,

Yet, on Eliseo, we came to depend.

For leadership, humor and flair,

With a kindness beyond compare.

Each of you made this trip a delight,

Even when we had no clue what was right.

Oh, and Costa Rica flat (laugh like Eliseo).

Muchas Gracis 

Day / Date	Destination / Accommodation	Stats	Highlights
1 – Jan 2, 2026	Siquirres: Casa Tamamdua Refugio (Juan)	17.7 mi 440’ climb	Boat ride to the sea; Sloth; Banana and Pineapple Plantations; “lunch” at Manuel & Yolanda’s house; first cold shower!
2 – Jan 3, 2026	Escuela Las Brisas (Vivian)	9.6 mi 2784’ climb	Muddy road through indigenous area; motorcycle beer delivery; Steve arrived
3 – Jan 4, 2026	Cabanas el Paso del Viento (ensuite bath) – Tres Equis	14.8 mi 3320’ climb	“Flailing Gringos;” Crossing the Pacuare River in a cable cart; hiking until dark; Lynn & Kent joined us that evening
4 – Jan 5, 2026	Cabana Vistas del Sitio – near Turrialba	12.3 mi 2623’ climb	Lunch at a bus stop from a local family; Best bananas ever; Pre-dinner party in our little A-frame; Matt microwaved his socks; First warm showers
5 – Jan 6, 2026	Environmental High School near El Humo	13.8 mi 1440’ climb	Sugar cane fields; Family lunch stop in Jimenez; Karolina and Kattia (rafting champions)
6 – Jan 7, 2026	Hotel Rio Macho - Paraiso	14.5 mi 3806’ climb	Lunch at Albergue in Puricil; Parakeet flyover; Massage(?) and Laundry
7 – Jan 8, 2026	Hotel Rio Macho	7.6 mi 1572’ climb	Hiked through coffee plantation; afternoon at the Hot Springs
8 – Jan 9, 2026	Adriana’s Hostel in El Guarco	8.7 mi 2917’ climb	Warm soup for lunch!  Needed puffy jackets for dinner.
9 – Jan 10, 2026	Cabanas Turisticas	7.3 mi 3027’ climb	Lots of day hikers; Cloud forest; over 7000’ at the Continental Divide
10 – Jan 11, 2026	Hotel Palenque - Tarrazu	13.6 mi 2213’ climb	Hamburger stop; Unheated pool; warm showers; Buffet lunch, dinner and breakfast
11 – Jan 12, 2026	Rustic cabins – Trapiche de Tono	8.9 mi 2724’ climb	Coffee Plantations; Fabarzu Coffee tour; Laundry, Cold shower with a view
12 – Jan 13, 2026	Campamento el Paraiso	10.4 mi 832’ climb	Tent camp hosts and food cooked on cast-iron stove; sunset
13 – Jan 14, 2026	Esquipulas Rain Forest	8.7 mi 1076’ climb	Bird watching, TeePee upgrades, waterfall and river swimming
14 – Jan 15, 2026		13.8 miles 726’ climb	Reached the pacific, burgers and drinks and a sad good-bye.
		162 miles 29,500’ climb

Imiloa Institute Yoga and Meditation Retreat

January 15-21, 2026

When times got rough last week, thinking of Imiloa was what got me through.  It is the 4th consecutive year Jeff and I have attended Andrea Russell’s retreat here, so we knew we could count on it being the right mixture of relaxation and Costa Rican Luxury (still lots of spiders and crawlies!!).

We’ve stayed in the same 200+ year old Bali House, Patoo, each year.  Andrea is gracious enough to allow us to register first and secure it. It’s got a comfy bed and hot shower (in fact, we each took three showers within our first 24 hours), the most awesome feature is that its built on stilts over the jungle, with an amazing view of the Pacific Ocean (700+ feet above sea level).  The yellow-billed toucans hang out in the nearby tree and wake us up every morning and sing good-night as the sun sets.  A pair of parrots usually fly in each morning as well.  For the first time this year, I’ve been awakened at about 5am by a group of Holler Monkeys (haven’t yet seen them though).  Imiloa partners with a natural preserve and serves as an area where rehabilitated animals can be relocated, so you never know what you’ll find here!

