Mon 27th 2033 Sitting on uncomfy chair on new hostel terrace, feel a little BNM but a) I'm here not hiding b) I just arrived so not terribly surprising.
Been engaged in what feels like massive bout of booking and associated stress and not entirely in mood to write this but will grind it out and maybe take a rest now and then.
To write up the booking first, I have booked non-refundable dorm in Quepos (base for visiting Manuel Antonio park) for 4 nights from Wednesday. I am *assuming* the boat won't have sold out; if it has I may have a mildly epic and shit day of bus from here to Paquera (perhaps changing in Cobano), then ferry to Puntarenas, then bus P-Quepos. If all goes to plan it should be near trivial to get a bus from Jaco to Quepos when I get off the boat. *If* the boat has an affordable option to go all the way to Quepos I may splurge on it.
I booked for 4 nights rather than 3 because there's an intriguing and cheap off-grid place near Quepos (few km, but mildly epic to get to) which had availability on those dates. I'd rather not have been in a dorm when I leave here but it will be a private double (albeit v "rustic" ) in the off-grid place so it's semi fine, and it would have been double for a private room anywhere in Quepos. I decided to skip Jaco as a place to stay, it's not cheap (albeit affordable) for a dorm and again privates cost double and it doesn't sound that great.
So last night I was sitting in refugio with my second beer, not IIRC feeling too much of a loser, and this very nice slightly hippyish (not a great description) guy called Jamie sat near me and we had a quite enjoyable and wide-ranging chat for maybe 45 mins or so. Got back to hostel about 2230-45-ish, he had to go so I didn't cut it short - I would have been up for buying a third beer, he said mamatea open til midnight.
This morning had breakfast and changed hostel, had to leave my backpack in the relatively insecure area in the hostel kitchen but (spoiler alert) it was fine. Went out to walk up to waterfall 6ish-km up beaches to north/east as other day, taking my daypack with trunks and a towel and a hell of a lot of water (more than nec, because I just dumped all my bottles of water from fridge/dorm floor in the daypack). I wore the two tone blue plastic top which as I said I was going to risk as a "beach" shirt given I hadn't brought cheap simple short-sleeved plastic T-shirt, which in hindsight I should have.
However, as thought yday while at top of falls, I took my orange merino top with me as an experiment and changed into it when I started walking up beaches (wearing trousers etc as usual). It was not super cool or anything, but it was also not actually tremendously more uncomfortable than the other top etc.
I changed into trunks and back into two-tone top and applied a load (cost a fucking fortune no doubt) of sunblock (from the new biggish bottle BTW, so this won't "interfere" with the pseudo-experiment of seeing how many days of head/neck coverage I get out of the nominal 50ml bottle) when I got halfway up the beach with the fall at the end.
Walked up to falls, for some reason the sand suddenly got literally unbearably hot up towards there - I was all "wow, this is hot" and rapidly transition to "argh, my feet are actually burning" to desperately climbing onto a log for relief only to feel my hands burning in the sand as I overbalanced and supported myself with them. I desperately limped/skipped over to some shade and put my shoes on without socks. This was semi-necessary anyway as to get around the rocks at base of falls it would probably have been uncomfortable barefoot.
A few people around falls (tiny bit of chat, in English - I could maybe have done better but did OK I suppose). I went up to the bit above the pool where there were some spidery black crabs (some of moderately impressive size) in the cracks. Sat down there a bit and it was fine and sort of cool but also occasionally a tinyish crab would crawl out of a hole in the rocks under my bum which was a bit freaky and would make me stand up. When some other guy who was standing there moved away (he recommended I try it) I spent a minute or two near where the fall came down sitting/standing in the spray there.
I wasn't clear how to get into the actual pool at the base but a couple who were there navigated round the rocks and following their example and the advice of a guy (friend of theirs? he offered me some pineapple but I declined as I wasn't *certain* it was just a friendly offer and all my money was deeply inaccessible in trousers in dry bag inside daypack) I navigated down to the pool in shoes then took them off and went in (with couple, but fair amount of space).
Water cold but not unpleasantly so, no more than waist deep. I spent five minutes by my watch sitting under the falls (super powerful "massagel kind of effect) and then got out; couple didn't stay much longer than that to. I swam *very* badly (not necessary) back across pool to get out just for a tiny bit of practice.
I then saw some people at top of fall and climbed the bit I didn't quite like the other day (it was fine, not really risky/hard) and had *tiny* chat with them at top and the view was pretty nice (no photos as buried inside bag) and it was just cool to get up there. Subsequently spotted some earth steps up which also went a little more easily up to same top area. There was an overhanging slab of rock at the top which in theory would have allowed you to crawl out and look over not just at the edge but over the open-air falls, but I wasn't foolhardy enough to go out on it - and I didn't see anyone else on it either, FWIW.
Fingers tingling so gonna have a break.
Oh, I obviously could have delayed booking dorm in Quepos until I've had a chance to book the boat tomorrow but I didn't want to risk prices going up and stuff selling out. FWIW I picked the cheapest hostel (not much in it) in part because the second-cheapest had a pool and I don't much fancy being somewhere with that Tamarindo hostel pool vibe.
Oh, the guy at the new hostel turned down two of my USD20 bills because they had a tiny (mm or two) tear at the base - he said something about banks charging a dollar to replace these or something, I wasn't fully paying attention. I was internally peeved but don't think I showed it and I swapped them with some others. I should be able to palm these deeply shoddy bills off on other people - eg if I use them to pay for the boat tomorrow morning, since there are lots of places selling the same thing I assume they will be less stroppy as they don't have me over a barrel.
Incidentally overhearing largish group of card players and also thinking back to other hostels, it feels like there might be a certain camaraderie among people who cook in hostels. However, even if true, I don't really fancy trying to get into that. But never say never. I have occasionally in the past cooked in quieter hostels (partly to prove I can do it, partly for the satisfaction of having a substantial meal) and may do again. But I am just not sure I'd feel comfortable trying to "navigate" around in a busy kitchen.
So after leaving falls - didn't spend huge amount of time there, but enough, and I made a bit of effort etc so pleased-ish with myself - I walked back along beach. This turned into (exaggerated, but it did *feel* shit and I was a bit of a whiny bitch) a miserable grind. For some unknown reason a private part of my anatomy felt like it was red raw and I got a horrific suspicion it was sunburned despite not having been exposed, or failing that that it had been excessively sand+salt-abraded somehow. This made the walk back unpleasant, I was barefoot to start but put shoes on with no socks to cross a rocky patch between beaches and because I was just focussed on slogging back to the hostel I didn't put my socks on and I ended up wearing my right (IIRC - it doesn't hurt right now) "upper heel" into a slightly bloody mess due to friction with the shoe and had to stop and put socks on when I was "almost" home. I rocked up at the hostel in trunks, shoes+socks and slightly damp long-sleeved top feeling ultra-comical (not that anyone really gives a shit of course) but also too fucked off to care.
I got key, bag was OK, went into room and stripped naked and sat on the bed. I had taken some leftover wholemeal bread from sandwiches other day with me to beach (I had to take it from under bed when changing hostel of course, I had planned to each it at beach but given the death march feeling which kicked in I never got round to it) so I ate that in the room - not that I was starving, but it was welcome - and drank some water and started to feel vaguely human. I went and had a shower (incidentally this hostel and maybe last two make no pretence at hot water, there's no suicide shower, just a shower head with cold water, but of course it's so warm and muggy here than there's no hardship in a cold shower, and the "cold" water is probably 20Cish anyway) and started to feel like I might actually live.
Got dressed - private part seeming to not give me too much gyp, so fingers crossed it will be fine and I can go ahead with my mildly foolish plan to climb up to upper falls at tres cataratas tomorrow and "bathe" there for the day - and went into town. I had planned to eat at the possibly-cheap soda in town (turns out it's called Las Artesanas or something) as trogging out to Las Palmeras and asking for casado de bistec if not on menu and feeling a bit cheap for not ordering an overpriced drink didn't appeal. Menu outside had casado for 3.5k which isn't too bad (albeit it says "+10% service" , which feels shit, and no drink included - but I thought I'd get a black coffee for 600) but there were no tables free and everyone looked super tourist-dithery. I went and got 1.75l of (slightly sugary) te arandando blanco (or should that be te blanco arandando) at Mamatea - manfully resisting temptation to have a beer - and drank it on beach (I had planned to buy something like this after dinner and take it back to hostel, but demonstrated my adaptability) and went back to soda but it was still chocked and a big group waiting outside too. I wasn't super hungry - had breakfast and that bread - so decided I'd treat myself to some snacks from Mamatea, which I brought back and left in my room (I wasn't super hungry as I said, and also felt a bit nicely-ish bloated after the biggish bottle of te arandando) and which I will probably have soon-ish, or maybe take some tomorrow up to falls.
Not ultra healthy but not too bad.
So plan for tomorrow is maybe to get up 9-930ish, there may be free coffee here, then go into town and look about booking a boat (with the iffy dollar bills - oh, and I should probably try not to keep any 20s in my binder clip wallet, at least over several days, as that may be how the tears got in - the USD bills are paper, unlike the CR ones, and the UK ones back home) and assuming that's OK I'll take daypack with decent supply of water and trunks+towel (and probably wear the cleanish but salt-water-y two-tone blue top up there) and do the falls (fingers crossed, but I do kind of want to give myself this minor challenge) tomorrow. Given it's close-ish if I don't feel too shabbily dressed after I may go to Las Palmeras or I may have a go at getting a table in the soda I failed to get into tonight.
I think that's about everything bashed out. I do feel a bit awkward sitting here with this table of n (hard to see; 4-5?) people chatting away a few metres off, and they don't all know each other super well as I've overheard them ask where each other are from. I don't think it's really massively awkward and for better or worse I have been "playing" on my phone as well. I think I'll nerve myself to get up, say "goodnight" as I pass and go to room and snack and just enjoy a bit of privacy etc.
Just FTR they are all talking English, if it wasn't obvious, though I think they are all continental Europeans of various stripes.
Actually I won't say "goodnight" , it would probably be weird given they are currently talking. Gah. Fucking hate this shit. It should be trivial, it hardly matters, but I don't know what to do. Is it rude to just get up and walk past without saying anything? Or is it rude to interrupt the conversation to say "goodnight" ? Fuck it, I'll just say nothing unless they happen to speak to me. I've been sitting here on my own all this time.
2229 Don't think I said earlier that post-waterfall I did go into the sea a bit (well under waist deep) and sat down and let the surf buffet me around etc.
There was a gecko or lizard of some kind in the room earlier, I didn't get a photo as it has disappeared. My room is right at the front and some people are talking out front and it's very slightly annoying (I can't quite make out what they're saying, fortunately) but not a huge deal.
Might have been nice to do bit of laundry tonight but I was knackered when I got into room and then tied up with accom booking/plan making and writing this up and don't really want to be making washing squelchy noises in bathroom when it might disturb or at least attract attention of people in nearby rooms. I might try to do a tiny bit tomorrow anyway. Also need to "tidy up" backpack as the inconvenience and security aspects of being in dorm mean things just get shoved in and taken out any old how.
If I didn't say earlier room is a little cell-like but not too bad really, and it is cheap-ish. A couple of bloody hooks/nails to hang stuff on wouldn't go amiss though. (There is one screw protruding in the doorframe, I think more by luck than judgement.)
Actually there is quite a bit of noise from people walking up some presumably adjacent stairs and maybe even in the room(s) above. It's fine, it is just a little bit crappy. Not really complaining.
FWIW given there are 14ish rooms judging from door numbers (and some of those will be dorms) the group of maybe 4-5ish (certainly single digits) at table earlier cooking/playing cards (shithead)/eating clearly wasn't "all" of the guests - place may not be full, but I am assuming it's not that empty.
Tue 0012 Bed.
Tuesday 28 February 2023
Monday 27 February 2023
Montezuma, Sunday
Sun 26th 1855 Personal demons given a bit of a kicking, if perhaps not slayed as I'd initially hoped.
To just fill in last night first, was some live music at Montezuma Latino by the refugio piedra colarada free open air sitting area. Not bad, if miffed (taking it too serious, I know) I could barely understand the Spanish. Felt a bit BNM but also remonstrating with myself that I am travelling on my own and it's not necessarily easy to meet people esp when they are in groups, often much younger and speaking a different language, and also that I often don't even *want* to make an effort.
There was also a pseudo dog fight among three seemingly friends dogs puttering round there. All fine, lots of sniffing and tail wagging and then they were kind of chewing at each other's jaws - tails still wagging. Mildly alarmed but no one else seemed bothered and while I guess some of them are probably as ignorant about dogs as me and just assuming it's OK, I assume some of the observers knew about dogs and felt it was fine, even when it seemed to escalate a little.
Anyway, I'd finished my 1.7l bottle of te arandano and was just hanging on for the last song when a guy sat down next to me and started chatting with me. We spoke for maybe 45 mins (bit of a guess), I probably "should" have suggested we go for a beer but I needed a piss and the conversation, while good, was also just slightly circling a political drain and I wasn't entirely sorry to break off. Nice enough chap though, lives in Eltham London, been in CR three months and spent most of it here, probably not native British based on his accent but not really sure where from.
Got back to hostel about 2300 and cleaned teeth and got into bed and stuff.
Breakfast OK tho bit short of space as usual and twice I sat down somewhere only to realise or be told someone already sitting there.
Went to pick laundry up, no problem though woman irrationally stroppily muttering to herself when I checked it was all there. (Because obviously better if I get back to hostel, find a problem then have to trog back and argue and she says I lost it myself etc etc.)
After that went over to local falls basically intending to try to go up the "hard" way just to prove to myself I could, or at least bottle it based on the evidence of my own senses not the fucking guide book. Vague feelings of "well I can't swim so I can't do half the activities here but I can fucking well scramble up a few fucking rocks as well as anyone else" .
I got slightly lost on the way to the lower waterfall despite having found it fine the other day, but refused to take it as an omen.
I had put a bottle of water (and the nuts I brought from UK, tho didn't eat them) in a backpack so I'd have both hands free and I think that was pretty much critical. Also obviously wearing trousers and long-sleeved top and my walking shoes.
I missed a sharp left turn early in the ascent (basically there's a hard bit as you go up from lower fall, then an intermediate bit, then a hard bit right at the end - this is shown on map at entrance) and was trying to climb up a gully and thinking "OK, maybe this is beyond me" when I saw some other people come up behind me and go up to the left and realised my mistake. I ended up mostly following them up, they also pointed out a bird to me (tho we weren't "together" most of the time) and was also heartened by their jolly demeanour and lack of grim rugged mountaineer ethos. It wasn't trivial and a few slightly iffy bits - mainly around the top hard bit - but nothing too mind-bending.
FWIW tho looking at map you might think the two sides of the river/waterfall are isolated by the river, but it's - bearing in mind this is dry season - all boulders with water meandering round and (almost exactly as in the approach to the lower falls) although you could fall in and maybe twist/sprain/break something, there's no major difficulty crossing the water.
So once you're at the top after the "hard" /dangerous bit and cross the falls there are some earth stairs with a Y fork. I took the right fork going up (semi-following that group, tho I'd paused and they had got away from me) and they go up along the river and across a couple of hanging bridges and come out at the entrance to the SunTrail canopy tour/walkway place. No one was there so I didn't have to pay.
I consulted map and luckily phone GPS tracker had recorded whole route and I could see I had done the trail I intended to do. I was able to walk back down into town no trouble, some quite nice views, feeling pretty pleased with myself for having done it and also for not being such a wuss I "had" to have a car to cover this distance. This was IIRC (photo timestamps would be definitive) only about 1030 and I'd only left hostel about 930.
The road back down took me back to the entrance to the falls, so I thought I'd go in and go up the intermediate-only stairs to the left. I did - you have to cross the river at the lower level (one of my nails is snagging on phone, they're overdue for a cut but will leave it till I have private room tomorrow, and hassle of dragging out a nail file in dorm feels irrationally excessive) but it's not (dry season, remember) hard.
These are private trails (SunTrails again) and this time there's a guy stationed halfway up to charge you - got a wristband, annoyingly 2k instead of 1k it says at entrance (did politely query it) but to be fair well worth it and I'd already had use of their trails earlier so happy-ish to pay. (This seat is super uncomfortable, shitty bamboo logs with one missing and other loosen, so base of seat is too short and moves.) That trail came into the other branch of the Y fork mentioned above. (There's also a Y fork lower where bloke is taking money, I accidentally took wrong one and he called me back, when I asked he said it lead out to road - I think the road I'd walked down earlier.)
I spent a few hours at the top - not totally deserted but much quieter than lower falls (it's Sunday and according to roommates in Samara Sunday is always busy at the falls) and formed some plans and mulled shit and more anon. I then decided - obviously I had already paid and could have gone down the Suntrails stairs, either to lower river again or down onto that hill where I'd walked down before, starting lower that time - I'd do the free "high+intermediate" trail in reverse, so I'd done the whole thing backwards.
I suspected this might be worse and it was. Not absolutely heart in mouth stuff, but the "upper" high difficulty section involves a bit of trusting the crappy looking ropes there will hold your weight and that you don't lose your fotting and end up dangling from the rope over steep-but-not-vertical metre or so climbs with poor footholds and not much "flat" ground at the base before you tumble over.
Incidentally I broadly tried for "three points of contact at all times" , didn't always use ropes if I felt I could hold on better to rocks on the less vertical bits, tried to take it steady to avoid tripping/slipping/twisting ankle. Notwithstanding the fact I think the "free" route top high difficulty (I assume it high for normies, not high in absolute terms - I assume an experienced climber would find it trivial) bit going down is a tiny bit iffy, I don't think it's terrible and while I could see how you *could* die, you could also die eg by slipping on a rock lower down or tripping and falling in front of a car etc. Guidebook obviously utterly lacks context and maybe the people who die are drunk/massively unfit/wearing flip-flops/whatever.
My personal gut feeling is that I bet the deaths occur in rainy season. I'd think not just twice but a round dozen or so times before attempting it in rainy season myself, honestly I have no trouble imagining losing footing and going over an edge (we're probably looking at "only" a few metres fall, but still plenty of rocks around to damage you) in wet muddy conditions. (At least that wet scramble in La Fortuna was in mostly steep-but-not-that-steep conditions and in a sort of narrow gully which restricted falling potential to some extent.)
I am thinking I will go back, probably day after tomorrow, take bathing stuff in bag and go in the water at the top (not "the edge of the falls", not sure you can even get quite there, but the pools up at the top) where there's plenty of shade and sufficiently quiet that risk of theft would be minimal (tho I'd leave valuables in hostel anyway). That " going up" (it's down from the trail towards the water, so it's upwards when you're leaving the top falls to go down) bit at the end gives me minor willies but very minor ones.
I had toyed with going into the pool at the lower falls today towards afternoon when UV not an issue due to chasm blocking light, but I decided against it on risk of theft grounds.
Plan for tomorrow - formed while mulling things over at top, feeling quite smug up there though must admit that top high difficulty climb after knocked a bit of that out of me - is to change hostel, leave backpack there as prob can't check in, and take daypack with minimal valuables and hike along those beaches to the waterfall (as I did yday) and go into the pool at its base. I am going to risk my two-tone blue "plastic" top (which incidentally I am wearing now and seems fine-ish after pro laundry, though not as light and comfortable as the two Raging Sport tops I amw earing most of the time) as a bathing top - it will probably not get ruined, but I'm willing to take the chance, I think.
I had been thinking I'd extend here another day to give myself a little buffer and to allow repeating one of the two upcoming days plans if I wished. However, when I got back to hostel after falls and looked the new hostel doesn't have my single private available for one more day, just a double at more money. It's not even about money or avoiding a dorm at this point - if I extend for one more day I don't want the hassle of changing room, let along hostel.
I have vague hopes they'll get a cancellation and I will keep checking and also ask them tomorrow on check in - worst they can do is say no - and we'll see. Not end of world if can't. I think from here it's definitely Jaco, I will ask about the boat tomorrow night once I prob know if can extend here or not.
If I have to stay in a dorm in Jaco that's fine, prob only be there 3 nights as not super expecting to like it (and Manuel Antonio is just down road). If I can get a private in Jaco for not much more than a dorm I will - after all, it might be I'll be forced into a dorm on cost grounds after Jaco.
After I checked booking.com and dropped off backpack at hostel I went to Las Palmeras and had casado de bistec (not on menu, had to ask) and they didn't give me a free water this time but still, not too bad. Came back to hostel, had shower and went out and got beer which had on beach. (Rude prob-local came over after I'd been sitting a few mins on a log, appeared to indicate via gesture he considered leaving an empty beer bottle littering the beach behind it as staking a claim on it and said "va" (which I'm not sure even makes sense, as imperative is "ve" or "vaya") but I said " lo siento" and got up before I even twigged his gist, as I suspected he might want to just hassle me generally.)
