
My First Trip Since Having COVID
Feb 17, 2022
A realization of how COVID is changing my travel life, my future. Even writing this post has been quite an effort.

Venturing Out Into the World ... of Covid
Oct 12, 2020
Finally going back home after being "stuck" in Costa Rica after an 8 1/2 month lockdown

Feeling Cranky and Displaced
Jul 10, 2020
Am I really bitching and moaning about someone coming to deep clean my house for free?!

Poker Night in a Small Town
Jun 5, 2020
So I've gone from just starting to scratch the surface of the social scene here, to lockdown isolation, and back out to socializing again. Even though it might not seem like it at first glance, th ....

Almonds Keep Falling on My Head
Jun 4, 2020
I slept in until 6:15 today, unlike my usual 5:15 when I wake up with the sun and the not-always-pleasant squawking birds. It's actually funny how obnoxious the parrots and parakeets can b ....

Visiting the Chiropractor on Lobster Island
Jun 3, 2020
Add this to the list of odd experiences you can't plan.

Farewell Party Bubble for My Neighbors
Jun 1, 2020
My neighbors two doors down are busy packing up the rest of their things for the season. They normally would have kept to a more typical Zancudo schedule and left to go home ....

Deep Woods OFF is No Match for the Costa Rican Jungle
May 25, 2020
I hear them. I hear the toucans again! I'm bound to see them. I have grown quite accustomed to their sound, but not their sight. Today I could t ....

"I'm Sailing! I'm Sailing!!" ~ What About Bob
May 25, 2020
On a brighter note, I went swimming today! Like actual swimming, not just splashing around in the water. A friend of mine told me she was go ....

Starting to Feel the Effects of Isolation
Apr 18, 2020
Wow, what just happened? I was so happy this morning and now I'm sad.

Now the Coast Guard is Involved
Mar 30, 2020
Way too much to even cover right now so I'll just start with today. I barely even know what day of the week it is. But someone reminded me that tomorrow will be a week that I'm here at my ....

Last Day Out and About
Mar 17, 2020
Well the virus is getting worse and is now being called a pandemic. We're all supposed to stay home and self-isolate to keep it from spreading. I'll need to stock up on some groceries. Sue and I went ou ....

My Awkwardness Trying to Make Friends
Feb 24, 2020
Yesterday Sue told me that I should go to Sol y Mar for the weekly horseshoe tournament at 3pm. Okay, sounds great. Oh wait, I don't go to bars by myself. I just don't. I don't ....

Trying to Work Abroad
Feb 12, 2020
My first jaunt of trading work for lodging while I travel is sure off to an interesting start! I arrived in Costa Rica to build a real estate website for my new friend here in exchange for lodging in one of ....

Loving My Sue Time!
Feb 11, 2020
You truly never know who you will meet out there in the world. It was so fateful that I met my new friend by tracking a sloth we knew was in the area and ended up finding it just up the beach in her yard. She cam ....

Heading South - Monteverde to Zancudo
Feb 7, 2020
As of last night, I didn't have a plan. I was nursing a hangover all day so was not motivated to buy a bus ticket or do much of anything else. Robert came home in the afternoon ....

Pet Sitting in Monteverde
Feb 6, 2020
I slept most of the bus ride up to Monteverde. Yeah, those 4am nights are doing me in! But I loved the familiar drive up the hill, and even saw "the rock" where we watched the sunset with drinks one n ....

Family Stay in Heredia
Feb 3, 2020
When I didn't seem to find the time to head down from Monteverde last December to come see her at her house, I kept telling Vanessa I'd come visit her soon. Well low and behold I ended up making plans to he ....

Trying Out Whatever Comes My Way
Dec 30, 2019
When I was in Costa Rica, a few unexpected opportunities presented themselves in the form of trade-work-for-lodging. Specifically to build a website in trade for a month of lodging, then ....

Adversity - a Test or a Warning?
Dec 22, 2019
I seem to be facing a lot of adversity on this trip. Is it a test to see if I can handle it? Is it a sign that I shouldn't be doing this? Or am I just so out of sorts that I'm attracting ....

More New Friends
Dec 19, 2019
There's nothing like chasing away the solo-traveler blues with a couple of new friends. After I moved to apartment #2 up in the front of the compound, two women checked into #1 right above me. I went outside of my comf ....

It's A New Season
Dec 17, 2019
Wow, there's something about it here now that's making me feel so good. It's like the tide has turned. I know I'm a bit manic and I'm still having some pretty lonely moments, but in general I've felt great the last f ....

Everything Always Works Out
Dec 13, 2019
It's been an interesting few days. I have (surprise surprise) been feeling an array of emotions now that I'm starting to plan what day I'll leave here. But as usual, things always work out. The un ....

The Shower That Refuses to Get Hot
Dec 7, 2019
Okay this is just getting funny now. My poor poor host here in Monteverde. He put in an entirely new beautiful modern bathroom right before I arrived. It even has (had) a hot water h ....