Yoga Space

The structure of the retreat is a comforting routine:  noble silence (no talking from when you get up until 9am), meditation, workshops, yoga, beautifully presented and delicious vegan food, and great conversations with the 30 or so other participants.  As usual, there are just 5 guys, the rest women - some attending with family members, some with friends, others just solo.  We know about half of the participants from previous years, and have met some interesting newbies.  This year also had some Madison-based “celebrities,” Rob Starbuck, a retired CBS local news anchor and his wife, Joy Cardin, the now-retired host of WPR’s Joy Cardin Show!  They are really delightful people.

For the first two full days, we just hung out at Imiloa during our free time.  We had massages on Friday afternoon, on our deck with the jungle noises and breezes - it was heavenly.  On Saturday, we hung out at the pool, reading, napping and visiting with others who also chose not to go to the beach.  In the late afternoons, we’d head down to the main dining area for a snack and backgammon … we are still eating to make up for calories burned last week.  The yoga sessions have been great for stretching out our tired muscles, but the “chair pose” is really though on the quads!!

The days flew by and soon it was Tuesday, and my mind kept going to the logistics of travel on Wednesday.  That “restlessness” is what I’m really trying to work on - stay in the jungle, stay on the river, savor the moment - it’s all we really have!

Overnight Rain Brought the Frogs Out

The workshops have been interesting and thought provocative for me this year (JT is sitting them out).  Rather than an Ayurveda lecture, it’s more of a philosophical discussion.  Everyone comes here with such different wiring, and a few with some significant issues they’re trying to work through.  It leaves me wondering if my “fundamental okayness” is my true self, or if I’m repressing or denying greater emotions, but then I think I’m over thinking things and why not just be okay with being okay?  More to unpack there for sure.  However, it speaks to the way we’re trying to deal with JT’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis and some other medical issues - why worry about what life is going to be like in the future, and waste the time we have today?

We talked our way into an additional massage Tuesday afternoon.  Jesus found Kelly who was willing to make the trip up the hill for a 60-minute deep tissue massage for each of us.  Jeff cut lunch short and went up for his massage first.  Kelly - was amazing and even though I was during the second hour, it didn’t appear to have weakened the strength of her hands at all!  It truly was the best massage I’ve ever had.  About 45 minutes in, I’d flipped over to my back and she was working on the knots on my shoulders.  I lay there hearing the songs of the birds and the jungle, feeling the gentle breeze and was more relaxed than I think I’ve ever been in my life.  I thought about all the things in my life that led me to being in this blissful state in paradise today - a sometimes rough, and winding road for sure … but wow, what a lucky girl I am!!

Then I had to break my reverie, and I hustled to shower and get ready for the Closing Circle at 3:30pm.  The Closing Circle was as usual, people talking about what they got most out of the retreat, and a few breaking into sobs over some issue that wasn’t apparent to me.  Glad they are finding their way to peace though!  After that, we had “mocktails” around the pool, enjoyed the last sunset and headed down to our final dinner.  We lingered for a while after dinner, extending our conversation with Gloria and Claudia, two friends that met through a yoga instructor who introduced them to Andrea virtually … this was the first time they’d actually met her.  Interesting to hear how some yoga instructors are connected and have a following across the nation.

Back to our room, we packed our suitcases for the second to last time, and marveled again at how nice it was that we had the last six nights in one place and were no longer packing every morning!  

Wednesday morning, we were up before six, finished packing and headed down to our last morning silent meditation.  However, a landscaper didn’t get the message and was below us hacking bamboo with a machete!  Andrea finally yelled “Alto, Por Favor” and he mumbled something and walked off.  We were up having breakfast by 7:45am and we were allowed to talk.  We sat across from Keith and Michelle and heard their amazing biotech story … they were about the only people we hadn’t yet connected with on the retreat.  

Then it was time to load into the taxi’s for our 30-minute ride to the Quepos Airport, and our quick flights in little planes to San Jose.  There we said our final goodbyes to everyone and had about a 4-hour wait for our flight to Drake Bay as the noon flight was full.  We passed the time with snacking (empanada de carne, M&M cookie and peanut M&Ms from the snack bar), backgammon, and reading.