Will probably have another beer later once finished writing this. Not ideal but not terrible and I have made a bit of an effort today etc.
Not hating this hostel too much but it does feel a bit cramped and slightly manky, undeniably good value though. I don't feel it's very sociable but maybe there are no other solo travellers here and/or maybe I've been a bit of a curmudgeon. There's no free coffee or anything in evening and the common areas feel just a bit too cramped for "comfortable" hanging out on my own but hoping to meet someone. I think also there's quite a pre-existing group thing.
I said earlier personal demons giving a kicking, I thought I'd slayed some but the satisfaction I felt walking down hill 1030 kind of faded. Seeing all the groups of people hanging out with their friends at lower fall and also a bit at beach stirred BNM feelings, and seeing other people come down off the "hard" path after I did and (not that I had either, of course) not looking as if they'd done anything major and imagining no one else even worries about this shit for a second kind of pissed me off and made me feel a bit of a loser. (Prob irrational, eg overhearing that conversation last night - "you survived then" implies those girls who had done it had at least considered it a bit risky and/or painted themselves as risk takers for having done it.)
Wrt meeting people - and I know I'm chuntering on about this - I think I need to not be too demanding. It *may* be other solo travellers are constantly in a whirl of social interaction, but it may not. Easy to get sucked in by false impressions from guide book etc. Also I am older and I am not *that* inherently sociable. My relative strength is in small group (1-1, maybe 2-1ish) chats, not in walking up to a big group of strangers and just joining in (if nothing else I'd be worried they'd tell me to fuck off), and I need to accept that if there *are* no other solo travellers around it's naturally hard for me to chat to them.
1951 Been writing that near continuously though with the odd break. Fingers hurt a bit. Think I got most stuff down. Undeniably looking forward to having a private room for a couple of nights, it will seem like a nice luxury rather than an absolute requirement after this fairly long dorm-only stretch.
V approx half way through trip, tiny bit sad, tiny bit glad. I think on whole and notwithstanding depressing BNM feelings at time it's not going badly, and comparing it to my memories of the Guatemala blog and how upset I seemed to be getting at points in that I think it's also going pretty well.
If didn't already say I need to stop speaking Spanish (even just "hola" instead of "hi" ) in "tourist" situations, and esp in hostels. I suspect it just encourages people to think I don't speak English. The reality is I think few of the other travellers speak much Spanish (many can probably order a meal etc, but not "chat" , I suspect) and while it kind of feels like I'm "making an effort" by not using my native tongue, in practice it's probably counterproductive. The lingua franca in hostels here is English, not Spanish.
Not saying I won't speak Spanish to tourist *businesses* - no harm in that, may help (it's all practice and may make me appear more human to the cynical staff), I'm just saying I won't speak Spanish (unless it turns out to be necessary) to other *tourists*.
1957 Think I'll go get another beer and drink it on beach or in refugio piedras coloradas. Not really looking for chat but if anyone feels like it will try to be open.
Just to be absolutely clear, I've not been refusing to speak English to other tourists or anything like that. It's just that eg if I go into a dorm and there's someone there who I don't know (and thus don't know their nationality) I might say "hola" or "permiso" if I need to squeeze past or something. I doubt this has been a huge factor, but still, as said above, maybe it gives an impression I'm not an English speaker and I am going to try to stop doing it.
TBH not *gagging* for another beer but fuck it, I will have one. Maybe even if I don't meet anyone it will still be nicer to sit in communal areas of tomorrow night's hostel, whereas this bamboo bench outside is killing my arse.
Incidentally kitchen here stinks a bit - vaguely cheesy - and there's almost always someone using the one tap for washing up or something when (as now) I just want to fill up a water bottle. And the fridge is vaguely manky with open spare food/leftovers just waiting to spill everywhere. It's not gross, it's just a bit, as I say, manky.
2229 Bed. Will fill in details tomorrow.
To just fill in last night first, was some live music at Montezuma Latino by the refugio piedra colarada free open air sitting area. Not bad, if miffed (taking it too serious, I know) I could barely understand the Spanish. Felt a bit BNM but also remonstrating with myself that I am travelling on my own and it's not necessarily easy to meet people esp when they are in groups, often much younger and speaking a different language, and also that I often don't even *want* to make an effort.
There was also a pseudo dog fight among three seemingly friends dogs puttering round there. All fine, lots of sniffing and tail wagging and then they were kind of chewing at each other's jaws - tails still wagging. Mildly alarmed but no one else seemed bothered and while I guess some of them are probably as ignorant about dogs as me and just assuming it's OK, I assume some of the observers knew about dogs and felt it was fine, even when it seemed to escalate a little.
Anyway, I'd finished my 1.7l bottle of te arandano and was just hanging on for the last song when a guy sat down next to me and started chatting with me. We spoke for maybe 45 mins (bit of a guess), I probably "should" have suggested we go for a beer but I needed a piss and the conversation, while good, was also just slightly circling a political drain and I wasn't entirely sorry to break off. Nice enough chap though, lives in Eltham London, been in CR three months and spent most of it here, probably not native British based on his accent but not really sure where from.
Got back to hostel about 2300 and cleaned teeth and got into bed and stuff.
Breakfast OK tho bit short of space as usual and twice I sat down somewhere only to realise or be told someone already sitting there.
Went to pick laundry up, no problem though woman irrationally stroppily muttering to herself when I checked it was all there. (Because obviously better if I get back to hostel, find a problem then have to trog back and argue and she says I lost it myself etc etc.)
After that went over to local falls basically intending to try to go up the "hard" way just to prove to myself I could, or at least bottle it based on the evidence of my own senses not the fucking guide book. Vague feelings of "well I can't swim so I can't do half the activities here but I can fucking well scramble up a few fucking rocks as well as anyone else" .
I got slightly lost on the way to the lower waterfall despite having found it fine the other day, but refused to take it as an omen.
I had put a bottle of water (and the nuts I brought from UK, tho didn't eat them) in a backpack so I'd have both hands free and I think that was pretty much critical. Also obviously wearing trousers and long-sleeved top and my walking shoes.
I missed a sharp left turn early in the ascent (basically there's a hard bit as you go up from lower fall, then an intermediate bit, then a hard bit right at the end - this is shown on map at entrance) and was trying to climb up a gully and thinking "OK, maybe this is beyond me" when I saw some other people come up behind me and go up to the left and realised my mistake. I ended up mostly following them up, they also pointed out a bird to me (tho we weren't "together" most of the time) and was also heartened by their jolly demeanour and lack of grim rugged mountaineer ethos. It wasn't trivial and a few slightly iffy bits - mainly around the top hard bit - but nothing too mind-bending.
FWIW tho looking at map you might think the two sides of the river/waterfall are isolated by the river, but it's - bearing in mind this is dry season - all boulders with water meandering round and (almost exactly as in the approach to the lower falls) although you could fall in and maybe twist/sprain/break something, there's no major difficulty crossing the water.
So once you're at the top after the "hard" /dangerous bit and cross the falls there are some earth stairs with a Y fork. I took the right fork going up (semi-following that group, tho I'd paused and they had got away from me) and they go up along the river and across a couple of hanging bridges and come out at the entrance to the SunTrail canopy tour/walkway place. No one was there so I didn't have to pay.
I consulted map and luckily phone GPS tracker had recorded whole route and I could see I had done the trail I intended to do. I was able to walk back down into town no trouble, some quite nice views, feeling pretty pleased with myself for having done it and also for not being such a wuss I "had" to have a car to cover this distance. This was IIRC (photo timestamps would be definitive) only about 1030 and I'd only left hostel about 930.
The road back down took me back to the entrance to the falls, so I thought I'd go in and go up the intermediate-only stairs to the left. I did - you have to cross the river at the lower level (one of my nails is snagging on phone, they're overdue for a cut but will leave it till I have private room tomorrow, and hassle of dragging out a nail file in dorm feels irrationally excessive) but it's not (dry season, remember) hard.
These are private trails (SunTrails again) and this time there's a guy stationed halfway up to charge you - got a wristband, annoyingly 2k instead of 1k it says at entrance (did politely query it) but to be fair well worth it and I'd already had use of their trails earlier so happy-ish to pay. (This seat is super uncomfortable, shitty bamboo logs with one missing and other loosen, so base of seat is too short and moves.) That trail came into the other branch of the Y fork mentioned above. (There's also a Y fork lower where bloke is taking money, I accidentally took wrong one and he called me back, when I asked he said it lead out to road - I think the road I'd walked down earlier.)
I spent a few hours at the top - not totally deserted but much quieter than lower falls (it's Sunday and according to roommates in Samara Sunday is always busy at the falls) and formed some plans and mulled shit and more anon. I then decided - obviously I had already paid and could have gone down the Suntrails stairs, either to lower river again or down onto that hill where I'd walked down before, starting lower that time - I'd do the free "high+intermediate" trail in reverse, so I'd done the whole thing backwards.
I suspected this might be worse and it was. Not absolutely heart in mouth stuff, but the "upper" high difficulty section involves a bit of trusting the crappy looking ropes there will hold your weight and that you don't lose your fotting and end up dangling from the rope over steep-but-not-vertical metre or so climbs with poor footholds and not much "flat" ground at the base before you tumble over.
Incidentally I broadly tried for "three points of contact at all times" , didn't always use ropes if I felt I could hold on better to rocks on the less vertical bits, tried to take it steady to avoid tripping/slipping/twisting ankle. Notwithstanding the fact I think the "free" route top high difficulty (I assume it high for normies, not high in absolute terms - I assume an experienced climber would find it trivial) bit going down is a tiny bit iffy, I don't think it's terrible and while I could see how you *could* die, you could also die eg by slipping on a rock lower down or tripping and falling in front of a car etc. Guidebook obviously utterly lacks context and maybe the people who die are drunk/massively unfit/wearing flip-flops/whatever.
My personal gut feeling is that I bet the deaths occur in rainy season. I'd think not just twice but a round dozen or so times before attempting it in rainy season myself, honestly I have no trouble imagining losing footing and going over an edge (we're probably looking at "only" a few metres fall, but still plenty of rocks around to damage you) in wet muddy conditions. (At least that wet scramble in La Fortuna was in mostly steep-but-not-that-steep conditions and in a sort of narrow gully which restricted falling potential to some extent.)
I am thinking I will go back, probably day after tomorrow, take bathing stuff in bag and go in the water at the top (not "the edge of the falls", not sure you can even get quite there, but the pools up at the top) where there's plenty of shade and sufficiently quiet that risk of theft would be minimal (tho I'd leave valuables in hostel anyway). That " going up" (it's down from the trail towards the water, so it's upwards when you're leaving the top falls to go down) bit at the end gives me minor willies but very minor ones.
I had toyed with going into the pool at the lower falls today towards afternoon when UV not an issue due to chasm blocking light, but I decided against it on risk of theft grounds.
Plan for tomorrow - formed while mulling things over at top, feeling quite smug up there though must admit that top high difficulty climb after knocked a bit of that out of me - is to change hostel, leave backpack there as prob can't check in, and take daypack with minimal valuables and hike along those beaches to the waterfall (as I did yday) and go into the pool at its base. I am going to risk my two-tone blue "plastic" top (which incidentally I am wearing now and seems fine-ish after pro laundry, though not as light and comfortable as the two Raging Sport tops I amw earing most of the time) as a bathing top - it will probably not get ruined, but I'm willing to take the chance, I think.
I had been thinking I'd extend here another day to give myself a little buffer and to allow repeating one of the two upcoming days plans if I wished. However, when I got back to hostel after falls and looked the new hostel doesn't have my single private available for one more day, just a double at more money. It's not even about money or avoiding a dorm at this point - if I extend for one more day I don't want the hassle of changing room, let along hostel.
I have vague hopes they'll get a cancellation and I will keep checking and also ask them tomorrow on check in - worst they can do is say no - and we'll see. Not end of world if can't. I think from here it's definitely Jaco, I will ask about the boat tomorrow night once I prob know if can extend here or not.
If I have to stay in a dorm in Jaco that's fine, prob only be there 3 nights as not super expecting to like it (and Manuel Antonio is just down road). If I can get a private in Jaco for not much more than a dorm I will - after all, it might be I'll be forced into a dorm on cost grounds after Jaco.
After I checked booking.com and dropped off backpack at hostel I went to Las Palmeras and had casado de bistec (not on menu, had to ask) and they didn't give me a free water this time but still, not too bad. Came back to hostel, had shower and went out and got beer which had on beach. (Rude prob-local came over after I'd been sitting a few mins on a log, appeared to indicate via gesture he considered leaving an empty beer bottle littering the beach behind it as staking a claim on it and said "va" (which I'm not sure even makes sense, as imperative is "ve" or "vaya") but I said " lo siento" and got up before I even twigged his gist, as I suspected he might want to just hassle me generally.)
Will probably have another beer later once finished writing this. Not ideal but not terrible and I have made a bit of an effort today etc.
Not hating this hostel too much but it does feel a bit cramped and slightly manky, undeniably good value though. I don't feel it's very sociable but maybe there are no other solo travellers here and/or maybe I've been a bit of a curmudgeon. There's no free coffee or anything in evening and the common areas feel just a bit too cramped for "comfortable" hanging out on my own but hoping to meet someone. I think also there's quite a pre-existing group thing.
I said earlier personal demons giving a kicking, I thought I'd slayed some but the satisfaction I felt walking down hill 1030 kind of faded. Seeing all the groups of people hanging out with their friends at lower fall and also a bit at beach stirred BNM feelings, and seeing other people come down off the "hard" path after I did and (not that I had either, of course) not looking as if they'd done anything major and imagining no one else even worries about this shit for a second kind of pissed me off and made me feel a bit of a loser. (Prob irrational, eg overhearing that conversation last night - "you survived then" implies those girls who had done it had at least considered it a bit risky and/or painted themselves as risk takers for having done it.)
Wrt meeting people - and I know I'm chuntering on about this - I think I need to not be too demanding. It *may* be other solo travellers are constantly in a whirl of social interaction, but it may not. Easy to get sucked in by false impressions from guide book etc. Also I am older and I am not *that* inherently sociable. My relative strength is in small group (1-1, maybe 2-1ish) chats, not in walking up to a big group of strangers and just joining in (if nothing else I'd be worried they'd tell me to fuck off), and I need to accept that if there *are* no other solo travellers around it's naturally hard for me to chat to them.
1951 Been writing that near continuously though with the odd break. Fingers hurt a bit. Think I got most stuff down. Undeniably looking forward to having a private room for a couple of nights, it will seem like a nice luxury rather than an absolute requirement after this fairly long dorm-only stretch.
V approx half way through trip, tiny bit sad, tiny bit glad. I think on whole and notwithstanding depressing BNM feelings at time it's not going badly, and comparing it to my memories of the Guatemala blog and how upset I seemed to be getting at points in that I think it's also going pretty well.
If didn't already say I need to stop speaking Spanish (even just "hola" instead of "hi" ) in "tourist" situations, and esp in hostels. I suspect it just encourages people to think I don't speak English. The reality is I think few of the other travellers speak much Spanish (many can probably order a meal etc, but not "chat" , I suspect) and while it kind of feels like I'm "making an effort" by not using my native tongue, in practice it's probably counterproductive. The lingua franca in hostels here is English, not Spanish.
Not saying I won't speak Spanish to tourist *businesses* - no harm in that, may help (it's all practice and may make me appear more human to the cynical staff), I'm just saying I won't speak Spanish (unless it turns out to be necessary) to other *tourists*.
1957 Think I'll go get another beer and drink it on beach or in refugio piedras coloradas. Not really looking for chat but if anyone feels like it will try to be open.
Just to be absolutely clear, I've not been refusing to speak English to other tourists or anything like that. It's just that eg if I go into a dorm and there's someone there who I don't know (and thus don't know their nationality) I might say "hola" or "permiso" if I need to squeeze past or something. I doubt this has been a huge factor, but still, as said above, maybe it gives an impression I'm not an English speaker and I am going to try to stop doing it.
TBH not *gagging* for another beer but fuck it, I will have one. Maybe even if I don't meet anyone it will still be nicer to sit in communal areas of tomorrow night's hostel, whereas this bamboo bench outside is killing my arse.
Incidentally kitchen here stinks a bit - vaguely cheesy - and there's almost always someone using the one tap for washing up or something when (as now) I just want to fill up a water bottle. And the fridge is vaguely manky with open spare food/leftovers just waiting to spill everywhere. It's not gross, it's just a bit, as I say, manky.
2229 Bed. Will fill in details tomorrow.
Sunday 26 February 2023
Montezuma, Saturday
Sat 25th 0815 Sitting at rather high table waiting for breakfast (I felt a bit lost but went and asked and they said they'd bring it). Feel a bit awkward but not too bad, not much chat except among one possible family.
Slept OKish. Feel slightly dehydrated but not insane. Couple of pisses in the night but all fine. Sat in bed listening to music a bit last night and quite enjoyed it, also oddly cool to see lights (presumably) from phones on other bunks and think of them like little capsules of light sailing through the night.
Plan for today is still to do that long beach walk from guide book. I may stick on at hostel long enough to drink a fair chunk of water and have a big piss before I go though. Plan is also probably to stay off the beer today if I can.
0829 Breakfast not bad, though haven't got any coffee yet so will hang on in hope. I half overheard something which may suggest there's a delay with it but far from sure.
I did see yesterday there is a water taxi to Jaco for USD50. I would in many ways rather get the "main" ferry to Puntarenas, which I also suspect is cheaper.
OK, I just went and asked about getting a cup (there's an obvious self-service urn) and they said there aren't any spare so I said I'd wait, which is annoying but at least I asked so I don't feel like too much of a sap, half suspect I won't get one but you never know.
OTOH by all accounts PA is not terribly nice and none of the places between there and Jaco from a quick glance at map and my memories of the guide book are tremendously "important" from a tourist POV either. So by the time you factor in the expenditure of time and the money spent on accommodation in not-that-interesting places, it feels like it might be the smart option to splurge on the water taxi to Jaco (which itself sounds a bit of an overdeveloped resort from guide book, but still) and save both time and money viewed from that perspective, and Jaco does at least look like a likely spot to start heading down the west coast from without getting stuck going into San Jose or whatever. And of course if the west coast plan doesn't pan out for whatever reason once I am on the non-peninsula I also have the option to head over to Carribbean coast if I want instead.
I don't have to decide this now of course, just jotting some thoughts down. Perhaps on a subsequent trip I might head from SJ (arrival) to Puntarenas and take the "normal" ferry westbound, perhaps en route to Nicaragua.
1836 Outside hostel with slightly chilled bottled water. Some guy doing solo guitar cover of "Sweet Child of Mine" from a bar/hotel across the road, which is sort of cool.
So about 1050 I set off to walk to the waterfall at the end of the stretch of beaches to the north. I did, with the odd pause for thought it took me about 2h 20 to get there. Climbed up onto the rocks to see the pool below base of falls, deserted though a small group of people sat in shade a couple of hundred metres before the falls, and a guy carrying what I think was a metal detector came up (we exchanged "hola"s) and went up onto I assume the top of the falls (I had a quick look but although I could probably have done it it looked like a set of iffy steps barely present in the side of a mostly sheer boulder face of maybe 2m high, so decided against it) and I didn't see him again. Pretty cool to be up there all the same. Modulo worries about UV I might possibly go up there and go into the pool at base, which looks small and fairly shallow, at some point.
Whole walk pretty nice really, bit hot but not too bad (incidentally not too hot in bed last night either, fans on and maybe it's not that hot at night or I'm acclimatising) with some decent breezes and quite a bit of shade.
Felt quite knackered (esp feet) towards end, for some reason got desire to get " ham" and bread and have some sandwiches for dinner. So I did, despite being a bit pricey at the non-wanky supermarket (deliberately didn't check wanky one) at 4.2k-ish, but not too bad. Not exactly healthy but not terrible. Came back to hostel, kitchen (which always seems to smell a bit) mercifully empty so had 9 sandwiches with all the ham and have a bit of bread left for which lack of obvious non-refrigerated storage in kitchen have shoved under bed.
Sorted out some clothes for laundry, couple of women in dorm at points (I said hola to one, not too awkward) and I was intrigued to infer from their conversation that one was doing her laundry in the sink (the other offered her some gadget she didn't know the English for - didn't see it myself, maybe a plug??) and I was surprised this was an "open" thing - I sort of assumed it was only me who would do hand washing and in particular that it was not "done" to do it when staying in dorms. If I ever end up in a suitable conversation I'll have to ask someone about this.