Shopping, Agouti, and Boas - Eeks
Dec 7, 2019
There hasn't been much new the last few days which is good. The town had it's annual Parade of Lights and there were activities throughout the town all day for kids and families. It's ....

Proof That I Need All This Crap
Nov 28, 2019
Every trip I end up with my packing cube full of stuff that sits there barely touched. I'ts like the stuff drawer in the kitchen at home but it's in my backpack and it weights a lot. Some ....

Nose to the Grindstone
Nov 25, 2019
I'm finally spending a ton of hours trying to get caught up on at least some parts of this sadly unfinished website of mine! Since my nice welcome tour of the town by my host, I have yet to leave the room r ....

Making the Move to Monteverde
Nov 22, 2019
I left my home in Playa Zancudo this morning a bit nervous about doing this big travel day alone. It's so much easier to have somebody else to travel with and say "do you think this is the rig ....

Building a New Nest in Monteverde
Nov 22, 2019
Wow, I love my new place! And the owner really puts his heart into it. He and his 85 year old father run the place and the two of them are so helpful and friendly. The view from my pri ....

Travel Plan Challenge & Raffle Tix
Nov 20, 2019
OMG What a pain in the ass it is to get out of this place! I'll get into more of the details later but I have spent so much time trying to figure out how to piece together bu ....

New Friends Feel Like Old Friends
Nov 19, 2019
Just getting settled into Zancudo and it's almost time to leave. I made some new friends, mainly my neighbor Sue who we met while Dave and I we were gawking at the sloth in her yard, a ....

Happy Birthday Cynthia!
Nov 18, 2019
I'd normally be traveling with Cynthia for her birthday. November just works out to be a great time to travel both for the weather where we want to go and for getting time away from the responsibilities a ....

Alone Again
Nov 16, 2019
It's been a wonderful week with Dave, David, and my new Facebook travel group friend here. I was so happy to have my guy here and even a bit more family drama entered the picture right when they were arriving. I tell ya' 2019 ha ....

Fresh Clean Morning
Nov 10, 2019
Holy cow did it come down last night! The hardest it has since I've been here, and for a long time. I wonder where poor Mr. sloth went for the rain. Some critter took refuge on my deck last night because there ar ....

Guilt and Glee
Nov 9, 2019
Well I'm in full on hermit mode at the moment. I swear it's a good thing I have food or I might starve to death lest I have to leave the property. What the hell kind of traveler am I?! This is what I'm most curious abou ....

My $10 Cinnamon Rolls
Nov 6, 2019
For being so secluded, it's actually hard to have an entire day to yourself here. First of all, it's no surprise they start work early here. I have a feeling it has more to do with getting done before the ....

Got Some Expat Connections
Nov 5, 2019
Well I moved the table away from the window and there was no raccoon last night! Fingers crossed that does it. I cleaned up all the oil (somehow the raccoon got oily wet stuff all over) and sand and ....

I Have Someone to Clean My Yard
Nov 5, 2019
This is my 5th day alone in Costa Rica. Time sure flies when you're doing nothing! I am really loving the feeling of not HAVING to do anything. Fortunately, my tendency to be a hermit g ....

Middle of the Night Intruder
Nov 3, 2019
From big critters to tiny, I'm finding myself a bit jumpy. The 2am break-in certainly didn't help.

I Now Have a Zillion Photos of Birds and Flowers
Nov 1, 2019
It's like I've become obsessed. First of all, the sheer number of beautiful and colorful birds, plants, and flowers here is incredible. Oh yeah, I can't l ....

Determined to Go to the Halloween Party
Nov 1, 2019
Well that was fun. We kept hearing about the Halloween party at Sol y Mar, the only restaurant open this time of year and sort of the "meeting place" for the expats, and on ....

Lost Money and Stolen Shoes
Oct 30, 2019
Feeling a bit of a downer today. I was finally getting caught up on my budget yesterday (yeah, I love keeping track of what I spend traveling), and I seemed to be short quite a bit of cash. I c ....

Met a Man with Coconuts
Oct 29, 2019
Lynn came backup up from her daily treasure hunt on the beach and said there was a man lingering around down there and was wondering what he was doing there. His truck seems to be parked in the neighbor's ....

So Amazed By the Nature Here!
Oct 28, 2019
We successfully bought groceries (they deliver to the pier for free - yay) and confirmed that there was indeed a 12pm shared public boat going over to Zancudo. Whew. C3,000 ($5) each instead o ....

All I Want is a Shower and Some Sleep
Oct 24, 2019
A little over 30 hours from when I left home to when I got to the stopover town of Golfito. It's been a fun journey so far (flight, flight, bus, walk, bus, bus) but I'm so tired and stinky right now.

Osa Penninsula
Oct 14, 2001
My first solo journey. Went to meet Steve in Costa Rica right after 9/11.

Judy & Steve Visit Costa Rica
Feb 8, 2001
Mom & Steve came with us for a fun adventure in Costa Rica. Then we were off on our own again.