They actually called our 3pm flight about 2:30pm, and therefore we arrived at the Drake Bay airport about 30 minutes early (days later I received the email from Sansa Airlines about the time change – good thing we were there).  Jeff and I sat on the double seat behind the pilots. I had a “want to watch but don’t want to watch” feeling about that!  It was a bit unnerving when we flew into the clouds, but I could see on the altimeter that we were over 9000 ft so I figured we were above the mountains.  When we got over the ocean, the sky cleared up and it was beautiful seeing the beaches of Dominical, and the “whale’s tail” of Uvita.  It had been chilly at the airport, and Jeff put his light puffy jacket on!  Once we landed in Drake’s Bay, we were greeted by warmth and humidity - much more than what we’d experienced at Imiloa.

We landed and our driver was there, even though we were early.  He had his daughter, grandson and son-in-law with him and the son-in-law spoke great English.  He told us he’s from many generations in this area, and has a 9 hector plot of land.  He lives here for three months, and they live in Maine the rest of the year.  He also told us that the village of Drake Bay has about 1000 Costa Ricans, and now has about 500 non-ticos that live here - mostly European (Netherlands, and Germany) and USA.

They dropped us at the beach, where the tide was in and there was hardly any beach (full moon).  We successfully navigated the wet landing, and we were delighted to arrive at Aguila de Osa just before 4pm where Martina greeted us with wet towels and cold drinks!  Since this is our third consecutive year here, we didn’t need a lot of orientation, so we made her job easier.

Welcome to Aguila de Oso

January 21-24, 2026. Aguilla de Osa, Drake Bay

I went into our bathroom after dinner and had my first loud shriek of the trip, which is pretty amazing after 21 days in Costa Rica.  This was prompted by a beautiful (I later appreciated that) but big (4” across, mostly legs) reddish spider.  Lucky for me, JT dispatched it.  I felt bad about that later, but jeeze, it was so big and scary!

We had a lovely first evening at Aguilla.  We had before dinner snacks with a couple from Switzerland (Daniel and Tamara - no kidding), they’re on a three-week driving tour of Costa Rica.  Speaking English and Spanish (and French and their local dialect, German) - super impressive!  He showed us a picture of a catfish he caught in a canal in Switzerland that was 2 meters long!  

At dinner, we joined a table with a family from the UK (a couple and her parents who they invited along after they saw the cost of rental car and accommodations).  They were fun to talk to, and the camaraderie is really what we enjoy about Aguilla!  Bradd, the owner of the property, wasn’t here when we arrived, and we were told he’d be returning that evening or the next morning.  As we finished our dinner, I heard his voice behind us and we spent about 30 minutes catching up with him and meeting another guy named Neil that swears he knows Jeff.

We awoke Thursday morning to heavy rain, but with nowhere we had to be, it was kind of nice.  We slept in, and headed to breakfast after 8am.  There we visited with a couple from Toronto, who were headed out later this morning.  They showed us a photo of a giant ray they saw diving off of Cano Island yesterday - about 6 feet across!

The rain dissipated and it became an overcast day with some patches of blue.  We sat on our porch and watched the boats come and go, while we played two matches of backgammon (we’re on an all-JT trend currently).  I went into the room and did my exercises and some yoga, while Jeff sat on the porch and read.  At 12:30p, we went down to lunch - a delicious salad with fresh tuna.  We sat with Neil and heard more about his experience as a photographer, specializing in sailboats and rafting.  He still thinks he’s met Jeff before, but we failed to come up with a connection!

Throughout the day, I still struggled with my sense of urgency and restlessness.  It’s so hard for me to do nothing, but what a luxury, right?!  After lunch, Jeff went in to take a nap and I sat on the porch, reading and doing my Duolingo Spanish lessons.  About 3pm, I went in to wake him up to see if he’d walk the path / go to the beach with me.  We set out about 3:30pm.  It was the first time we had our hiking poles for this adventure, and what a difference it makes.  Usually, he’s foraging for sticks in the jungle to help us with our balance.  The trail wasn’t too muddy despite the heavy rain, but has a lot of rocks, roots and decaying vegetation which make navigating the path occasionally treacherous.