Had shower, put clean trousers on (slight shame the black ones are getting the proper laundry treatment again) and took laundry out to place had spotted down the road last night - only 1500 a kilo, not too bad, and touch wood it's OK and I can pick it up 9am tomorrow so can do after breakfast. This is a pair of trousers, two plastic tops (including maybe-iffy wood smoke one) and two sets of underwear.
Went and sat on nearby beach for sunset (or "things getting dark" really) for maybe an hour after that then came back here to sit outside and write this with my semi-chilled water.
Do plan to stay off the beers tonight but I may pop into town (ie round the corner), get a big bottle of soft drink (maybe one of those tea ones) and sit and drink in in that refugio place for an hour or so. Was yawning a bit earlier and could imagine going to bed earlyish.
Managed to leave powerbank on charge when headed out at 1050ish (was just sitting out front of hostel with water feeling surprisingly comfortable and earwigging a bit between end of breakfast and then - if I didn't say I did get a cup and had two cups of black coffee) so that should be fine.
Did see some people having surfing lessons on one of nearer to town beach as I was coming back - felt bit jealous, but as already noted there are solid (and non-permanent) reasons I can't do this now. Some of the beaches further up near-deserted, felt a tiny bit edgy about it for a moment when I thought about it but it all felt pretty safe and no one had advised me otherwise. Quite cool really for it to be so quiet.
Just overheard some talk about "local" waterfall. Gut feeling is I am going to go tomorrow (not to swim) and see if I can get up to the top on the intermediate path which is on the sign board but which the guide book (which seems rather confused tbh) doesn't seem to mention. I am not saying I might not at least have a look at the "hard" path, I am not doing anything stupid but it's undeniable it does intrigue me a bit and I do have a bit of experience of scrambling around on rocks, as long as it isn't actual climbing climbing. Roommates in Samara said IIRC it's really busy on Sunday but I'll probably go and have a look anyway.
Feel a bit bloated after all this water. Not exactly a bad sign. May still go get a soft drink, may not. Overheard something about a bonfire just down road later, which may be worth checking out or may not.
Blowing hot and cold over meeting people. TBH half the time I don't actually *want* to talk to people, or someone sits down next to me to smoke or something and I find myself hoping they don't try to talk to me. I'm utterly inconsistent here.
Looking at guide book, main other thing to do locally is walk up a river (bed?) to some other falls (4km up road to entrance, then 2km up the righer). Not entirely clear if this is a swimwear deal or not. Might give it a go though.
Dithering about "local" falls. Undeniably don't want to be unnecessarily "scared" but equally don't want to do anything utterly foolish. (Also "2-3 tourists die each year" is kind of meaningless without an idea of how many tourists visit the falls. If only 20 tourists visit a year that's a damn scary statistic, if 200,000 visit a year this starts to be kind of "crossing the road" deal.)
Guidebook praises my current hostel, although it seems frankly inaccurate even on the objective details.
Guide book says there is a Banco de Costa Rica ATM here. I haven't looked but it presumably must be wrong given what everyone else seems to tell me. (I don't need one.)
Two women next to me smoking and discussing the falls a bit. They half implied they did it themselves, but I think they're talking about some other people. Hard to be sure. One of them is enormous.
OK, the Lajas falls thing looks like you have to walk up the river and you need "water shoes" but you are going to get wet, the river isn't deep but there are pockets 5 feet deep etc etc. I dunno. Technically speaking I could probably wear my only shoes, my walking shoes, and swimming costume. However, this leads onto something I need to "sort out" for a future trip - apart from maybe some longer swimming trunks (and ones that don't worry me by being dead loose either through age or me losing weight), I ought to bring a short-sleeved "plastic" T-shirt (I already have one in red I could use) which I would wear when swimming etc - this would cut down UV exposure, sunblock requirements and avoid the practical issue of the difficulty of applying sunblock to my own upper back. However, I don't have that now, and do I really want to risk either going topless or wearing one of my three "good" long-sleeved tops to do this walk? I suppose potentially I could buy a cotton T-shirt here, but cotton really would be a bit shitty. (Likewise, less unsatisfactorily perhaps, I could potentially buy some sort of swimming-ish shorts here.)
It also sounds a bit of a "swimming" kind of deal in general. Not that you have to be able to swim, but that if you can't maybe you miss out on half the fun of being at the falls at the other end. I dunno, I really dunno. Hmm, re-reading some random web page about it it says when you get to the first waterfall the swimming hole is "beautiful and deep" and that you have to swim across before climbing up the waterfall. I assume (even the guide book doesn't whittle about it) the climb isn't anything major, but while I might get across at a push, swimming across a deep swimming hole (no matter how beautiful) as a mandatory part of the route doesn't exactly sound smart when I'm a shitty swimmer and would be there on my own (depending on how many other people are there, I really have no idea, but it would probably be folly to assume someone would be present, able and willing to save me if I got into difficulties). So I think gut feeling is this is a no go. (Also, I'm a tourist. How the fuck am I supposed to *drive* 5km out of town to the starting point? Potentially I could walk this, but even without the swimming concern it would make the whole thing a bit more of an expedition than might be fun - especially on the way back when I'm potentially knackered and have 5km of maybe hilly and/or dog-infested road to traverse before it gets dark.)
Anyway, while I feel slightly peeved, I think this is a no-go on swimming grounds alone.
2305 Bed. Will write tonight up tomorrow.
Slept OKish. Feel slightly dehydrated but not insane. Couple of pisses in the night but all fine. Sat in bed listening to music a bit last night and quite enjoyed it, also oddly cool to see lights (presumably) from phones on other bunks and think of them like little capsules of light sailing through the night.
Plan for today is still to do that long beach walk from guide book. I may stick on at hostel long enough to drink a fair chunk of water and have a big piss before I go though. Plan is also probably to stay off the beer today if I can.
0829 Breakfast not bad, though haven't got any coffee yet so will hang on in hope. I half overheard something which may suggest there's a delay with it but far from sure.
I did see yesterday there is a water taxi to Jaco for USD50. I would in many ways rather get the "main" ferry to Puntarenas, which I also suspect is cheaper.
OK, I just went and asked about getting a cup (there's an obvious self-service urn) and they said there aren't any spare so I said I'd wait, which is annoying but at least I asked so I don't feel like too much of a sap, half suspect I won't get one but you never know.
OTOH by all accounts PA is not terribly nice and none of the places between there and Jaco from a quick glance at map and my memories of the guide book are tremendously "important" from a tourist POV either. So by the time you factor in the expenditure of time and the money spent on accommodation in not-that-interesting places, it feels like it might be the smart option to splurge on the water taxi to Jaco (which itself sounds a bit of an overdeveloped resort from guide book, but still) and save both time and money viewed from that perspective, and Jaco does at least look like a likely spot to start heading down the west coast from without getting stuck going into San Jose or whatever. And of course if the west coast plan doesn't pan out for whatever reason once I am on the non-peninsula I also have the option to head over to Carribbean coast if I want instead.
I don't have to decide this now of course, just jotting some thoughts down. Perhaps on a subsequent trip I might head from SJ (arrival) to Puntarenas and take the "normal" ferry westbound, perhaps en route to Nicaragua.
1836 Outside hostel with slightly chilled bottled water. Some guy doing solo guitar cover of "Sweet Child of Mine" from a bar/hotel across the road, which is sort of cool.
So about 1050 I set off to walk to the waterfall at the end of the stretch of beaches to the north. I did, with the odd pause for thought it took me about 2h 20 to get there. Climbed up onto the rocks to see the pool below base of falls, deserted though a small group of people sat in shade a couple of hundred metres before the falls, and a guy carrying what I think was a metal detector came up (we exchanged "hola"s) and went up onto I assume the top of the falls (I had a quick look but although I could probably have done it it looked like a set of iffy steps barely present in the side of a mostly sheer boulder face of maybe 2m high, so decided against it) and I didn't see him again. Pretty cool to be up there all the same. Modulo worries about UV I might possibly go up there and go into the pool at base, which looks small and fairly shallow, at some point.
Whole walk pretty nice really, bit hot but not too bad (incidentally not too hot in bed last night either, fans on and maybe it's not that hot at night or I'm acclimatising) with some decent breezes and quite a bit of shade.
Felt quite knackered (esp feet) towards end, for some reason got desire to get " ham" and bread and have some sandwiches for dinner. So I did, despite being a bit pricey at the non-wanky supermarket (deliberately didn't check wanky one) at 4.2k-ish, but not too bad. Not exactly healthy but not terrible. Came back to hostel, kitchen (which always seems to smell a bit) mercifully empty so had 9 sandwiches with all the ham and have a bit of bread left for which lack of obvious non-refrigerated storage in kitchen have shoved under bed.
Sorted out some clothes for laundry, couple of women in dorm at points (I said hola to one, not too awkward) and I was intrigued to infer from their conversation that one was doing her laundry in the sink (the other offered her some gadget she didn't know the English for - didn't see it myself, maybe a plug??) and I was surprised this was an "open" thing - I sort of assumed it was only me who would do hand washing and in particular that it was not "done" to do it when staying in dorms. If I ever end up in a suitable conversation I'll have to ask someone about this.
Had shower, put clean trousers on (slight shame the black ones are getting the proper laundry treatment again) and took laundry out to place had spotted down the road last night - only 1500 a kilo, not too bad, and touch wood it's OK and I can pick it up 9am tomorrow so can do after breakfast. This is a pair of trousers, two plastic tops (including maybe-iffy wood smoke one) and two sets of underwear.
Went and sat on nearby beach for sunset (or "things getting dark" really) for maybe an hour after that then came back here to sit outside and write this with my semi-chilled water.
Do plan to stay off the beers tonight but I may pop into town (ie round the corner), get a big bottle of soft drink (maybe one of those tea ones) and sit and drink in in that refugio place for an hour or so. Was yawning a bit earlier and could imagine going to bed earlyish.
Managed to leave powerbank on charge when headed out at 1050ish (was just sitting out front of hostel with water feeling surprisingly comfortable and earwigging a bit between end of breakfast and then - if I didn't say I did get a cup and had two cups of black coffee) so that should be fine.
Did see some people having surfing lessons on one of nearer to town beach as I was coming back - felt bit jealous, but as already noted there are solid (and non-permanent) reasons I can't do this now. Some of the beaches further up near-deserted, felt a tiny bit edgy about it for a moment when I thought about it but it all felt pretty safe and no one had advised me otherwise. Quite cool really for it to be so quiet.
Just overheard some talk about "local" waterfall. Gut feeling is I am going to go tomorrow (not to swim) and see if I can get up to the top on the intermediate path which is on the sign board but which the guide book (which seems rather confused tbh) doesn't seem to mention. I am not saying I might not at least have a look at the "hard" path, I am not doing anything stupid but it's undeniable it does intrigue me a bit and I do have a bit of experience of scrambling around on rocks, as long as it isn't actual climbing climbing. Roommates in Samara said IIRC it's really busy on Sunday but I'll probably go and have a look anyway.
Feel a bit bloated after all this water. Not exactly a bad sign. May still go get a soft drink, may not. Overheard something about a bonfire just down road later, which may be worth checking out or may not.
Blowing hot and cold over meeting people. TBH half the time I don't actually *want* to talk to people, or someone sits down next to me to smoke or something and I find myself hoping they don't try to talk to me. I'm utterly inconsistent here.
Looking at guide book, main other thing to do locally is walk up a river (bed?) to some other falls (4km up road to entrance, then 2km up the righer). Not entirely clear if this is a swimwear deal or not. Might give it a go though.
Dithering about "local" falls. Undeniably don't want to be unnecessarily "scared" but equally don't want to do anything utterly foolish. (Also "2-3 tourists die each year" is kind of meaningless without an idea of how many tourists visit the falls. If only 20 tourists visit a year that's a damn scary statistic, if 200,000 visit a year this starts to be kind of "crossing the road" deal.)
Guidebook praises my current hostel, although it seems frankly inaccurate even on the objective details.
Guide book says there is a Banco de Costa Rica ATM here. I haven't looked but it presumably must be wrong given what everyone else seems to tell me. (I don't need one.)
Two women next to me smoking and discussing the falls a bit. They half implied they did it themselves, but I think they're talking about some other people. Hard to be sure. One of them is enormous.
OK, the Lajas falls thing looks like you have to walk up the river and you need "water shoes" but you are going to get wet, the river isn't deep but there are pockets 5 feet deep etc etc. I dunno. Technically speaking I could probably wear my only shoes, my walking shoes, and swimming costume. However, this leads onto something I need to "sort out" for a future trip - apart from maybe some longer swimming trunks (and ones that don't worry me by being dead loose either through age or me losing weight), I ought to bring a short-sleeved "plastic" T-shirt (I already have one in red I could use) which I would wear when swimming etc - this would cut down UV exposure, sunblock requirements and avoid the practical issue of the difficulty of applying sunblock to my own upper back. However, I don't have that now, and do I really want to risk either going topless or wearing one of my three "good" long-sleeved tops to do this walk? I suppose potentially I could buy a cotton T-shirt here, but cotton really would be a bit shitty. (Likewise, less unsatisfactorily perhaps, I could potentially buy some sort of swimming-ish shorts here.)
It also sounds a bit of a "swimming" kind of deal in general. Not that you have to be able to swim, but that if you can't maybe you miss out on half the fun of being at the falls at the other end. I dunno, I really dunno. Hmm, re-reading some random web page about it it says when you get to the first waterfall the swimming hole is "beautiful and deep" and that you have to swim across before climbing up the waterfall. I assume (even the guide book doesn't whittle about it) the climb isn't anything major, but while I might get across at a push, swimming across a deep swimming hole (no matter how beautiful) as a mandatory part of the route doesn't exactly sound smart when I'm a shitty swimmer and would be there on my own (depending on how many other people are there, I really have no idea, but it would probably be folly to assume someone would be present, able and willing to save me if I got into difficulties). So I think gut feeling is this is a no go. (Also, I'm a tourist. How the fuck am I supposed to *drive* 5km out of town to the starting point? Potentially I could walk this, but even without the swimming concern it would make the whole thing a bit more of an expedition than might be fun - especially on the way back when I'm potentially knackered and have 5km of maybe hilly and/or dog-infested road to traverse before it gets dark.)
Anyway, while I feel slightly peeved, I think this is a no-go on swimming grounds alone.
2305 Bed. Will write tonight up tomorrow.
Saturday 25 February 2023
Sámara-Montezuma
Fri 24th 0837 Waiting on lower terrace for shuttle. Woke up a bit in night, not exactly bad. Didn't super want to get up on 0745 alarm but after minute or two I did. Two guys in room - some confusion last night as some banging on a door to get in and I thought it was our dorm door and was calling out "hello?" and it wasn't. Stuffed everything in bag in kitchen area outside dorm, luckily had shit, etc.
Vague lurking BNM feelings but not feeling too bad. Just hope the shuttle turns up. Feel a bit hot but that's because there's not much breeze here and I don't feel like I'm going to die from the heat or anything. I hope the shuttle will either be airconned or have opening windows.
Top I washed late last night still smells a bit smoky so wearing the other one of the two tops I've been repeatedly wearing here (also hand-washed yday, in afternoon) and will try to favour the smoky one for days out (when it won't matter) and presumably the smell will fade as it is washed. I may also spring for a laundry service in MZ depending on how things go.
Just FTR "weird" Chilean woman went up to a group of German speakers last night when I was waffling and spoke to them in English and they switched. I think I'd have felt rude doing that, but maybe I'm being ridiculous. Dunno.
1033 Just had rather epic bus transfer in Nicoya - lots of milling around and modest confusion. On fairly big bus to Montezuma, watched my bag get lifted into back so that's something.
Got out of bus at Casa Tierra as it was picking someone up (didn't know him, tho *may* have seen him round first first night) as the woman who sold me the ticket had some out to "meet" the bus and might have missed us so being paranoid I asked to get out and ran into hostel to check she didn't have some voucher for me (she didn't). But this worked out nicely as Michel was in front courtyard at CT and shouted and waved at me so I waved/shouted back which felt nicely friendly.
We are still waiting to actually head out of Nicoya but I'm not in any massive rush. Some people are snacking and a woman just asked if there was time to get off and buy snacks, and I'm kind of jealous but also as is my usual policy deliberately *not* snacking, I could trivially have bought some earlier (I had an unneeded piss - destroyer tactics :-) - as soon as we pulled into the petrol station being used for the bus meetup and passenger redistribution and chose not to. It's not as if I'm not "treating" myself (beers, those snacks the other night, etc), I am just hoping to lose some weight etc and there's something about snacking *just because* I'm on a bus and maybe bored etc feels wrong. I wouldn't typically snack if I was out for a walk or sitting on the beach or whatever, after all.
1040 I think we may be off. It's all been aircon except waiting on forecourt at garage and that was warm but not insanely sweaty, helped no doubt by just standing there no "doing" anything.
Irrationally I do wonder if I am going to struggle to extend accom in MZ given how busy it obviously is, but after all I got in to this place the day ahead. I will see how tonight's sleep and tomorrow's breakfast goes and if everything feels OK I might extend by a couple of days tomorrow morning. But no need to worry about that today.
1135 Rest stop. Absolutely could buy snacks and am tempted but not doing it. It irrationally irks me "other people can do this and I can't" , but of course a) I can and I'm choosing not to, which is different b) their personal choices/manner of trying to achieve their health/weight/etc goals (or not caring, then whinging later) are theirs and mine are mine. i can and will snack in due course when circumstances and/or temptation conspire against me, but not now.
Air conditioning on bus is so good I feel cold. Have got off just to be excessively hot for a bit by way of contrast. Not going for piss, I really don't need one.
Google Maps says we're in Jicaral, incidentally. And now I look it's damn obvious as there's Ferreteria Jicaral across the road.
1723 Jesus. I just don't know. I don't outright hate Montezuma, but nor am I in love with it. The hostel is just about OK but it seems pretty shit. I did get a lower bunk. There are at least lockers. However: The bunks are pushed up so tight against the next set (foot-to-foot) that without being rude I can only hang stuff on the head end. The bathroom is off one end of the dorm, but there's no sink - that is in the dorm, near one set of beds. Zero privacy and obviously fuck all chance of a decent stealth wash. There are 3 (count 'em) spare sockets in a 6 bed dorm, and one of those is only useable to charge something if you're willing to rest it on the sink or have a really long USB cable (I don't) and are willing to leave it on the floor. The tap on the sink even manages to not flow vertically; it sort of squirts sideways into the back of the basin.
A few people are around now but it feels super un-convivial, maybe because I'm in a slightly shitty mood. I am almost certainly staying my three paid nights - there are no rats or bed bugs, it's not *terrible* - but if I want to stay in Montezuma I can't see myself extending here voluntarily. Maybe I'll make a friend and change my mind but I doubt it. However, I am telling myself let's wait until breakfast (8-9) and a night's sleep before making plans.
On a whim I popped into Hotel Lucy on walkabout earlier to ask if they had availability Monday, and was told to come back Monday and ask! We never even got to price. Cos yeah, I'm just gonna not book anything and if you don't have availability, never mind, I'll pay USD50+ a night booking a dorm last minute. They presumably just don't care.
I walked a random direction out of town after checking in, stumbled on the waterfall by chance and walked the pleasingly slightly treacherous (a nice no-health-and-safety vibe) path up to the lower falls. Only on a second look at map at entrance (it's free by the way, which is nice) did I properly twig there's an "intermediate" (it's all intermediate or high) path all the way to the top - I saw the "high" entrance to the upper path and was torn but decided not today. I will probably go back and at least do intermediate path to top. I was thinking - esp as I have a locker and could put all my valuables in it - I could maybe go into the pool at base, I asked and although it's obviously deep near falls (people jumping in etc - I do feel fucking cheated for having to go through so much swimming lesson pain as a kid and still not being able to swim, but what you gonna do?) it does slope so it is tempting, plus as it's in a kind of chasm there would be virtually no direct sunlight except round noon, so no worries about sunburn.
I am actually sitting in the fucking street on seats outside hostel as the two tables inside are occupied by people who look like they're in couples or whatever.
Went to Soda La Tipica Las Palmeras for food, casado con bistek (very nice to be fair) advertised at 4000 but a juice is 2200 (!) - again to be fair I said no drink and they still gave me an iced water. It's obviously *not* a "soda" in the usual sense and more like a restaurant. The bill was 4000+400 tax - what the fuck? why wasn't this quoted up front? more to the point, since VAT is 13%, why is the tax 400? Is this a Montezuma thing or some wankery on their part? It did *not* say tip, it said tax. Since it was a restaurant type place I felt I "had" to tip so left change to make it 5k. Borderline acceptable but not great.
Walked back into town and round square (that's about the whole town). One of the two "super" markets has a sign in English and Spanish (I photoed it, while saying something to myself about it being a pile of wank) saying "no more plastic" and "no plastic bags please" . AIUI, this doesn't mean they won't give or sell you one. It means THEY DON'T WANT YOU USING ONE, FULL STOP. How very *dare* you even think about taking your *own* plastic bag? Well, fuck you Super Montezuma. Super Mamatea (sp) will be getting my business, such as it is, unless I'm in dire straits. I was torn about buying a beer but wasn't going to anyway at this point, as was just having a little recce.
Back to hostel feeling a bit shit, crappy shower in fortunately empty dorm, desperately tried to water-only wash today's top and the two-tone blue one which got smoky and which (maybe I'm just imagining it) feels weirdly "slimy" despite having had a with soap hand wash last night and beyond the wood smoke has only had "usual" sweat, nothing special.
And now I'm out here.
Obviously my attitude is not going to help wrt meeting people so I need to be careful.
I think tomorrow (subject to dicking around looking at poss extension accom after breakfast) I will do that long walk up the chain of nice beaches. Beyond the waterfall I'm not sure there's anything else here I really desperately want to do. I'm not entirely sure what's so fucking special about the place, except it's small and hard to get to and at least slightly expensive.
I'm not making any hasty decisions. Gut feeling is I might stay at least one extra night here but as I say not necessarily by choice in this hostel.
I have no fucking idea what I'm going to do tonight. Given it's Friday I am vaguely tempted to go to the bar in the square but I'm sure it's massive overpriced and given dorm shit - cleaning my teeth will involve disturbing everyone, although maybe I can use the washbasin in common area outside the dorm - I don't really want to be drunk.
I was thinking I'd have a day of the beer today. I still might but I dunno, I might go and get a can and sit on the beach with it (though we're facing the wrong direction for beach sunset views here).
Anyway, I've bashed this out so let's stop writing and see what if anything happens (in my brain and/or in the outside world).
1756 Right, I've just booked a single private with shared bathroom at another hostel here for two nights starting Monday at about USD25/night inc tax - I'm paying USD20ish/night here inc tax, although I do get breakfast, and it would have been same to stay here from Monday. I have free cancellation before 26th so I can cancel this tomorrow if I have a change of heart. I've maybe had enough of dorms back-to-back but also the just miscellaneously shitty dorm here has maybe tipped me over the edge - I wasn't *that* bothered about the dorms up til now. I could also have had a dorm at the "new" hostel for about USD15/night, although again with no breakfast. I am not short of time, Montezuma itself seems borderline pleasant (and I would like to eg have a go at swimming or at least going into waterfall pool, or maybe one of the secluded-ish beach cove type places I've seen) even if it isn't necessarily great, I had planned on a few nights not in a dorm anyway (but it didn't happen because with the dates I had at short notice meant this was the only option) so this is hardly a mega-splurge and this way I am not dashing off out of here. Hell, if I like it/feel relaxed enough I'll stay a week or more. I do feel a bit better for having this option, which may just improve my mood wrt possibly chatting with people here, though I don't expect it to work miracles.
1814 Having some water here. I just may go for a wander round square in 30-60 mins, roommates from Samara said people just kind of talk to you here and/or there's a vague "hanging out in the square" thing. I'm a bit dubious but we'll see. Something to do at least.
1822 Woman come up, said hi and is (I think) rolling a fag/joint next to me. (I might guess this is a "smoker's bench" as it satisfies some persnickety "off the premises" rule of someone's.) TBH I am thinking I might have a beer later, feeling a bit sick of watching other people indulge in vices I am prohibited from in various ways. It's 1700 for a 710ml can at the non-wanky "super" market, which isn't too bad.
1831 It was just a fag, at least. I feel OKish, not great, not terrible. There's some vague suggestion other people know each other but I have more of a lingering generalised BNM feeling rather than something strongly situational. :-)
Increasingly feeling I will go get a beer soon-ish, maybe after a little walk.
Incidentally nothing to do with anything tonight, I am going to try to avoid wearing my cap at night. Despite its minor advantages of reducing mosquito-exposed skin and hiding my slightly over-long hair, I feel it perhaps comes across a little bit "furtive" /inhibits eye contact by shading my face etc etc. During the day I "need" it so fair enough, and there's more light anyway so the downsides are probably reduced.
1842 Incidentally all it would take for this hostel to fix the socket problem would be (as the Tamarindo hostel had) to buy a probably USD20-50 5-8 port USB charger, bolt it to the table and plug that in - no need to engage in major rewiring and associated redecoration. Likewise, would it kill them to knock a fucking nail or two into the back of the bathroom door for me to hang my clothes on while I'm showering?
Admittedly this doesn't fix the toe-to-toe bunks with associated lack of clothes hanging space or the shitty sink-not-in-bathroom (arguably some people might prefer that, as sink is available when someone is showering, but so far at least I personally haven't had to wait more than 30 seconds to get into a shared bathroom).
Gonna drink up this water, refill bottles in kitchen (suspect I may have to fight for tap) and head out with a small bottle for a wander and possibly a beer.
2200 In bed, had 3x710ml Pilsen 5% down Refugio Piedras Coloradas in town, will maybe write more tomorrow, I think I've spiralled up rather than down (primary realisation: it's fucking annoying the way everyone else seems to meet people/bond just like that, but I can't expect it to happen insantly when I arrive somewhere) and also among other things I made a small effort to talk to a stranger, I've deprived the eco-correct wankers at Super Montezuma of a bit of money and I also kept popping back to hostel (which was of course super chocked and super matey) to use the toilet, which feels amusingly disrespectful, and I've also formed a hopefully long term resolution to become a fucking demon at identifying faces, so when I first see someone I if anything (tho less as I get quicker) stare at them like a fucking machine rather than feel awkward and look away.
Cleaned teeth, kitchen is locked (as some reviews said) but luckily I had an extra plastic bottle in bag. Think 2 other women in here, otherwise empty, light was on when I came in. I am a bit pissed but not insanely so, plan is obv to be up for breakfast ("free" food, make an effort to be personable and chat to people) but that's 10h from now and may - for first time in ages - listen to bit of music etc before bed on headphones. Vague "everyone else is a smug cnt and I hate them" thoughts earlier but that's not fair. Anyway, music and bed and will post this now.
Vague lurking BNM feelings but not feeling too bad. Just hope the shuttle turns up. Feel a bit hot but that's because there's not much breeze here and I don't feel like I'm going to die from the heat or anything. I hope the shuttle will either be airconned or have opening windows.
Top I washed late last night still smells a bit smoky so wearing the other one of the two tops I've been repeatedly wearing here (also hand-washed yday, in afternoon) and will try to favour the smoky one for days out (when it won't matter) and presumably the smell will fade as it is washed. I may also spring for a laundry service in MZ depending on how things go.
Just FTR "weird" Chilean woman went up to a group of German speakers last night when I was waffling and spoke to them in English and they switched. I think I'd have felt rude doing that, but maybe I'm being ridiculous. Dunno.
1033 Just had rather epic bus transfer in Nicoya - lots of milling around and modest confusion. On fairly big bus to Montezuma, watched my bag get lifted into back so that's something.
Got out of bus at Casa Tierra as it was picking someone up (didn't know him, tho *may* have seen him round first first night) as the woman who sold me the ticket had some out to "meet" the bus and might have missed us so being paranoid I asked to get out and ran into hostel to check she didn't have some voucher for me (she didn't). But this worked out nicely as Michel was in front courtyard at CT and shouted and waved at me so I waved/shouted back which felt nicely friendly.
We are still waiting to actually head out of Nicoya but I'm not in any massive rush. Some people are snacking and a woman just asked if there was time to get off and buy snacks, and I'm kind of jealous but also as is my usual policy deliberately *not* snacking, I could trivially have bought some earlier (I had an unneeded piss - destroyer tactics :-) - as soon as we pulled into the petrol station being used for the bus meetup and passenger redistribution and chose not to. It's not as if I'm not "treating" myself (beers, those snacks the other night, etc), I am just hoping to lose some weight etc and there's something about snacking *just because* I'm on a bus and maybe bored etc feels wrong. I wouldn't typically snack if I was out for a walk or sitting on the beach or whatever, after all.
1040 I think we may be off. It's all been aircon except waiting on forecourt at garage and that was warm but not insanely sweaty, helped no doubt by just standing there no "doing" anything.
Irrationally I do wonder if I am going to struggle to extend accom in MZ given how busy it obviously is, but after all I got in to this place the day ahead. I will see how tonight's sleep and tomorrow's breakfast goes and if everything feels OK I might extend by a couple of days tomorrow morning. But no need to worry about that today.
1135 Rest stop. Absolutely could buy snacks and am tempted but not doing it. It irrationally irks me "other people can do this and I can't" , but of course a) I can and I'm choosing not to, which is different b) their personal choices/manner of trying to achieve their health/weight/etc goals (or not caring, then whinging later) are theirs and mine are mine. i can and will snack in due course when circumstances and/or temptation conspire against me, but not now.
Air conditioning on bus is so good I feel cold. Have got off just to be excessively hot for a bit by way of contrast. Not going for piss, I really don't need one.
Google Maps says we're in Jicaral, incidentally. And now I look it's damn obvious as there's Ferreteria Jicaral across the road.
1723 Jesus. I just don't know. I don't outright hate Montezuma, but nor am I in love with it. The hostel is just about OK but it seems pretty shit. I did get a lower bunk. There are at least lockers. However: The bunks are pushed up so tight against the next set (foot-to-foot) that without being rude I can only hang stuff on the head end. The bathroom is off one end of the dorm, but there's no sink - that is in the dorm, near one set of beds. Zero privacy and obviously fuck all chance of a decent stealth wash. There are 3 (count 'em) spare sockets in a 6 bed dorm, and one of those is only useable to charge something if you're willing to rest it on the sink or have a really long USB cable (I don't) and are willing to leave it on the floor. The tap on the sink even manages to not flow vertically; it sort of squirts sideways into the back of the basin.
A few people are around now but it feels super un-convivial, maybe because I'm in a slightly shitty mood. I am almost certainly staying my three paid nights - there are no rats or bed bugs, it's not *terrible* - but if I want to stay in Montezuma I can't see myself extending here voluntarily. Maybe I'll make a friend and change my mind but I doubt it. However, I am telling myself let's wait until breakfast (8-9) and a night's sleep before making plans.
On a whim I popped into Hotel Lucy on walkabout earlier to ask if they had availability Monday, and was told to come back Monday and ask! We never even got to price. Cos yeah, I'm just gonna not book anything and if you don't have availability, never mind, I'll pay USD50+ a night booking a dorm last minute. They presumably just don't care.
I walked a random direction out of town after checking in, stumbled on the waterfall by chance and walked the pleasingly slightly treacherous (a nice no-health-and-safety vibe) path up to the lower falls. Only on a second look at map at entrance (it's free by the way, which is nice) did I properly twig there's an "intermediate" (it's all intermediate or high) path all the way to the top - I saw the "high" entrance to the upper path and was torn but decided not today. I will probably go back and at least do intermediate path to top. I was thinking - esp as I have a locker and could put all my valuables in it - I could maybe go into the pool at base, I asked and although it's obviously deep near falls (people jumping in etc - I do feel fucking cheated for having to go through so much swimming lesson pain as a kid and still not being able to swim, but what you gonna do?) it does slope so it is tempting, plus as it's in a kind of chasm there would be virtually no direct sunlight except round noon, so no worries about sunburn.
I am actually sitting in the fucking street on seats outside hostel as the two tables inside are occupied by people who look like they're in couples or whatever.
Went to Soda La Tipica Las Palmeras for food, casado con bistek (very nice to be fair) advertised at 4000 but a juice is 2200 (!) - again to be fair I said no drink and they still gave me an iced water. It's obviously *not* a "soda" in the usual sense and more like a restaurant. The bill was 4000+400 tax - what the fuck? why wasn't this quoted up front? more to the point, since VAT is 13%, why is the tax 400? Is this a Montezuma thing or some wankery on their part? It did *not* say tip, it said tax. Since it was a restaurant type place I felt I "had" to tip so left change to make it 5k. Borderline acceptable but not great.
Walked back into town and round square (that's about the whole town). One of the two "super" markets has a sign in English and Spanish (I photoed it, while saying something to myself about it being a pile of wank) saying "no more plastic" and "no plastic bags please" . AIUI, this doesn't mean they won't give or sell you one. It means THEY DON'T WANT YOU USING ONE, FULL STOP. How very *dare* you even think about taking your *own* plastic bag? Well, fuck you Super Montezuma. Super Mamatea (sp) will be getting my business, such as it is, unless I'm in dire straits. I was torn about buying a beer but wasn't going to anyway at this point, as was just having a little recce.
Back to hostel feeling a bit shit, crappy shower in fortunately empty dorm, desperately tried to water-only wash today's top and the two-tone blue one which got smoky and which (maybe I'm just imagining it) feels weirdly "slimy" despite having had a with soap hand wash last night and beyond the wood smoke has only had "usual" sweat, nothing special.
And now I'm out here.
Obviously my attitude is not going to help wrt meeting people so I need to be careful.
I think tomorrow (subject to dicking around looking at poss extension accom after breakfast) I will do that long walk up the chain of nice beaches. Beyond the waterfall I'm not sure there's anything else here I really desperately want to do. I'm not entirely sure what's so fucking special about the place, except it's small and hard to get to and at least slightly expensive.
I'm not making any hasty decisions. Gut feeling is I might stay at least one extra night here but as I say not necessarily by choice in this hostel.
I have no fucking idea what I'm going to do tonight. Given it's Friday I am vaguely tempted to go to the bar in the square but I'm sure it's massive overpriced and given dorm shit - cleaning my teeth will involve disturbing everyone, although maybe I can use the washbasin in common area outside the dorm - I don't really want to be drunk.
I was thinking I'd have a day of the beer today. I still might but I dunno, I might go and get a can and sit on the beach with it (though we're facing the wrong direction for beach sunset views here).
Anyway, I've bashed this out so let's stop writing and see what if anything happens (in my brain and/or in the outside world).
1756 Right, I've just booked a single private with shared bathroom at another hostel here for two nights starting Monday at about USD25/night inc tax - I'm paying USD20ish/night here inc tax, although I do get breakfast, and it would have been same to stay here from Monday. I have free cancellation before 26th so I can cancel this tomorrow if I have a change of heart. I've maybe had enough of dorms back-to-back but also the just miscellaneously shitty dorm here has maybe tipped me over the edge - I wasn't *that* bothered about the dorms up til now. I could also have had a dorm at the "new" hostel for about USD15/night, although again with no breakfast. I am not short of time, Montezuma itself seems borderline pleasant (and I would like to eg have a go at swimming or at least going into waterfall pool, or maybe one of the secluded-ish beach cove type places I've seen) even if it isn't necessarily great, I had planned on a few nights not in a dorm anyway (but it didn't happen because with the dates I had at short notice meant this was the only option) so this is hardly a mega-splurge and this way I am not dashing off out of here. Hell, if I like it/feel relaxed enough I'll stay a week or more. I do feel a bit better for having this option, which may just improve my mood wrt possibly chatting with people here, though I don't expect it to work miracles.
1814 Having some water here. I just may go for a wander round square in 30-60 mins, roommates from Samara said people just kind of talk to you here and/or there's a vague "hanging out in the square" thing. I'm a bit dubious but we'll see. Something to do at least.
1822 Woman come up, said hi and is (I think) rolling a fag/joint next to me. (I might guess this is a "smoker's bench" as it satisfies some persnickety "off the premises" rule of someone's.) TBH I am thinking I might have a beer later, feeling a bit sick of watching other people indulge in vices I am prohibited from in various ways. It's 1700 for a 710ml can at the non-wanky "super" market, which isn't too bad.
1831 It was just a fag, at least. I feel OKish, not great, not terrible. There's some vague suggestion other people know each other but I have more of a lingering generalised BNM feeling rather than something strongly situational. :-)
Increasingly feeling I will go get a beer soon-ish, maybe after a little walk.
Incidentally nothing to do with anything tonight, I am going to try to avoid wearing my cap at night. Despite its minor advantages of reducing mosquito-exposed skin and hiding my slightly over-long hair, I feel it perhaps comes across a little bit "furtive" /inhibits eye contact by shading my face etc etc. During the day I "need" it so fair enough, and there's more light anyway so the downsides are probably reduced.
1842 Incidentally all it would take for this hostel to fix the socket problem would be (as the Tamarindo hostel had) to buy a probably USD20-50 5-8 port USB charger, bolt it to the table and plug that in - no need to engage in major rewiring and associated redecoration. Likewise, would it kill them to knock a fucking nail or two into the back of the bathroom door for me to hang my clothes on while I'm showering?
Admittedly this doesn't fix the toe-to-toe bunks with associated lack of clothes hanging space or the shitty sink-not-in-bathroom (arguably some people might prefer that, as sink is available when someone is showering, but so far at least I personally haven't had to wait more than 30 seconds to get into a shared bathroom).
Gonna drink up this water, refill bottles in kitchen (suspect I may have to fight for tap) and head out with a small bottle for a wander and possibly a beer.
2200 In bed, had 3x710ml Pilsen 5% down Refugio Piedras Coloradas in town, will maybe write more tomorrow, I think I've spiralled up rather than down (primary realisation: it's fucking annoying the way everyone else seems to meet people/bond just like that, but I can't expect it to happen insantly when I arrive somewhere) and also among other things I made a small effort to talk to a stranger, I've deprived the eco-correct wankers at Super Montezuma of a bit of money and I also kept popping back to hostel (which was of course super chocked and super matey) to use the toilet, which feels amusingly disrespectful, and I've also formed a hopefully long term resolution to become a fucking demon at identifying faces, so when I first see someone I if anything (tho less as I get quicker) stare at them like a fucking machine rather than feel awkward and look away.
Cleaned teeth, kitchen is locked (as some reviews said) but luckily I had an extra plastic bottle in bag. Think 2 other women in here, otherwise empty, light was on when I came in. I am a bit pissed but not insanely so, plan is obv to be up for breakfast ("free" food, make an effort to be personable and chat to people) but that's 10h from now and may - for first time in ages - listen to bit of music etc before bed on headphones. Vague "everyone else is a smug cnt and I hate them" thoughts earlier but that's not fair. Anyway, music and bed and will post this now.
Friday 24 February 2023
Sámara, Wednesday/Thursday
Wed 22nd 1906 At hostel terrace, bizarrely utterly deserted. Quietly successful day of touristing, of which more later.
Change of plans (probably) re onbound. Spoke to one of roommates (the more chatty - others are a couple and maybe it's a bit weird) again this afternoon - but I get ahead of myself. Looking into Jicaral when got back to hostel 3-4pm ish. Guide book maddeningly unclear about where the ferry lands west side and it's as if no one *ever* arrives in Nicoya peninsula except via ferry from Puntarena. Fuck all accommodation in Jicaral and Paquera - one of those has one dorm cheap hostel. Everything else is boutique and/or out of town.
Roommate sold me on Montezuma. Contrary to opinion I formed based on RG, it's small, nice walks on beach, waterfall (lethal according to RG and may not do it, but we'll see), fairly quiet (no cash machine - may try to wd a wodge of dollars tomorrow in semi-anticipation), etc. Probably dormtastic in order to avoid insane costs but not ridiculous given willingness to stay in dorm.
However, I've just been looking (went to beach between that chat and now) and info on how to get to Montezuma on web is also maddeningly shit. From Liberia (!) you should go to Puntarenas and get the ferry. WTAF?! The ferry might dock in Paquera which may have onbound connections but who fucking knows? I had thought I could get a bus from Nicoya to MZ and had maybe pencilled in that good out of town private room as a little break between dorms. But maybe that doesn't work given there seem to be fuck all buses.
Roommate talks about a water taxi (albeit at USD70ish!?) from Montezuma to Jaco and at the very least it's close-ish to Paquera so going on *from* there to Puntarenas and heading south down west coast of non-peninsula may be reasonably practical.
But how the fuck to get there? It sticks in my throat on multiple levels but I may have to pay USD50 for a shuttle from here to there. Not sure.
1920 Slightly drunk and annoyed about lack of clarity re above. Let's try to write up today.
Slept OKish. Woke up 7ish, finally got up maybe 830. Left hostel maybe a bit after 9. Walked down to C beach then along beach to far (east, I think) end, scrabbled around a bit on rocks at Punta Indio something but obviously even if *possible* to scrabble round to Carillos beach it would be foolhardy without good knowledge of tides.
Walked round via road to Carillos beach and walked all way to far end. While resting by big rock on beach a biggish black crab appeared in my peripheral vision and (truth, though it kill me) I emitted a bit of a scream as I thought it was a big spider, though rapidly recovered despite crab hiding so I couldn't confirm it was a crab. I stayed there a bit and saw that/some other crabs after.