We arrived at the first beach, Cocalito Beach about a half mile into our trek.  The tide was in so the beach was smaller than we’d ever seen it, and the waves looked fun and fantastic.  I’d been feeling like a slug, and wanted to walk a little further just for the exercise, then come back and swim.  We walked to the camping resort, which is 2 miles from Aguila, so 4 miles roundtrip.  There are always some guys hanging out there offering to harvest coconuts, and we watched a guy climb a palm tree and toss about a dozen coconuts to the beach, before shimmying back down the tree! 

With all our loitering, we didn’t pay attention to the time, and it was nearly dark before we arrived back at Aguila!  Quick showers, then down for drinks and dinner.  Bradd asked us to join him for dinner, and we had a lovely evening catching up.

Friday, I got up and did some meditation and yoga before breakfast, then we headed to the beach.  It was forecast to be cloudy and wet, but it had turned into a gorgeous day.  We walked just to Cocalito and we swam in the great waves, napped and both got a little sunburn (a great souvenir).  We walked back to Aguila for lunch, then lazed around all afternoon until it was cocktail time.  We had dinner with some new arrivals: a couple from Vancouver BC and another couple from the UK.  They wanted to talk about politics and the differences in the various governments.  Matt should have been here as he loves that kind of talk, but we were trying our best to avoid it.

Last Night

Up early Saturday morning for our travel day.  Since Thursday, we had been ignoring messages from Delta regarding the storm that was due to impact travel in the south and eastern parts of the US.  The last two years had been an adventure getting home from Costa Rica, so we decided to not to sweat it – what would be would be.  We had breakfast at Aguila, and another chat with Bradd.  We had our hats on for traveling, and Bradd complemented how good Jeff looks in a hat.  Bradd said he doesn’t, but he has a cool white hat that he wanted to gift to Jeff.  He went and fetched it, and although it was a bit big (and heavy), Jeff didn’t feel like he could say no, so he stashed his blue hat in his pack and wore the white hat home.  I paid our bar bill and left a generous tip for the amazing Aguila staff, and we told them all we’d see them next year.

We started out in shorts and Chacos, since the first leg of our journey was a water taxi to the beach, plus it was still quite warm in Drake Bay.  We had a short boat ride to the beach.  Jeff jumped off the boat first, and I was able to jump off without getting wet feet.  A guy from the resort brought our bags to the same taxi that brought us here, and also a jug of water and a towel so we could wash our feet.  My feet were dry, but the taxi driver poured water on them anyway, and then they were wet!  It was about a 20-minute drive to the Drake Bay airport – bumpy, potholed roads.   Our flight was delayed, so we had about an hour there.  I sat in the sun and dried my feet and sandals again.

We had a fun 30-mintue flight to SJO, and a quick walk to the International Airport.  We changed into our pants, then checked our suitcases and I checked my backpack too.  Through security, we saw California Pizza and decided to have a salad and that pizza we’d been thinking about for weeks, washed down with one last Imperial beer.  Then we walked and I stopped at Starbucks and JT had an ice cream, before heading to the gate for some backgammon and people watching.

We arrived in Atlanta about 7pm, on time, and ahead of the storm.  Six hours later it would have been a different story.  We cleared customs, rechecked our bags and went to the C terminal Delta Club that was just next to our gate.  There we snacked a bit and played a little more backgammon.  The flight to Madison was on time with no issues.  Just after 10pm, we collected our bags in Madison, donned our puffy jackets and added socks under our Chacos.  I couldn’t get my Uber app to work, but we walked to the taxi stand and found a van waiting there all warmed up and ready to take us home.  Amazing to think about how far we’d travelled today and how smoothly it all went.

It took us a few days to settle back in at home.  It was very cold – around zero for the high so we mostly avoided being outside.  The news we’d been avoiding was everywhere, and terribly sad – ICE raids in Minnesota, and two people killed while protesting, the president looking like a stupid fool on the international stage, etc.   It took two days to work through all our laundry as I felt the need to wash everything.  My skin missed the humidity, and we were both a bit itchy from the aftereffects of our sunburn.  Mostly, we spent the time reflecting on another incredible adventure, the warmness of the people of Costa Rica, enjoying the simple things in life and feeling incredibly blessed to have another amazing adventure in the books.