Then came back, had a look at east end of Punta indio whatsit rocks on Carillo beach before returning to road. Due to not thinking and also some concerns re a "river" coming onto beach and tide maybe having come in I walked back via road rather than beach which I think rather extended the distance but was otherwise fine. Feet killing me as I gratefully ordered same as yday (not quite as good, but still good) at soda near hostel.
Forgot to say yday saw some monkeys in trees above where I was sitting while at beach pre-sunset.
Beach today sort of nice, decent exercise, got but not intolerable (maybe I am acclimatising), took bottle of water with me (last few days reaquainting me with taste of extremely warm water in a plastic bottle on a hot day ;-) ). Some interesting floral-y fractal-y designs on beach sand which I realised seem to be caused by tiny crabs that have "nests" at their centre and presumably make the marks on little forays out.
Came back to hostel, chat with roommate as already noted, showered, went down to local beach and had beer from mini super yuri, was going to have another at sunset but implausibly (surely this is goldmine hour?) they were shut some came back up to hostel, had a piss (silver lining), got beer at much bigger and more business-like mini super iguana near hostel and took it back down to beach and sat on beach as it got dark. Fire as yesterday, few people around, very nice if not that impressive colours in sky due to wrong direction etc. Came back and had piss and got cold water from fridge and came down here to look into buses to Montezuma and get frustrated which is where this entry started. As I say had 2x710ml beers so not off my face but feeling a smidge drunk.
Resisted temptation at MS Yuri earlier but you know I might pop out to MS Iguana and get some snacks.
2000 Did. Packet of 20 fags is under two quid but have resisted so far. Feels a bit lardy having these snacks but hey, it's been a week or so and I did walk a lot today.
2004 Jeez. Looking on booking.com for 3 nights Montezuma after I check out here, there's 1 dorm at about USD20/night inc tax (borderline OK) and everything else is private at like three times that.
hostelworld has that same hostel and one other place with privates and that's it. FFS.
Oh, there's a real liquorice/treacle aroma in the air (which is oddly cool) probably (but not clear) because there's been some road re-surfacing just in front of Iguana supermarket just round corner.
2015 Have a vague suspicion people have gone off to a party on the beach which I am not invited to, but even if true not a big deal.
2238 Bed.
Thu 23rd 0949 Right, bit of last minute pseudo-panic but I think mostly sorted. Last night suddenly roommate turned up and invited me to join them at hostel next door where they had stayed before (no space to extent) and went over in a bit of a rush and had quietly enjoyable stereotypically traveller sort of evening - sitting round (v smoky) fire, bit of chat, French Canadian guy called Michel Roi (sp) who is apparently a retired circus performer played guitar (I did semi-sing "Thorn in my side" when he played as he didn't know the words), etc. We also had a power cut at one point so went out into street to see stars, and there was also an anteater (apparently) in tree - I saw it, but am taking it on trust it was an anteater.
This morning woke up feeling slightly rough (I think the two beers earlier hadn't helped, but also probably all the smoke had affected my throat/eyes) but not too bad. Was up pretty early and got dressed etc and came down to terrace to sort out onward travel etc.
Long story short, for tomorrow night there was one OK-ish hostel in Montezuma with tolerable prices (and it's still about USD20/night form dorm) - Saturday night same, Sunday night another hostel had availability at that kind of price but nothing was getting mega cheaper even if I waited. I tried to research the travel situation but as far as I can tell the only chance of a public bus would be via somewhere like Paquera which is a fair hike (and not necessarily direct in itself) from Nicoya. So basically it looks like shuttle is the way to go - the alternative is to spend several days and associated costs trying to get round via Nicoya/Paquera-ish, with no clear info on what bus routes exist ahead of time and as already noted wrt visiting Karen Mogensen reserve, there's bugger all cheap accommodation round Paquera-ish anyway. This sticks in my throat a little but not too much.
I popped into town to see if I could get some dollars, since there's no cash machine there and I figured despite theft risk it's best to prepare (GBP/USD rate also a bit dire at 1.2 but can't help it) and go with plenty of cash. I asked at a couple of places about a shuttle, one told me USD65 and another said full tomorrow and Sat would be USD72! I'd already seen sign at my hostel saying USD50 but I wanted to check other prices/avail. So came back to hostel, they said no problem, so I went up to get my K1 to book the accom first - roommates there, bit of chat, they are leaving on 11am shuttle to Nosara - and although maybe I was being manipulated, booking.com showed 1 bed left at that hostel when I am sure it had been 3 earlier, so I felt a bit rushed but was going to book it anyway (that's why I was on the site) and did. Have asked for lower bunk, we'll see. Reviews a bit mixed but sounds OK and it does have a free (if crowded, apparently) breakfast, which may be a valuable saving in Montezuma (though roommate told me there is at least one soda there). Only booked for three nights as although I could imagine spending 4-5 nights in M if it's OK I can extend once I'm there and can see what it's like and what other accom there is etc.
It is mildly sucky going into another dorm but I guess it's all part of the experience etc. I may well do a surreptitious wash of some underwear in the sink in a bit and that will help, plus presumably there will be laundry service or hand wash option of some kind in Montezuma.
Got a free smoothie from Canadian woman who runs/helps out with hostel, which was nice.
I *don't* have a voucher or any kind of receipt for my USD50 for shuttle but it will probably be OK; they are picking me up here and the woman who took my money said I don't need one and she will probably be here etc. She did write a voucher *out* when making the booking, but anyway.
My 40ml deodorant has run out - forgot to buy some in town (tho if dorm on verge on selling out maybe lack of delay no bad thing) so will pop back in in a bit and get some. That will be a bit of exercise today at least.
Torn about maybe popping back to hostel next door for chat tonight. Owner guy said I was welcome any time and while it might just be a formality the impression got from roommates is that they are very open, plus of course it's just an invitation to hang out in their courtyard, not to join them for dinner.
If I do that I might take a beer over from Iguana about 2030. Apart from that I may not have a beer today, though TBH as I write this the idea of having one on the beach at sunset is kind of appealing.
Incidentally the "everyone is invited to a party" thing last night - not that I was feeling terribly worked up about it - was just that someone on beach gave my roommates a flyer/invite for some techno rave thing and they passed it onto some German guys here who they had heard blasting out techno as they didn't want to go themselves.
If I'm *really* lucky I won't get any new roommates today, but gut feeling is it's busy enough here that I probably will, which isn't the end of the world.
I want to buy deodorant here as according to RM Montezuma is a bit "end of the road" rather than on the way to anywhere so while it's not exactly "cut off" , prices there are a little bit higher than elsewhere.
I will probably try to pay by credit card in dollars where possible with no surcharge in M, although touch wood I have a fair chunk of cash including a fair chunk of USD (and I could get more, but I already have probably USD400ish - guess, not counted - plus prob quite a lot of CRC, so the limiting factor is my comfort factor with risk of loss/theft). But with the only cash machine an infrequent bus ride away and no guarantee it's working/has dollars, doing what I can to avoid running down my cash supply seems prudent - I'm willing to write off the minor privacy loss in the circumstances (as I did at expensive hostel in Tamarindo). This isn't to say I expect to run out of cash even if I decide to stay a week and do a few pricy-ish activities (though I get this impression a lot of the stuff I'll want to do there is just self-guided walks on beach etc - also maybe (based on chat with RMs last night at that other hostel) to the *lower* parts of that waterfall the guide book warns about being dangerous), but if I get a chance to conserve cash I should take it.
It may also be that for spending in eg supermarkets or sodas on food (if push comes to shove I'll adopt the Tamarindo strategy in the hostel kitchen) that may be in CRC anyway, and I have a fair amount of CRC cash so might spend that there even if card is an option. But we'll see.
I had vaguely hoped to never take a shuttle but as waffled above I think it was probably the smart choice here. I think (from vague online/RG stuff and also a map in one of shuttle places) Paquera is a western terminus for the Puntarenas ferry and it's fairly near MZ so I'm hoping I can get a public bus or buses over to the ferry from MZ without having to splurge on an expensive shuttle or double back massively etc. But I think I'm repeating myself.
While I remember Michel said last night it's good to come here in November - it's cheap and right at end of rainy season. FWIW if I do consider a "late in the year" trip, either this year or another.
Incidentally if the hostel had sold out or the shuttle wasn't possible tomorrow I'd probably have still gone to MV (given recommendations, plus the fact I think I'm about done with expensive Nicoya peninsula for this trip and it's kind of looking the best route off the peninsula without backtracking) but maybe stuck on here for another day or two. But while nice enough here, I think I've done enough sitting around lately that it's smart to move on - vaguely tempting to wear out my welcome next door, but TBH even going tonight might risk spoiling the decent memory of last night.
Sweating a bit but kind of want to hang on down here til RM gone, partly just to say goodbye and partly because once they're gone it's probably a good moment - barring super-efficient cleaning kicking in - to go up and sneakily was some underwear before I go back into town for deodorant. (TBH I am sweating a lot with deodorant - I sort of got some out this morning - but presumably would be worse without.) Feels deeply odd 40ml of deodorant has run out before my nominal (perhaps over-filled) 50ml bottle sunblock, given I plaster visible quantities of that on head every day.
I am a bit red round the neck etc BTW, but while not great I don't think it's an actual burn, it's not sore etc, so hopefully no serious damage done and it will probably turn into more of a tanned colour than red colour given time. I don't think this is new, it's maybe been happening for a while, though I'm a bit vague.
1910 So I went into town and got a small roll-on and a bottle of coke zero - breaking a 20k, although presumably MZ is not some kind of utter desert where I'll struggle, playing it safe - and walked down to beach to drink it. (Tempted by a beer, but didn't.) I didn't realise just how close "Cangrejo" (sp) beach actually was - I was all "well where's the bit I started from yday?" and had to look at map on phone to realise I was virtually there. It's odd how this influences perceptions - I had C beach down as a bit obscure and so forth, but when approaching from town end the same beach just seemed like part of the town beach. Not sure I'm making sense.
Sat on a bench and thought random stuff and watched some lizards/iguanas. Went back to hostel about 3ish IIRC (not sure I do), perhaps briefly met new roommate then (nice enough but not super chatty maybe-French guy), backed up some photos while sitting on upper terrace (fiddling with SD cards), then popped out to nearby soda for lunch/dinner (3500 as usual, dropped 1k in tip jar though don't know if I "had" to, but this isn't too bad averaged over last three days) then back to hostel for sneaky laundry and shower.
Headed out with intent of going to local beach about 5-530 and bumped into Michel heading out with his guitar to play on beach so walked in town with him, onto beach there, tide very high (aiui prob beach all underwater down at C end), back down towards C beach as he wanted to get away from the bars etc with music, past owner of hostel from last night and some friends, and we ended up as I say down towards C end and although I felt slightly awkward it was also kind of cool and I sang a little bit with him etc. We then came back via a supermarket so he could get dinner supplies and when I said bye to him outside hostel he said to come over later - I had originally been intending to do that (given owner chap had said it was OK) and then after meeting M I thought maybe I wouldn't push it but now thinking I will head over there 2030ish as I had semi-originally planned. I'll take a beer over with me (first today) and have that and aim to be back here no later than 2200ish.
Wearing the same top I wore last night, it smelt really smoky this morning so I gave it a quick no-soap wash and I think that mostly killled the smell but *maybe* it is a bit sweaty dirty as I feel a little sticky - OTOH it's perhaps oddly muggy and lacking in breezes on the beach etc.
Incidentally beach this afternoon not excessively hot because of plenty of nice breezes, whereas earlier on hostel terrace with "better" shade it was a bit over hot because it's kind of sheltered and there wasn't much breeze.
Michel a bit down on Montezuma but be interesting to see it for myself. Also it does seem like there's some walking potential (eg the chain of nice beaches) so I should be able to get a bit of exercise in.
My fingernails could stand being cut but it feels a bit awkward doing it with being in all these dorms. Would it be a shitty move to take some nail clippers down to the beach in Montezuma? I suppose my nail clippings are organic matter and there's no real reason they should cut anyone's foot in the unlikely event they get trodden on.
Hair also ideally needs a cut but I'm not so desperate that I am willing to pay over the odds - saw a sign from bus in Nicoya for 3k so I'd hope to pay that. We'll see what's on offer in Nicoya.
1934 Very odd mini "query" from some woman who seemed to ask if I speak English and then if I speak Spanish and seemed vaguely worried I might be upset by her conversation on the phone or have overheard it, which I wasn't paying attention to. I still actually don't know what she really wanted or actually if she thinks I don't speak English or Spanish. Meh.
M said there is a boat from here to Montezuma on Fridays, but if he's right no one seemed to be advertising it very heavily and obviously I have booked the shuttle now. Guide book didn't seem to mention it either.
What I think is Pachelbel's Canon playing from somewhere. Odd query woman is gabbling away in Spanish but I'm doing my best not to pay attention. Wondering if she said insulting stuff about me earlier and was worried I'd understood but it feels unlikely; I don't think I'm a terribly odd sight sitting here at a table playing with my phone. Meh. I do wonder if my lumbering Spanish made her think I speak it worse than I do and I could have profitably earwigged in the aftermath of her question, but I didn't think.
2000 I think that woman is now speaking in English with a group of Germans and she says she's Chilean, which might account for my intermittent earwigging failing to understand properly.
Feel suddenly very BNM at this conversation starting up and me sitting here on my own (not that I was making any effort to meet anyone) especially after that weird-arse query earlier. Fuck knows, absolutely fuck knows.
I will definitely pop next door about half past with a beer now, if only to try to shake off the BNM feeling. If it's crap I don't have to stay, I suspect I could actually drink my own beer here even though they sell it here, there seems to be no shortage of beer in the guest fridge etc.
2014 Earwigging and apparently Iguana closes in 45 mins. WQ woman is going to buy some pisco. Fuck it, I'm gonna go see if I can get a beer ahead of her and go next door. Meh. Maybe won't. Oddly worried it will shut. Ah, fuck it, let's just go, annoying sitting here earwigging and feeling like a loser.
2221 Bed. Minor linguistic glitch (shelf said 1605 for can Pilsen at Iguana, I handed mildly bored/rude cashier 10k+10 to avoid excessive change fiddling and she looked blank and I saw on till it was 1600 and my confidence being shaken from earlier/lack of practice I struggled to explain that it had said 1605 on shelf and I felt peeved with myself) buying beer but no major deal. Felt bit awkward going to Casa Tierra but it was fine, I'd be lying if I said I felt 100% comfortable/"in there" all the time but it was fun, spoke some Spanish with Michel (who complimented my accent, but then he also said I can sing, and I know damn well I can't without any false modesty), M and a poss local guy (Alex/Peque - short for pequeno because of his instrument?) playing ukelele did some duets/improvising and vaguely Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain feel.
Got back and the guys on lower terrace still seeming to be talking among themselves, do feel a bit BNM with respect to them and not exactly peeved but still vaguely "WTF?" and wishing I'd been "calmer" and understood what was going on (I still can't quite remember what happened after she asked if I spoke English then Spanish) - I can't control random weird Chilean women and I can't automatically wangle my way into every conversation, but in theory I can control "not freaking out internally when some odd social interaction happens" .
But I wouldn't swap tonight at CT with the music and fire and so forth for the conversation here tonight. It's just the way it started up while I was there and with the weird woman that kind of annoys me.
I think it's just me and maybe-French guy in top bunk tonight, double still looks unoccupied. He is either out or downstairs but I'm writing this in bed and will try to go to sleep soon. Fingers crossed shuttle OK tomorrow and maybe I am improving my social technique and will do OK in hostel in MZ. If nothing else I should maybe take a lesson from M who if seeming very slightly nicely weird and claiming to be "introverted" (my paraphrase - but *not* shy) seems to just talk to everyone eg in the street and get away with it - he is probably way more charismatic than me, but he's also probably at least 10 years older and thus I shouldn't (and to be fair *mostly* aren't) use my age as an excuse.
Anyway, enough pseudo-psychodrama. Will send this. Oh, I did a proper hand-wash with soap of top I was wearing tonight before I cleaned my teeth, should be dry by morning in this heat, and this should mean I start MZ with a full complement of clean stuff.
Change of plans (probably) re onbound. Spoke to one of roommates (the more chatty - others are a couple and maybe it's a bit weird) again this afternoon - but I get ahead of myself. Looking into Jicaral when got back to hostel 3-4pm ish. Guide book maddeningly unclear about where the ferry lands west side and it's as if no one *ever* arrives in Nicoya peninsula except via ferry from Puntarena. Fuck all accommodation in Jicaral and Paquera - one of those has one dorm cheap hostel. Everything else is boutique and/or out of town.
Roommate sold me on Montezuma. Contrary to opinion I formed based on RG, it's small, nice walks on beach, waterfall (lethal according to RG and may not do it, but we'll see), fairly quiet (no cash machine - may try to wd a wodge of dollars tomorrow in semi-anticipation), etc. Probably dormtastic in order to avoid insane costs but not ridiculous given willingness to stay in dorm.
However, I've just been looking (went to beach between that chat and now) and info on how to get to Montezuma on web is also maddeningly shit. From Liberia (!) you should go to Puntarenas and get the ferry. WTAF?! The ferry might dock in Paquera which may have onbound connections but who fucking knows? I had thought I could get a bus from Nicoya to MZ and had maybe pencilled in that good out of town private room as a little break between dorms. But maybe that doesn't work given there seem to be fuck all buses.
Roommate talks about a water taxi (albeit at USD70ish!?) from Montezuma to Jaco and at the very least it's close-ish to Paquera so going on *from* there to Puntarenas and heading south down west coast of non-peninsula may be reasonably practical.
But how the fuck to get there? It sticks in my throat on multiple levels but I may have to pay USD50 for a shuttle from here to there. Not sure.
1920 Slightly drunk and annoyed about lack of clarity re above. Let's try to write up today.
Slept OKish. Woke up 7ish, finally got up maybe 830. Left hostel maybe a bit after 9. Walked down to C beach then along beach to far (east, I think) end, scrabbled around a bit on rocks at Punta Indio something but obviously even if *possible* to scrabble round to Carillos beach it would be foolhardy without good knowledge of tides.
Walked round via road to Carillos beach and walked all way to far end. While resting by big rock on beach a biggish black crab appeared in my peripheral vision and (truth, though it kill me) I emitted a bit of a scream as I thought it was a big spider, though rapidly recovered despite crab hiding so I couldn't confirm it was a crab. I stayed there a bit and saw that/some other crabs after.
Then came back, had a look at east end of Punta indio whatsit rocks on Carillo beach before returning to road. Due to not thinking and also some concerns re a "river" coming onto beach and tide maybe having come in I walked back via road rather than beach which I think rather extended the distance but was otherwise fine. Feet killing me as I gratefully ordered same as yday (not quite as good, but still good) at soda near hostel.
Forgot to say yday saw some monkeys in trees above where I was sitting while at beach pre-sunset.
Beach today sort of nice, decent exercise, got but not intolerable (maybe I am acclimatising), took bottle of water with me (last few days reaquainting me with taste of extremely warm water in a plastic bottle on a hot day ;-) ). Some interesting floral-y fractal-y designs on beach sand which I realised seem to be caused by tiny crabs that have "nests" at their centre and presumably make the marks on little forays out.
Came back to hostel, chat with roommate as already noted, showered, went down to local beach and had beer from mini super yuri, was going to have another at sunset but implausibly (surely this is goldmine hour?) they were shut some came back up to hostel, had a piss (silver lining), got beer at much bigger and more business-like mini super iguana near hostel and took it back down to beach and sat on beach as it got dark. Fire as yesterday, few people around, very nice if not that impressive colours in sky due to wrong direction etc. Came back and had piss and got cold water from fridge and came down here to look into buses to Montezuma and get frustrated which is where this entry started. As I say had 2x710ml beers so not off my face but feeling a smidge drunk.
Resisted temptation at MS Yuri earlier but you know I might pop out to MS Iguana and get some snacks.
2000 Did. Packet of 20 fags is under two quid but have resisted so far. Feels a bit lardy having these snacks but hey, it's been a week or so and I did walk a lot today.
2004 Jeez. Looking on booking.com for 3 nights Montezuma after I check out here, there's 1 dorm at about USD20/night inc tax (borderline OK) and everything else is private at like three times that.
hostelworld has that same hostel and one other place with privates and that's it. FFS.
Oh, there's a real liquorice/treacle aroma in the air (which is oddly cool) probably (but not clear) because there's been some road re-surfacing just in front of Iguana supermarket just round corner.
2015 Have a vague suspicion people have gone off to a party on the beach which I am not invited to, but even if true not a big deal.
2238 Bed.
Thu 23rd 0949 Right, bit of last minute pseudo-panic but I think mostly sorted. Last night suddenly roommate turned up and invited me to join them at hostel next door where they had stayed before (no space to extent) and went over in a bit of a rush and had quietly enjoyable stereotypically traveller sort of evening - sitting round (v smoky) fire, bit of chat, French Canadian guy called Michel Roi (sp) who is apparently a retired circus performer played guitar (I did semi-sing "Thorn in my side" when he played as he didn't know the words), etc. We also had a power cut at one point so went out into street to see stars, and there was also an anteater (apparently) in tree - I saw it, but am taking it on trust it was an anteater.
This morning woke up feeling slightly rough (I think the two beers earlier hadn't helped, but also probably all the smoke had affected my throat/eyes) but not too bad. Was up pretty early and got dressed etc and came down to terrace to sort out onward travel etc.
Long story short, for tomorrow night there was one OK-ish hostel in Montezuma with tolerable prices (and it's still about USD20/night form dorm) - Saturday night same, Sunday night another hostel had availability at that kind of price but nothing was getting mega cheaper even if I waited. I tried to research the travel situation but as far as I can tell the only chance of a public bus would be via somewhere like Paquera which is a fair hike (and not necessarily direct in itself) from Nicoya. So basically it looks like shuttle is the way to go - the alternative is to spend several days and associated costs trying to get round via Nicoya/Paquera-ish, with no clear info on what bus routes exist ahead of time and as already noted wrt visiting Karen Mogensen reserve, there's bugger all cheap accommodation round Paquera-ish anyway. This sticks in my throat a little but not too much.
I popped into town to see if I could get some dollars, since there's no cash machine there and I figured despite theft risk it's best to prepare (GBP/USD rate also a bit dire at 1.2 but can't help it) and go with plenty of cash. I asked at a couple of places about a shuttle, one told me USD65 and another said full tomorrow and Sat would be USD72! I'd already seen sign at my hostel saying USD50 but I wanted to check other prices/avail. So came back to hostel, they said no problem, so I went up to get my K1 to book the accom first - roommates there, bit of chat, they are leaving on 11am shuttle to Nosara - and although maybe I was being manipulated, booking.com showed 1 bed left at that hostel when I am sure it had been 3 earlier, so I felt a bit rushed but was going to book it anyway (that's why I was on the site) and did. Have asked for lower bunk, we'll see. Reviews a bit mixed but sounds OK and it does have a free (if crowded, apparently) breakfast, which may be a valuable saving in Montezuma (though roommate told me there is at least one soda there). Only booked for three nights as although I could imagine spending 4-5 nights in M if it's OK I can extend once I'm there and can see what it's like and what other accom there is etc.
It is mildly sucky going into another dorm but I guess it's all part of the experience etc. I may well do a surreptitious wash of some underwear in the sink in a bit and that will help, plus presumably there will be laundry service or hand wash option of some kind in Montezuma.
Got a free smoothie from Canadian woman who runs/helps out with hostel, which was nice.
I *don't* have a voucher or any kind of receipt for my USD50 for shuttle but it will probably be OK; they are picking me up here and the woman who took my money said I don't need one and she will probably be here etc. She did write a voucher *out* when making the booking, but anyway.
My 40ml deodorant has run out - forgot to buy some in town (tho if dorm on verge on selling out maybe lack of delay no bad thing) so will pop back in in a bit and get some. That will be a bit of exercise today at least.
Torn about maybe popping back to hostel next door for chat tonight. Owner guy said I was welcome any time and while it might just be a formality the impression got from roommates is that they are very open, plus of course it's just an invitation to hang out in their courtyard, not to join them for dinner.
If I do that I might take a beer over from Iguana about 2030. Apart from that I may not have a beer today, though TBH as I write this the idea of having one on the beach at sunset is kind of appealing.
Incidentally the "everyone is invited to a party" thing last night - not that I was feeling terribly worked up about it - was just that someone on beach gave my roommates a flyer/invite for some techno rave thing and they passed it onto some German guys here who they had heard blasting out techno as they didn't want to go themselves.
If I'm *really* lucky I won't get any new roommates today, but gut feeling is it's busy enough here that I probably will, which isn't the end of the world.
I want to buy deodorant here as according to RM Montezuma is a bit "end of the road" rather than on the way to anywhere so while it's not exactly "cut off" , prices there are a little bit higher than elsewhere.
I will probably try to pay by credit card in dollars where possible with no surcharge in M, although touch wood I have a fair chunk of cash including a fair chunk of USD (and I could get more, but I already have probably USD400ish - guess, not counted - plus prob quite a lot of CRC, so the limiting factor is my comfort factor with risk of loss/theft). But with the only cash machine an infrequent bus ride away and no guarantee it's working/has dollars, doing what I can to avoid running down my cash supply seems prudent - I'm willing to write off the minor privacy loss in the circumstances (as I did at expensive hostel in Tamarindo). This isn't to say I expect to run out of cash even if I decide to stay a week and do a few pricy-ish activities (though I get this impression a lot of the stuff I'll want to do there is just self-guided walks on beach etc - also maybe (based on chat with RMs last night at that other hostel) to the *lower* parts of that waterfall the guide book warns about being dangerous), but if I get a chance to conserve cash I should take it.
It may also be that for spending in eg supermarkets or sodas on food (if push comes to shove I'll adopt the Tamarindo strategy in the hostel kitchen) that may be in CRC anyway, and I have a fair amount of CRC cash so might spend that there even if card is an option. But we'll see.
I had vaguely hoped to never take a shuttle but as waffled above I think it was probably the smart choice here. I think (from vague online/RG stuff and also a map in one of shuttle places) Paquera is a western terminus for the Puntarenas ferry and it's fairly near MZ so I'm hoping I can get a public bus or buses over to the ferry from MZ without having to splurge on an expensive shuttle or double back massively etc. But I think I'm repeating myself.
While I remember Michel said last night it's good to come here in November - it's cheap and right at end of rainy season. FWIW if I do consider a "late in the year" trip, either this year or another.
Incidentally if the hostel had sold out or the shuttle wasn't possible tomorrow I'd probably have still gone to MV (given recommendations, plus the fact I think I'm about done with expensive Nicoya peninsula for this trip and it's kind of looking the best route off the peninsula without backtracking) but maybe stuck on here for another day or two. But while nice enough here, I think I've done enough sitting around lately that it's smart to move on - vaguely tempting to wear out my welcome next door, but TBH even going tonight might risk spoiling the decent memory of last night.
Sweating a bit but kind of want to hang on down here til RM gone, partly just to say goodbye and partly because once they're gone it's probably a good moment - barring super-efficient cleaning kicking in - to go up and sneakily was some underwear before I go back into town for deodorant. (TBH I am sweating a lot with deodorant - I sort of got some out this morning - but presumably would be worse without.) Feels deeply odd 40ml of deodorant has run out before my nominal (perhaps over-filled) 50ml bottle sunblock, given I plaster visible quantities of that on head every day.
I am a bit red round the neck etc BTW, but while not great I don't think it's an actual burn, it's not sore etc, so hopefully no serious damage done and it will probably turn into more of a tanned colour than red colour given time. I don't think this is new, it's maybe been happening for a while, though I'm a bit vague.
1910 So I went into town and got a small roll-on and a bottle of coke zero - breaking a 20k, although presumably MZ is not some kind of utter desert where I'll struggle, playing it safe - and walked down to beach to drink it. (Tempted by a beer, but didn't.) I didn't realise just how close "Cangrejo" (sp) beach actually was - I was all "well where's the bit I started from yday?" and had to look at map on phone to realise I was virtually there. It's odd how this influences perceptions - I had C beach down as a bit obscure and so forth, but when approaching from town end the same beach just seemed like part of the town beach. Not sure I'm making sense.
Sat on a bench and thought random stuff and watched some lizards/iguanas. Went back to hostel about 3ish IIRC (not sure I do), perhaps briefly met new roommate then (nice enough but not super chatty maybe-French guy), backed up some photos while sitting on upper terrace (fiddling with SD cards), then popped out to nearby soda for lunch/dinner (3500 as usual, dropped 1k in tip jar though don't know if I "had" to, but this isn't too bad averaged over last three days) then back to hostel for sneaky laundry and shower.
Headed out with intent of going to local beach about 5-530 and bumped into Michel heading out with his guitar to play on beach so walked in town with him, onto beach there, tide very high (aiui prob beach all underwater down at C end), back down towards C beach as he wanted to get away from the bars etc with music, past owner of hostel from last night and some friends, and we ended up as I say down towards C end and although I felt slightly awkward it was also kind of cool and I sang a little bit with him etc. We then came back via a supermarket so he could get dinner supplies and when I said bye to him outside hostel he said to come over later - I had originally been intending to do that (given owner chap had said it was OK) and then after meeting M I thought maybe I wouldn't push it but now thinking I will head over there 2030ish as I had semi-originally planned. I'll take a beer over with me (first today) and have that and aim to be back here no later than 2200ish.
Wearing the same top I wore last night, it smelt really smoky this morning so I gave it a quick no-soap wash and I think that mostly killled the smell but *maybe* it is a bit sweaty dirty as I feel a little sticky - OTOH it's perhaps oddly muggy and lacking in breezes on the beach etc.
Incidentally beach this afternoon not excessively hot because of plenty of nice breezes, whereas earlier on hostel terrace with "better" shade it was a bit over hot because it's kind of sheltered and there wasn't much breeze.
Michel a bit down on Montezuma but be interesting to see it for myself. Also it does seem like there's some walking potential (eg the chain of nice beaches) so I should be able to get a bit of exercise in.
My fingernails could stand being cut but it feels a bit awkward doing it with being in all these dorms. Would it be a shitty move to take some nail clippers down to the beach in Montezuma? I suppose my nail clippings are organic matter and there's no real reason they should cut anyone's foot in the unlikely event they get trodden on.
Hair also ideally needs a cut but I'm not so desperate that I am willing to pay over the odds - saw a sign from bus in Nicoya for 3k so I'd hope to pay that. We'll see what's on offer in Nicoya.
1934 Very odd mini "query" from some woman who seemed to ask if I speak English and then if I speak Spanish and seemed vaguely worried I might be upset by her conversation on the phone or have overheard it, which I wasn't paying attention to. I still actually don't know what she really wanted or actually if she thinks I don't speak English or Spanish. Meh.
M said there is a boat from here to Montezuma on Fridays, but if he's right no one seemed to be advertising it very heavily and obviously I have booked the shuttle now. Guide book didn't seem to mention it either.
What I think is Pachelbel's Canon playing from somewhere. Odd query woman is gabbling away in Spanish but I'm doing my best not to pay attention. Wondering if she said insulting stuff about me earlier and was worried I'd understood but it feels unlikely; I don't think I'm a terribly odd sight sitting here at a table playing with my phone. Meh. I do wonder if my lumbering Spanish made her think I speak it worse than I do and I could have profitably earwigged in the aftermath of her question, but I didn't think.
2000 I think that woman is now speaking in English with a group of Germans and she says she's Chilean, which might account for my intermittent earwigging failing to understand properly.
Feel suddenly very BNM at this conversation starting up and me sitting here on my own (not that I was making any effort to meet anyone) especially after that weird-arse query earlier. Fuck knows, absolutely fuck knows.
I will definitely pop next door about half past with a beer now, if only to try to shake off the BNM feeling. If it's crap I don't have to stay, I suspect I could actually drink my own beer here even though they sell it here, there seems to be no shortage of beer in the guest fridge etc.
2014 Earwigging and apparently Iguana closes in 45 mins. WQ woman is going to buy some pisco. Fuck it, I'm gonna go see if I can get a beer ahead of her and go next door. Meh. Maybe won't. Oddly worried it will shut. Ah, fuck it, let's just go, annoying sitting here earwigging and feeling like a loser.
2221 Bed. Minor linguistic glitch (shelf said 1605 for can Pilsen at Iguana, I handed mildly bored/rude cashier 10k+10 to avoid excessive change fiddling and she looked blank and I saw on till it was 1600 and my confidence being shaken from earlier/lack of practice I struggled to explain that it had said 1605 on shelf and I felt peeved with myself) buying beer but no major deal. Felt bit awkward going to Casa Tierra but it was fine, I'd be lying if I said I felt 100% comfortable/"in there" all the time but it was fun, spoke some Spanish with Michel (who complimented my accent, but then he also said I can sing, and I know damn well I can't without any false modesty), M and a poss local guy (Alex/Peque - short for pequeno because of his instrument?) playing ukelele did some duets/improvising and vaguely Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain feel.
Got back and the guys on lower terrace still seeming to be talking among themselves, do feel a bit BNM with respect to them and not exactly peeved but still vaguely "WTF?" and wishing I'd been "calmer" and understood what was going on (I still can't quite remember what happened after she asked if I spoke English then Spanish) - I can't control random weird Chilean women and I can't automatically wangle my way into every conversation, but in theory I can control "not freaking out internally when some odd social interaction happens" .
But I wouldn't swap tonight at CT with the music and fire and so forth for the conversation here tonight. It's just the way it started up while I was there and with the weird woman that kind of annoys me.
I think it's just me and maybe-French guy in top bunk tonight, double still looks unoccupied. He is either out or downstairs but I'm writing this in bed and will try to go to sleep soon. Fingers crossed shuttle OK tomorrow and maybe I am improving my social technique and will do OK in hostel in MZ. If nothing else I should maybe take a lesson from M who if seeming very slightly nicely weird and claiming to be "introverted" (my paraphrase - but *not* shy) seems to just talk to everyone eg in the street and get away with it - he is probably way more charismatic than me, but he's also probably at least 10 years older and thus I shouldn't (and to be fair *mostly* aren't) use my age as an excuse.
Anyway, enough pseudo-psychodrama. Will send this. Oh, I did a proper hand-wash with soap of top I was wearing tonight before I cleaned my teeth, should be dry by morning in this heat, and this should mean I start MZ with a full complement of clean stuff.
Wednesday 22 February 2023
Tamarindo-Sámara
Tue 21st 1848 On lower terrace of new hostel. Feels like I've maybe fallen on my feet. Not *perfect* as room is v small and I will be almost face to face with woman in double bed next to my lower bunk, but so far it seems reasonably friendly and low key and I got to meet my three new roommates just after I checked in (so I technically have seniority :-) )
Got up about 0745 - made a tiny effort not to be rushing - and had breakfast (leftover sandwiches and bit of milk, coffee perhaps helped promote desired bowel movement) and left. Overheard in dorm some of the girls were going to Samara and I essentially shared the three bus trips with a group of about 5 girls, including I think the annoying Swedish woman (although since she was with existing friends I was spared her CV and stories of how wonderful her life is). I kept aloof and didn't speak to them etc but it was mildly annoying. (Dunno if this seemed weird, but probably not. It's not as if we'd been speaking in prev hostel or anything.)
First impression of Sámara (I think that's the right place for the accent) were that it's Tamarindo Lite, but I think it's OK. My hostel is kind of outside towards Cangrejal and although I picked it on cost grounds I went down to C beach this afternoon and had a bottle of water and then a beer from a nearby mini supermarket while staring at sea and thinking about trivial stuff. Came back just after sunset (it faces wrong way for spectacular sunset) although some guys had lit a fire and people seemed to be heading down so I may go later tomorrow, but I wanted a shower and was a bit worried about the short walk after dark.
Just been chatting (a little awkwardly) with a possibly German guy and had a bit of chat with one of roommates after shower and also a French Canadian couple - not expecting to be best buds with anyone but it's nice to speak to people etc.
I am hearing good-ish things about Montezuma at southish end of Nicoya peninsula so that is probably somewhere to head for. I have no idea if I might go somewhere else first or how the buses work out. I think it will (subject to rather hot feeling and small dorm with somewhat shitty mattress not spoiling things) be kind of relaxing to sit here and do next to nothing in a more relaxed way than in Tamarindo for three days, but I don't want to massively overdo it - there are probably all sorts of other vaguely beachy places I might "relax" and I would also like to do something vaguely energetic etc and while I am not exactly short of time I also don't want to excessively waste time over-staying.
Apparently there are mosquitos here but no malaria risk, I *haven't* gone up to put spray on but we'll see how it goes.
On bus to Samara there was a slightly cheesy synth-jazz kind of instrumental cover of Alphaville's "Forever Young" playing at one point which made me smile. Subsequent pan pipe music a little more irritating but I suppose vaguely atmospheric.
I am probably going to go to bed 830-9ish, for the usual "slightly bored and very slightly tired" reasons. It was an earlyish start too, although even so going to bed at 9 is hardly a long day.
There are sodas here, at least on the outskirts of Samara and for all I know maybe in the centre. Vague feeling for tomorrow is I might try (if map suggests it's possible) to walk from local beach down to "central" Samara along the beach, have a look round and walk back along the road I came out on today after I got off bus.
I was a bit worried the group from my hostel would be at this hostel but felt unlikely and afaict they are not.
I had a very nice casado with chuleta de cerdo at a little soda just down the road for 3.5k with a tamarind juice, perhaps I'm just more appreciative after eating hot dogs and bologna sandwiches for a few days but it really did seem pretty decent.
Knees hurt a smidge, probably from sitting on the bus.
1929 Someone (I suspect a real person) is playing Take 5 on saxophone somewhere down the road.
1944 Slightly awkward as (they asked and I was here first and I offered to move, all very polite) I'm sitting here with three Germans chatting away in German. I don't *mind* - I already had my fill of "chat" , so to speak - but it does feel a tiny bit awkward.
1953 Ah, finished water, went for much needed piss (just said "excuse me" ), got a fresh cold bottle of water and put a bit of repellent on as well. Back down sitting on own, quite happy to chat if anyone wants but not feeling any need to force it at this point, spoken enough so as not to feel overly awkward. Am feeling a bit tired but also don't want to go to bed too early as lying in bed hot and not quite going to sleep probably be a bit shitty.
Mildly tempted to have another beer (1k for prob 350ml here at hostel) but I already feel vaguely sleepy and I don't see much reason to push it.
Hostel has shuttles to Montezuma and Santa Teresa at USD50 but rather not. I probably saved USD40 in return for an hour or two sitting on my arse on the 3-bus journey from Tamarindo to Samara today and I suspect it would be similar going to M or ST. However, while I *don't* want to be making definite plans tonight, maybe I will force myself to look at map and/or guide book for ideas on where to go next and how to get there.
Oh. I have a socket next to bed (albeit about waist position not near head) but it's low enough that having anything plugged into it while I'm in bed is likely to tear the already wobbly socket out of the wall. So I've left my power bank charging since I checked in.
Except for vague interest in recorridos mentioned in RG in Nosara for weekends in February, gut feeling is I'm not too bothered about Nosara right now.
Hmm, casual mention in RG suggests Montezuma may be Tamarindo-ish. Maybe won't go there unless there's something specifically attractive.
The sunset at Playa Carillo 6km east of "here" (Samara) sounds good, but it may be a faff to access - it's a 90 min walk I think and hardly something I fancy doing after dark. And tomorrow at least I think I might head down to/already be at the local C beach after dark a bit (there are a few poss stray dogs around but they seemed fairly friendly today, also some loose chickens about which implies dogs not out of control, and it's a short enough walk back here I think it would be fine, and probably quite a few other people doing it).
The bus I came in on does run a bit SE down coast but can't remember name of final destination and I don't think judging from RG it's going to be super practical to follow the coast round too far from here. Although it is dry season and roads probably fine, there may not be great roads and/or buses running along here.
Overhearing prob-owner saying to someone "you can't walk to Carillo along the beach" .
FTR RG says it is wrong time of year to see olive ridley turtle arribada at Nosara so don't need to worry about that.
Left ankle feels itchy, can this be existing semi-inexplicable-but-I-always-get-them mosquito bites?
Reserva Karen Mogensen might be worth visiting. But if this is best accessed from Jicaral, looking at the map it might be a good thing to do shortly before getting ferry over to Puntarenas to carry on south down the coast there.
I am half wondering if (unless Cabo Verde reserve at southern tip of peninsula is accessible and interesting) I should not bother trying to go near Montezuma/Santa Teresa. I am not super interested in resorts/overcrowded beach places and it may be as well to spend time down the west coast of the "mainland" instead of hanging around there. If so, this would kind of argue for heading towards Jicaral, seeing what I can do wrt RKM and then getting on the ferry. But I'm continuing to read through RG to try to get some kind of feel for what I might miss.
Guide book does make the walk along the beaches N of Montezuma sound attractive, but not necessarily enough in itself to draw me there. OTOH Montezuma is not necessarily an immensely epic or expensive "side trip" from Jicaral or something like that.
Kind of feeling I could take or leave RKM based on guide book; perhaps a bit over-popular and also maybe without getting into guided tours I'd probably not see any animals I haven't already seen, and I have been into (not saying it's the same) forests round Santa Elena etc.
I think Santa Teresa can fuck off based on guide book; maybe in low season it would be nice to visit, but doesn't terribly appeal (sounds Tamarindo-ish) in high season.
Parque Nacional Carara sounds good, though that is on "mainland" south of Puntarenas so not an immediate option/concern.
Catarata Manantial near there may be the one that woman told me about on Arenal volcano tour - RG makes it sound slightly dangerous, but I would be going in dry season so hopefully not too treacherous, the hike sounds tempting and RG doesn't lay it on thick about the dangers like some other waterfall I've been reading about (poss round Montezuma, but I don't remember for sure - not going anyway, given stuff about dangers).
Jacó doesn't sound of much interest TBH - uber-Tamarindo etc.
But this has already taken me off the Nicoya peninsula, and my immediate concern is what to do *now*.
Gut feeling is I might want my next step to be a 2ish bus hop Samara-Nicoya-Jicaral (maybe not actually Jicaral, somewhere near there), see how I feel about RKM, see how I feel about popping down to Montezuma from there, then cross over to Puntarenas on the ferry.
Did I mean Cabo Verde when I said RKM could probably be missed out earlier? Let me re-read guide book. OK, RKM sounds promising (and is kind of en route, given I'm oddly keen to do this ferry crossing).
Hmm, guide book says you *can* walk to Playa Carillo from Samara. Fk knows.
Isla de Chira can fuck off based on wanky descriptions in RG, incidentally.
Cabo Blanco not Cabo Verde, duh. Yeah, not going to bother about Cabo Blanco.
I half wonder if I should see if I can putter a little further SE from here by bus before heading back up to Nicoya to bounce out to Jicaral-ish, but unless there's promising cheap accom in such places on web I probably won't. I suppose could stay here longer as a base and get the bus (there's a good few a day, probably not too risky) out there for the hell of it and see what it's like - that would only "cost" an extra day or two, and if I'm comfortable enough here it's cheap enough.
Anyway, at least some sort of plan is starting to come together.
It's 2048 and I'm toying with going to bed. It does feel a bit early but fuck it. I've "proved I'm human" by engaging in a little chat at various points today after the frustrations of Tamarindo, I am *not* gagging for a chat and most of the little groups around seem to be chatting in foreign languages (not Spanish) and/or to be couples.
As I say, plan for tomorrow is probably to go over to Samara "proper" , via local C beach if I can, have a look round, perhaps lunch/early dinner at that soda I went to today then head down to beach here around sunset and see what it's like. I can worry about whether I want to extend here to eg do an experimental jaunt to end of bus route once I've tried sleeping here...
Kind of wondering if I can just read quietly until say 2130 then by time I clean teeth etc it might be 2145ish by time I go to bed. Though TBH maybe I should just go to bed. As I say I'm a smidge tired (perhaps partly from that beer on beach this afternoon), I'm just not so tired I'm confident of getting to sleep sharpish and it's probably more pleasant down here in open-air small courtyard than small stuffy room.
Oh, I did give top I wore today a quick no-soap washing in the sink when I had a shower - it's hopefully drying on end of my bed and I will wear it during the day tomorrow. They have a laundry service here and it's probably not too expensive but I'd rather keep my options as open as possible.
Mosquito flitting round but it seems reluctant to settle on me. It may just be distracting my attention while its pals get in on the back of my neck of course.
2106 Fuck it, I'm moving towards bed.
2118 Brief chat with roommate spoke to earlier, she's trying to cool room down. Other two just came back I think, said hi as came back down to terrace. I've cleaned my teeth so except for maybe an additional piss I can jump straight into bed but will have a further drink of water down here for 15 mins or so.
2130 Roommates just gone out, they said (as they had earlier) they weren't late night types, go to bed 10ish, I said it's all fine, etc etc. But it would probably be psychological comfortable to go to bed in 5-10 mins then I'll be in before they get back.
2133 Sod it, let's go up.
2143 Bed. Room so small my water bottle caught against edge of double bed and a tiny bit came out, I've mopped at it with my towel and fingers crossed it's already mostly unnoticeable but not ideal.
Mattress feels a bit saggy but probably OK.
Got up about 0745 - made a tiny effort not to be rushing - and had breakfast (leftover sandwiches and bit of milk, coffee perhaps helped promote desired bowel movement) and left. Overheard in dorm some of the girls were going to Samara and I essentially shared the three bus trips with a group of about 5 girls, including I think the annoying Swedish woman (although since she was with existing friends I was spared her CV and stories of how wonderful her life is). I kept aloof and didn't speak to them etc but it was mildly annoying. (Dunno if this seemed weird, but probably not. It's not as if we'd been speaking in prev hostel or anything.)
First impression of Sámara (I think that's the right place for the accent) were that it's Tamarindo Lite, but I think it's OK. My hostel is kind of outside towards Cangrejal and although I picked it on cost grounds I went down to C beach this afternoon and had a bottle of water and then a beer from a nearby mini supermarket while staring at sea and thinking about trivial stuff. Came back just after sunset (it faces wrong way for spectacular sunset) although some guys had lit a fire and people seemed to be heading down so I may go later tomorrow, but I wanted a shower and was a bit worried about the short walk after dark.
Just been chatting (a little awkwardly) with a possibly German guy and had a bit of chat with one of roommates after shower and also a French Canadian couple - not expecting to be best buds with anyone but it's nice to speak to people etc.
I am hearing good-ish things about Montezuma at southish end of Nicoya peninsula so that is probably somewhere to head for. I have no idea if I might go somewhere else first or how the buses work out. I think it will (subject to rather hot feeling and small dorm with somewhat shitty mattress not spoiling things) be kind of relaxing to sit here and do next to nothing in a more relaxed way than in Tamarindo for three days, but I don't want to massively overdo it - there are probably all sorts of other vaguely beachy places I might "relax" and I would also like to do something vaguely energetic etc and while I am not exactly short of time I also don't want to excessively waste time over-staying.
Apparently there are mosquitos here but no malaria risk, I *haven't* gone up to put spray on but we'll see how it goes.
On bus to Samara there was a slightly cheesy synth-jazz kind of instrumental cover of Alphaville's "Forever Young" playing at one point which made me smile. Subsequent pan pipe music a little more irritating but I suppose vaguely atmospheric.
I am probably going to go to bed 830-9ish, for the usual "slightly bored and very slightly tired" reasons. It was an earlyish start too, although even so going to bed at 9 is hardly a long day.
There are sodas here, at least on the outskirts of Samara and for all I know maybe in the centre. Vague feeling for tomorrow is I might try (if map suggests it's possible) to walk from local beach down to "central" Samara along the beach, have a look round and walk back along the road I came out on today after I got off bus.
I was a bit worried the group from my hostel would be at this hostel but felt unlikely and afaict they are not.
I had a very nice casado with chuleta de cerdo at a little soda just down the road for 3.5k with a tamarind juice, perhaps I'm just more appreciative after eating hot dogs and bologna sandwiches for a few days but it really did seem pretty decent.
Knees hurt a smidge, probably from sitting on the bus.
1929 Someone (I suspect a real person) is playing Take 5 on saxophone somewhere down the road.
1944 Slightly awkward as (they asked and I was here first and I offered to move, all very polite) I'm sitting here with three Germans chatting away in German. I don't *mind* - I already had my fill of "chat" , so to speak - but it does feel a tiny bit awkward.
1953 Ah, finished water, went for much needed piss (just said "excuse me" ), got a fresh cold bottle of water and put a bit of repellent on as well. Back down sitting on own, quite happy to chat if anyone wants but not feeling any need to force it at this point, spoken enough so as not to feel overly awkward. Am feeling a bit tired but also don't want to go to bed too early as lying in bed hot and not quite going to sleep probably be a bit shitty.
Mildly tempted to have another beer (1k for prob 350ml here at hostel) but I already feel vaguely sleepy and I don't see much reason to push it.
Hostel has shuttles to Montezuma and Santa Teresa at USD50 but rather not. I probably saved USD40 in return for an hour or two sitting on my arse on the 3-bus journey from Tamarindo to Samara today and I suspect it would be similar going to M or ST. However, while I *don't* want to be making definite plans tonight, maybe I will force myself to look at map and/or guide book for ideas on where to go next and how to get there.
Oh. I have a socket next to bed (albeit about waist position not near head) but it's low enough that having anything plugged into it while I'm in bed is likely to tear the already wobbly socket out of the wall. So I've left my power bank charging since I checked in.
Except for vague interest in recorridos mentioned in RG in Nosara for weekends in February, gut feeling is I'm not too bothered about Nosara right now.
Hmm, casual mention in RG suggests Montezuma may be Tamarindo-ish. Maybe won't go there unless there's something specifically attractive.
The sunset at Playa Carillo 6km east of "here" (Samara) sounds good, but it may be a faff to access - it's a 90 min walk I think and hardly something I fancy doing after dark. And tomorrow at least I think I might head down to/already be at the local C beach after dark a bit (there are a few poss stray dogs around but they seemed fairly friendly today, also some loose chickens about which implies dogs not out of control, and it's a short enough walk back here I think it would be fine, and probably quite a few other people doing it).
The bus I came in on does run a bit SE down coast but can't remember name of final destination and I don't think judging from RG it's going to be super practical to follow the coast round too far from here. Although it is dry season and roads probably fine, there may not be great roads and/or buses running along here.
Overhearing prob-owner saying to someone "you can't walk to Carillo along the beach" .
FTR RG says it is wrong time of year to see olive ridley turtle arribada at Nosara so don't need to worry about that.
Left ankle feels itchy, can this be existing semi-inexplicable-but-I-always-get-them mosquito bites?
Reserva Karen Mogensen might be worth visiting. But if this is best accessed from Jicaral, looking at the map it might be a good thing to do shortly before getting ferry over to Puntarenas to carry on south down the coast there.
I am half wondering if (unless Cabo Verde reserve at southern tip of peninsula is accessible and interesting) I should not bother trying to go near Montezuma/Santa Teresa. I am not super interested in resorts/overcrowded beach places and it may be as well to spend time down the west coast of the "mainland" instead of hanging around there. If so, this would kind of argue for heading towards Jicaral, seeing what I can do wrt RKM and then getting on the ferry. But I'm continuing to read through RG to try to get some kind of feel for what I might miss.
Guide book does make the walk along the beaches N of Montezuma sound attractive, but not necessarily enough in itself to draw me there. OTOH Montezuma is not necessarily an immensely epic or expensive "side trip" from Jicaral or something like that.
Kind of feeling I could take or leave RKM based on guide book; perhaps a bit over-popular and also maybe without getting into guided tours I'd probably not see any animals I haven't already seen, and I have been into (not saying it's the same) forests round Santa Elena etc.
I think Santa Teresa can fuck off based on guide book; maybe in low season it would be nice to visit, but doesn't terribly appeal (sounds Tamarindo-ish) in high season.
Parque Nacional Carara sounds good, though that is on "mainland" south of Puntarenas so not an immediate option/concern.
Catarata Manantial near there may be the one that woman told me about on Arenal volcano tour - RG makes it sound slightly dangerous, but I would be going in dry season so hopefully not too treacherous, the hike sounds tempting and RG doesn't lay it on thick about the dangers like some other waterfall I've been reading about (poss round Montezuma, but I don't remember for sure - not going anyway, given stuff about dangers).
Jacó doesn't sound of much interest TBH - uber-Tamarindo etc.
But this has already taken me off the Nicoya peninsula, and my immediate concern is what to do *now*.
Gut feeling is I might want my next step to be a 2ish bus hop Samara-Nicoya-Jicaral (maybe not actually Jicaral, somewhere near there), see how I feel about RKM, see how I feel about popping down to Montezuma from there, then cross over to Puntarenas on the ferry.
Did I mean Cabo Verde when I said RKM could probably be missed out earlier? Let me re-read guide book. OK, RKM sounds promising (and is kind of en route, given I'm oddly keen to do this ferry crossing).
Hmm, guide book says you *can* walk to Playa Carillo from Samara. Fk knows.
Isla de Chira can fuck off based on wanky descriptions in RG, incidentally.
Cabo Blanco not Cabo Verde, duh. Yeah, not going to bother about Cabo Blanco.
I half wonder if I should see if I can putter a little further SE from here by bus before heading back up to Nicoya to bounce out to Jicaral-ish, but unless there's promising cheap accom in such places on web I probably won't. I suppose could stay here longer as a base and get the bus (there's a good few a day, probably not too risky) out there for the hell of it and see what it's like - that would only "cost" an extra day or two, and if I'm comfortable enough here it's cheap enough.
Anyway, at least some sort of plan is starting to come together.
It's 2048 and I'm toying with going to bed. It does feel a bit early but fuck it. I've "proved I'm human" by engaging in a little chat at various points today after the frustrations of Tamarindo, I am *not* gagging for a chat and most of the little groups around seem to be chatting in foreign languages (not Spanish) and/or to be couples.
As I say, plan for tomorrow is probably to go over to Samara "proper" , via local C beach if I can, have a look round, perhaps lunch/early dinner at that soda I went to today then head down to beach here around sunset and see what it's like. I can worry about whether I want to extend here to eg do an experimental jaunt to end of bus route once I've tried sleeping here...
Kind of wondering if I can just read quietly until say 2130 then by time I clean teeth etc it might be 2145ish by time I go to bed. Though TBH maybe I should just go to bed. As I say I'm a smidge tired (perhaps partly from that beer on beach this afternoon), I'm just not so tired I'm confident of getting to sleep sharpish and it's probably more pleasant down here in open-air small courtyard than small stuffy room.
Oh, I did give top I wore today a quick no-soap washing in the sink when I had a shower - it's hopefully drying on end of my bed and I will wear it during the day tomorrow. They have a laundry service here and it's probably not too expensive but I'd rather keep my options as open as possible.
Mosquito flitting round but it seems reluctant to settle on me. It may just be distracting my attention while its pals get in on the back of my neck of course.
2106 Fuck it, I'm moving towards bed.
2118 Brief chat with roommate spoke to earlier, she's trying to cool room down. Other two just came back I think, said hi as came back down to terrace. I've cleaned my teeth so except for maybe an additional piss I can jump straight into bed but will have a further drink of water down here for 15 mins or so.
2130 Roommates just gone out, they said (as they had earlier) they weren't late night types, go to bed 10ish, I said it's all fine, etc etc. But it would probably be psychological comfortable to go to bed in 5-10 mins then I'll be in before they get back.
2133 Sod it, let's go up.
2143 Bed. Room so small my water bottle caught against edge of double bed and a tiny bit came out, I've mopped at it with my towel and fingers crossed it's already mostly unnoticeable but not ideal.
Mattress feels a bit saggy but probably OK.
Tuesday 21 February 2023
Tamarindo, Sunday/Monday
Sun 19th 1155 Sitting in kitchen area. Another guy here on his laptop, handful of people dotted round. From chat in dorm this morning (earwigging) seems to be a largish group of US/European girls who have all got together, they were saying it's too windy to go to beach or something.
Woke up 1amish busting for piss, got out no problem (vague "what if the dog has a fit" concerns but it wasn't about), saw a largish animal (maybe an iguana) scuttle into a drainpipe under path as my phone screen lit up the path. Also woke up about 4-5am *not* busting for a piss but with a moderate attack of that pseudo-homesick depression, I went out for a piss just to "break the spell" (which worked - already walking down path to toilet/shower block felt fine).
Woke up properly 9ish and maybe got up 930ish. Bit awkward with some many of these girls hanging round but not terrible. Was going to have sandwiches for breakfast but my chicken ham has gone - someone may have nicked it, but gut feeling is some arsey staff member threw it away as it was "open" in the fridge (not a resealable pack and I should probably have tied it in a plastic bag, but I didn't have one to hand). Mildly annoying but not end of world.
Asked at desk about turtle tour and I have to pay cash, so I went out and withdrew $200 at BCR (not more as exchange rate particularly poor just now and it may blip up tomorrow or something) and had a briefish wander round town and looked on OSM re buses and tried to find a bus stop it mentioned but couldn't see anything obvious. Gut feeling is I may go to Santa Cruz next, not checked accom or guide book but at least it's new and from there I could go on to Nicoya or maybe one of the coastal towns to the south and do Nicoya later. Trouble is there's nowhere to ask about "public" buses, all the tourist places are selling shuttle services so presumably won't be helpful.
Got some hot dog sausages and buns and 1.8l milk at supermarket and came back to hostel. Sitting in kitchen area and it's too damn hot but it is in the shade and there's a moderate breeze and presumably I will gradually acclimatise.
Asked about tour and woman (French one having that conversation last night, so I spoke to her in English) who doesn't really seem very confident about this tour - maybe no one else is ever interested? - is notionally sorting it out but I haven't heard anything yet. May chase it up in half an hour or so.
Had four slices dry toast with leftover bread from yesterday and a couple of cups of free coffee with some of the milk (though I mainly bought it to drink).
Feel broadly OK, a tiny bit out of place, a tiny bit bored in a not entirely enjoyable way (be good to get this tour booked, then I can maybe relax - may do some washing this afternoon too), a bit too hot. It's fine really.
(Just FTR - I keep saying girls because a) I don't buy into the notion (no idea if currently fashionable or not) this is pejorative b) they're probably 20+ years younger than I am, and I feel there's something relative about this. Incidentally as a random data point on the "sexist language" theme, I note this group of girls constantly addresses each other as "guys" , which to me is natural but ISTR seeing some wanky objections to online. But then, I shouldn't think there's anything you can't find wanky objections to online.)
Hmm, absolute lowest price on booking.com for 2 nights in Santa Cruz is USD69 including tax! Hostelworld doesn't even seem to recognise Santa Cruz CR as a place. So maybe I won't go there, or I will do a 2 bus hop into there and on to somewhere else.
Right, booking has a property at USD46 for two nights (private room - no dorms offered) in Nicoya, and rome2rio (via general web search) suggests Santa Cruz-Nosara would involve a change in Nicoya and I think I want to visit the place anyway so it's looking like the plan is a short-ish 2 bus hop from here to Nicoya via Santa Cruz then stay probably for an initial three nights in Nicoya.
It would be nice to have a private room and unless other sites turn up dorms it looks like I will, though given the ability to do my own laundry here and thus leave with a decent complement of clean clothes I think I could handle a third dorm in a row if it was an option and would save money.
Hmm, hostelworld doesn't even recognise Nicoya!
1240 OK, I paid USD5 deposit (I wasn't *nasty* as I have to pay USD40 but 5 now and 35 later and I was offered change in colones, I said "but then I'll get ripped off on the exchange rate" and went away and "found" a USD5 note I knew I had - fingers crossed the operator tonight will have USD5 bills to give me change for the 40 I'll hand over) for the tour and I'm being picked up here at 1735. Plan incidentally is not to have any alcohol today then tomorrow I will probably do beach in evening and maybe bring (since there are cans in the fridge, and owner made no fuss about that wine last night, and no rules posted) a can back and keep in fridge for tomorrow night.
I'm changing my mind re onward travel. The location of that one place is Nicoya is inconvenient, guide book says hardly anyone stays there. I am far from convinced Nosara and Samara are going to be much different from Tamarindo but current thinking is I'll chance a 3-bus day Tamarindo-Santa Cruz-Nicoya-Samara and book myself a hostel (probably a dorm, not super cheap) near beach in Samara and then from there I can look into travel options if any down to maybe quieter southern bits of Nicoya peninsula and if not maybe head across (eg via ferry) to "mainland" and set out down the west coast southbound. I asked French woman on desk about bus to Nicoya and she told me about rome2rio.com when I said I didn't want a shuttle...
1254 Right, booked a dorm for 3 nights for a bit under USD48 inc tax in Samara, free cancellation until 6pm on day of check in. There was another hostel nearer beach (limited prospect of being able to walk to beach in swimming trunks and leaving stuff in hostel, sound of waves at night) but apart from being about USD10 more it didn't have free cancellation, and I don't think it's a big deal. I am not likely to cancel but if eg I come unstuck during my three-bus hop I can cancel this booking and stay elsewhere.
3-bus hop not ideal but they should all be short-ish. Another dorm also not ideal but I'm kind of getting used to it and since I can do laundry here tomorrow that aspect of the problem is sorted. And it does help keep the cost down, and it may help me meet people (I do wonder if there might be a different kind of people there compared to here, maybe not but who knows) and in the long run the memories of the trip are not going to be any worse for having stayed in a dorm, and may be better.
I may have a go at heating up some of these hot dog sausages in a little bit. No mustard but it will be fine ("American style" mustard would almost certainly be all I could get, and I don't like it much, it's vinegary and has little heat to it and I wouldn't be able to use the entire supply before I left), there may be some free chilli powder knocking round.
1336 Had six hot dogs in four rolls. First four hot dog sausages I microwaved and bit into before realising they were individually plastic wrapped. Live and learn.
Having more free coffee (with some of the milk I bought) even though it's hot. Because a) free b) coffee :-)
Feel a little bit of a sad git but it's kind of OK. As I've said, I really came here for the turtle tour and fingers crossed I am ticking that box tonight. Sunset+beer last night was an unexpected bonus, will do that again tomorrow night (though do wonder if beer contributed to 5am "depression" - probably not, but you never know) and really the days here are just "relaxation" time for me to feel a little awkward and over-hot.
2233 Bed.
Mon 20th 1420 In kitchen, bossa nova cover of "left my self (?) there down by the sea" which sounds like it might be on a YT playlist I sometimes listen to playing.
Turtle tour pretty good, didn't get back til 2150 (and I was dropped off first) and I just had time (not that I was starving) to heat up 4 sausages and stuff them in the last 2/4 (can't remember, prob 4) buns before they turned kitchen lights off at 10 (and I ate them in the dark with a cup of cold milk). And I sort of felt I might as well go to bed and other people were sleeping so didn't like to be typing on K1 in bed.
Woke up surprisingly early at 730-8ish today. Probably got up about 830 and quite a few people still in bed so felt a bit conspicuous with every clang of locker etc, but got out, showered, put fresh clothes on. Did some laundry (which I just collected off line now) and came to kitchen for breakfast on 2 remaining hot dog sausages and several cups of free coffee with my milk.
Went out for walk over to Langosta beach, got a bit lost but found it, quite nice, very quiet - felt like I was there on my own (I sat back on a branch in the moderate shade of a small tree) to some extent. Thoughts running on what I might do when I get back home (in a fairly positive vein) so not exactly "meditative" but still nice. I had also been thinking before going that there's no reason why the beaches at PdC should be "not too hot" for me to sit on but the Tamarindo beaches are.
Spent maybe an hour there then came back via supermarket, got 2x710ml Imperial (one original, one silver - same volume and alc content so no idea what's different - Bohemia 710ml only 1k BTW so the 2k price at hostel is a fair mark up), some more chicken ham (bologna? - actual word is "mortadela") and a loaf of bread and some toothpaste - the second 15ml tube is pretty much empty, I might squeeze (haha) one or two more brushings out of these two 15ml tubes but not much.
Original 1550 so 50 more than "usual" and than what I paid in other shop on way to beach other night, but negligible and silver 1450 for some reason so evened out.
"I sit in my old car same one I've had for years" bossa nova cover on, I rather suspect this *is* the playlist I listen to sometimes. Fingers crossed I will get to hear the surprisingly cool cover of "Last Friday night" if it is.
Plan is to sit here til 4ish, have some sandwiches in next half hour or so, write this crap, then have a shower about 430-5 (yes, it is 99% the same playlist "precious and fragile things need special handling my god what have we done to you" now), then maybe wash top I'm wearing and the trousers and maybe uw for good measure (tho it's tops I am pushed on due to only having 3 plastic) before putting clean stuff on to go out for sunset, then I'll wear that clean stuff all day tomorrow as I won't really sweat into it tonight. This should max out clean clothes inc plastic tops for upcoming dorm stay, and I can maybe do the "quick wash of plastic top in sink with no soap" trick I was doing in Liberia. Got the beers here as I said so will take one to beach and drink my own (no rules posted, so sod it) here later.
I will try to pseudo-pack around 4-5 before heading out for sunset and maybe dump everything in locker inside a big plastic bag so all I have to do at (hopefully) 7-8am ish when everyone else is asleep is grab that and my bag and take them outside and sort them for a proper-ish pack there.
Oh, I asked some people at where I thought Santa Cruz bus goes where they were going/if they knew anything and apparently a SC bus had been through "about an hour earlier" which would be 1030 ish, and on walk to L beach I also saw a Cabos Velas (?) bus or two which ply between Tamarindo and SC so while there may be a T-Nicoya bus I haven't been able to track down, I'm reasonably confident I can find T-SC bus without too much fuss.
K1 was on charge during morning sit in kitchen so didn't write this then. Was mulling over how I could (if I wanted) "blend in" wrt clothes. I think wearing a pair of long swimming trunks as shorts would be the main trick, although open-toed shoes and no socks would help, as would a short-sleeved T-shirt (or no T-shirt, but that isn't me - sunburn/excess sunblock use an issue even ignoring self-consciousness about body), but observing other tourists (not the youngish crowd here) on street I suspect my current shoes with the socks "down" so they barely come above the shoes and a long-sleeved T-shirt would probably cut it (tho this is rare, I don't think the long sleeves are *that* big a deal - short-sleeved T-shirt v common, not all men shirtless by any means)
TBF, at this point it feels like it's "just" the long trousers that differentiate me so much (albeit that's going from the borderline point just described) and I wonder if therefore I really do stand out clothes wise that much. Probably do a bit.
I think really the problem (putting it too strongly; it's not a big deal) is that the other guests here are mostly 20 years younger than I am, there's a biggish "clique" (not meaning to be pejorative) of young women and most people aren't really socialising that much outside people they know, I am a bit old, etc. I might blend in more with a clothing tweak but I don't think people aren't talking to me because I look "weirdly dressed" .
It does occur to me that the big problem in general (not here specifically) with socialising *is* actually literally meeting people, making that first initial contact beyond a grunted "hi" . Given that I would naturally say things like "how did you get on with your X activity today?" when I saw people I'd already spoken to. Not saying no worries about remembering names and faces of people I've only spoken to for a minute or two, but still, that initial contact seems to be the main hurdle.
1447 Looking up Cabos Velos on web, according to yoviajocr.com it looks like there are buses (among others) at 645, 910 and 1030, which also happens to agree with what that woman told me at the bus stop. I think I will aim for the 910 then, so not quite such an early start (though still ideally be up 8ish to pack and have some free coffee to maybe get bowels moving before I leave hostel and lose convenient access to toilet :-).
I was either wrong about the playlist or it's been stopped and v different (but OKish) music on now.
1455 Suddenly (very casually) earwigging a conversation about surf lessons, I find myself thinking (not for first time, I mentioned it other day and probably other times too) this does sound fun. *But* I'm not I think throwing artificial obstacles in my own way here - I almost certainly need and it definitely feels smart even if it's not an absolute requirement to learn to swim half-decently first. I *do* need to overcome the faff factor and get on with having lessons when I get back home, but beyond that this isn't an option right now, for better or worse. I also probably wouldn't learn here in Tamarindo - it's too busy and expensive to stay here, but the guide book mentions several other places which are good for learning and at least potentially CR would be a good place to have a go once I've got the swimming prerequisite ticked off. I don't think age is a big problem here, it's not as if I expect to become a top-tier surfer or anything, it would just be fun to try and maybe aspire to a basic level of competence so it became something I could do on future visits to not-insanely-hard locations with good conditions for surfing. Obviously I don't know but barring serious health issues I can't see why that shouldn't be achievable for someone even ten or twenty years older than me.
I did dip my hand in water at L beach just to see, pleasantly warm-cool if that makes any sense. Not saying I won't take a dip at some point in next week or two if it's convenient.
Let me waffle about turtle tour now. Picked up no problem in minibus, driver turned out to be our guide and I paid him 35, getting 5 change. We picked up two more people - an Australian couple (we all exchanged the odd word during the tour, it wasn't "unfriendly", but they didn't seem disposed to chat and I wasn't super inclined either) and that was it for our group.
Drive maybe 30 mins to some beach, then we walked down a rocky-ish path to beach. Guide showed us some dug out areas of sand where turtles had made nests before. He gave us a bit of a spiel - turtles come from 3000km away (Galapagos, I think), they only swim in coastal waters as they have heavy shells (we are talking Pacific green sea turtles here, not leatherbacks - *tiny* bit of a shame I didn't see a leatherback, but maybe time/place is wrong and I never asked and no one promised etc - the turtles we saw look black, apparently they are black even in white light although the guides use red torches to minimise disturbance, despite being called green) (can you get to Galapagos from coast of Ecuador without crossing deep water??).
We sat down to wait and I admired the stars, wishing I knew more about the constellations, but despite a bit of light pollution it was better than T beach other night and I obviously had time for my eyes to get dark adapted.
Some other groups with their guides around and we kind of merged with them at times.
Some baby turtles hatched out while we were there and we watched first a couple go down to the beach (semi "helping" them with red torches), then later a new batch hatched and dozens (?) were all going much faster (the first couple were prob deeply buried so more tired by time they go to surface??). They're about (guess? told?) 7cm long and are very cute of course.
Oh, moon (near new anyway) set before we got there. I did ask guide and he said the turtles like it dark so it's best to go when no moon, but I didn't get an answer as to whether phase of moon matters (except obviously moon rise/set isn't such an issue wrt light/dark at new moon because the moon gives no light anyway).
The guides all have some sort of radio chat going to share tips. We waited around on that beach for a while but no turtles came so we drove over to another beach nearby (which had less light pollution so more stars, I think) and there were some heavy tracks (outside spacing about three of *my* feet-in-shoes) made by a turtle having gone up the beach and although guides try not to put light on them at this point as it's better to let them decide if they're nesting or not (apparently sand on that beach quite dry and turtles tend not to nest there, and we *didn't* see any eggs laid), after it became kind of apparent it wasn't nesting we got quite close to it and watched it decide not to nest and then drag itself back down into sea, then I *think* another one came up and we watched that go up the beach and not-nest as well. They're big, a guide said the first one would probably weigh 180lbs if I heard right, I find that slightly hard to believe but FWIW. Not leatherback enormous but big. Very cool to see and although obviously a shame we didn't get to see egg laying I don't think I can complain, we certainly didn't rush off etc.
Was sort of but not quite busting for piss but managed to resist temptation to ask if I could pop down beach for a leak. Didn't tip guide at end though would have been willing to, it didn't feel quite necessary/appropriate - FWIW he did offer us a water or beer (!) as we got into the van to come back and I declined (always tempting to have a "free" beer, but was having a day off and main reason being I was already a tiny bit keen for a piss, though not in agony) so I'll tell myself he gets to keep the price of a beer as a pseudo-tip since he doesn't have to replace the one I'd have drunk.
Worth noting a lot of the time at end we were (fairly big combined group at this point - but given there was no laying I don't personally feel we were "bothering" the turtle even if it knew we were there, and in a small way our presence is helpful as obviously no sane predator is going to turn up with 15+ humans all standing round watching the turtle) standing around in the near-dark which is why I'm a bit vague if this second trying-to-nest turtle came up out of the sea while we watched - I was trying peripheral vision trick and stuff but I think I was looking at a rock in the surf for a while thinking it was a turtle coming out.
There is a light-emitting plankton in the water which gives a cool effect of little tiny green "embers" in the waves as they break on the shore. At first I wasn't sure if I was just seeing starlight/light pollution reflecting on the foam but after a bit (maybe as eyes dark adapted - it was easier to see on second beach, which also had less light pollution) the "sudden green speck appearing" effect was distinctly noticeable.
Incidentally I did snap a few photos but it's obviously very low light and I wasn't using a tripod or special camera gear and while they may or may not show something, I didn't let taking photos turn into a chore and concentrated on just watching - if any photos come out that's just a bonus.
Incidentally it was/is warm/hot today, though sort of nice while sitting on beach. Not absolutely intolerable (because I am so hardy ;-) ) but yes, warm/hot. But I am telling myself I am adapting to it gradually.
FWIW while observing clothes earlier I do see the locals - though they're relatively thin on the ground - do seem to be wearing long trousers (the women wearing tight-ish jeans) and short-sleeved T-shirts. So although I obviously in broad daylight do look like an oddly dressed tourist, my vague "try to look like a local to a blind man on a galloping horse" strategy still strictly speaking applies even here.
1956 Back at kitchen after sunset at beach. It's amazingly busy, but even though there is a modicum of chat between other people most people aren't really talking and it feels vaguely companionably quiet.
Felt bit edgy before going down to beach, felt a bit lonely with other people chatting and also paradoxically genuinely a bit worried someone would ask me where I was going and invite me to join them and I didn't *want* to. Also on a tech support phone call with parents and though I tried not to be irritable it wasn't exactly great timing.
Anyway, took my beer down to the beach - dunno if just bad luck or the food fridge is not ultra-cold, but it wasn't all *that* cold. Anyway, got to beach, tide a bit further in than two days ago so couldn't sit on rocks. Feeling a bit of a sad git after general perception before leaving hostel but kind of gradually got over it. Paradoxically a (presumably local) guy spoke to me in Spanish as we sat on a rock and I didn't understand him but made a genericish response and felt awkward, despite having felt lonely earlier. He subsequently made some other comments as we moved off to avoid some splashing water and I understood him and commented back and while I was a bit edgy (as if I had much to be mugged of - I washed security belt earlier so wasn't even wearing that) it also felt vaguely companionable in a way.
Definitely different mood on beach tonight, perhaps just in my head but still. I was positioned so that I could hear competing music from at least two beach bars (one had a guy doing "Benny and the Jets" on guitar, which made me smile and helped lift my mood) until one stopped, also some vaguely mariarchi music at one point, and later on I also noticed a couple (?) of fire performers twirling fire around outside one of the bars and sort of watched that a bit (hey, it's free :-) tbf this is the sort of thing which for me *is* impressive but also gets dull to watch quite fast.
A group conversation has kicked off which makes me feel a bit lonely again, although I'm not the only one not speaking.
Was reminded earlier (sad though it might be) of meme showing "being alone" as great and "feeling alone" as terrible. Feels kind of apposite here - when I am alone that's great (eg beach two nights ago, even tonight really), when I *feel* alone in the middle of a crowd (a smidge just now, more so earlier tonight before heading out to beach for sunset) that feels shit. That's not quite rightly expressed - obviously there was a "crowd" at the beach and that was fine. I think it's kind of down to whether it feels like it's *supposed* to be a crowd or if I'm "supposed" to feel like part of the group and I don't.
2015 I dunno, maybe there's an element of jealousy that it seems like it's OK for these people to just say to someone they don't know "so where are you from?" or whatever, whereas it doesn't feel like it's OK for me to do that.
Meh. Not saying I don't have "issues" (too strong a word) here, but this place is just not for me. I came for the turtles whereas I think everyone else is here for the beachy expensive resort ("OMG that Italian place was just fantastic"), everyone (which has not universally been the case elsewhere - obviously there is certainly a natural bias) seems relatively young, I'm blatantly dressed differently and doing different things and not hanging round the pool etc etc. It's just a perfect storm of awkward incompatibilities. It's just a mix of bad luck and different goals and there's no reason (indeed, while not *amazing* I haven't been doing too badly of late, and have felt like I'm "learning" ) to take this one hostel experience excessively to heart.
Laundry wasn't dry earlier so I've left it on line. Tiny bit edgy I'll forget it but the fact the security belt is on the line and wearing it is almost second nature should help ensure I don't. Have put a note on tomorrow morning's alarm but it's not guaranteed I'll read the text when drowsy, but it's an extra level of defence. And it may be dry in an hour or so and I'll get it down and stick it in bag then if so.
Will save beer until (I hope) it quietens down a bit here.
Do these people not have bars and massage parlours to get to, FFS? It was really quiet and chilled here the night before last.
2029 This is a bit bitter, but all these people I'm (somewhat unwillingly) earwigging seem kind of smugly self-confident. They're all doing/have done volunteering and have lived abroad and all sorts of shit like that, which simply would not have been within the realms of possibility when I was 20 or 24 or whatever.
Meh, again. It's fine, except it's a bit annoying *right now* when I'm, you know, here and just want to chill with my beer. It's not as if I haven't managed to compensate by digging myself into a moderately comfortable position right now, it's not a competition either etc. But still, I could do without having to listen to this shit.
And of course there's a self-selecting aspect here. *These* specific people might well be (even if I shouldn't necessarily hold it against them) smugly self-confident, but there's likely an enormous cohort of other 20-24ish year olds who *aren't* smugly self-confident (and, if you want to get semi-political, playing in the right "political elite" training grounds and doing volunteering and certain kinds of university course etc) and thus *aren't* sitting here in a hostel in a beach resort 5000 miles from home (most of this group are either Scottish - extremely English-sounding Edinburgers (?) - or Scandinavian).
I don't hold out *huge* hope for Samara (although fingers crossed I'll *get* there fine) as there's still a beach resort aspect but I think it's a little lower key, the hostel is cheaper IIRC which somehow feels like a good sign, there's no pool at the hostel and there's also the simple lottery wrt who is there and their ages and how much they know each other and getting a fresh lottery draw compared to the sadly distressing results I got here is something.
Please guys though, just finish eating or whatever you're doing and go to a club or something.
There's supposed to be a "glamping" option at this hostel (and IIRC one of the reviews said the tents were hot during the day) but I'm really not sure where these tents might be.
2038 Genuinely smiling. Just overheard "I did an EU funded project... and I got the one in Italy" (Erasmus?) "Political elite trainee" suspicions confirmed, IMO.
Can I get a (bingo) line by one of the Scottish guys bringing up Brexit shortly? (FTR I didn't vote for it, but I'm only too well acquainted with a certain style of argument.)
Do - genuine question, to my own brain - I actually have to listen to this shit? In theory could I just sit here and not have this conversation impinge on my consciousness? I mean, if I wasn't "bothered" I might be able to treat the conversation just as fluff/meaningless prattle, but would I actually be able to not *listen*?
You know, I *could* go sit elsewhere (eg near pool - there's no sun, so I could sit on a sin lounger or something) and maybe be out of earshot. Genius-level IQ right here. Fuck it, let's have a go.
No, smug Scandinavian (Swedish, I think) girl doing most of the talking is still audible from the far end of the courtyard. If I put headphones on that would work, but they're buried in my bag due to pseudo-packing and trying to optimise noise of departure tomorrow morning so not digging them out.
I dunno, I am probably coming across as well bitter here and maybe I am, but it just feels like, let's say, if I felt a bit smugger and cockier about some of the things I've managed to set up for myself (and I might argue I "worked" for them, since I didn't have them at 20, but whatever), and started gabbing off about how I have this and can do that and don't have to do the other, I think I'd be judged (perhaps rightly) as an arrogant cock. But somehow these people (and especially this Scandinavian girl) gabbing off about all their advantages and the cool stuff they've done is absolutely OK?
She is at least softened (albeit not almost into melody) by the distance from over here. Tempted to try a hammock but I have shoes on and it might be rude, and that would do nothing to alleviate the involuntary conversation overhearing.
I mean, it's fine. I'll go get my beer and have it over here in half an hour or so if they're still in the kitchen. But surely to fuck they're going out?
FWIW round sunset saw some guys "surfing" against the tide. Is there such a thing as a motorised surfboard? I'm genuinely unsure. I didn't see any signs of a boat towing them, but of course I could have missed it.
You know, I am at least genuinely glad I'm not in (even on the fringes) this conversation. I suspect I'd be wearing a plastered-on smile or (unlikely; I doubt I have the smug glib status quo justifying chops to "win" in such a crowd, *and* I've only had one beer) I'd be making disagreeable remarks in an attempt to disrupt the smugness of it all.
As I say, I'm probably to blame for some of how I've felt in this hostel, and there's also probably an element of bad luck. I came to see the turtles and I did (shame no egg laying, shame no leatherbacks, but I am 90% satisfied), the sunset the first night was an unexpected and pretty cool bonus and although different the sunset experience tonight wasn't bad either. Move on physically and mentally tomrorow and give the socialisation bag another shake and draw some new counters etc etc.
Must say - make of it what you will - the innovation of toasting the bread for the chicken ham sandwiches made a surprising difference. Not that they weren't nice un-toasted, but you know, variety.
Ooh, ooh, are they going? I think they have. I'll give it 5-10 mins in case they've just popped into a dorm to get some weed or something before reconvening in the kitchen, but fingers crossed. Peace, quiet and a meditative beer beckon.
Just to continue waffling, while I didn't handle it brilliantly (I just got kind of lucky with Kurt), at least back in the La Fortuna hostel I felt the *main* difference between me and the bulk of the other guests was age. I wasn't *massively* differently dressed, they were mostly doing activities I wanted to do and often did or had done etc, they didn't feel like almost an alien species (massive exaggeration just to finish the sentence).
I've got a feeling they are entering a dorm near me. Fingers crossed they are gonna fuck off somewhere though.
I would quite like in general (not just now) to sit and put some headphones on and listen to music but I've kind of felt (for all that I'm intermittently fiddling with my phone) that I don't want to "block myself off" and appear unavailable for conversation by doing that while I'm sitting in a communal area.
There are FWIW 3-4 people sitting (eg in hammocks) on their own round the pool playing with their phones. Not an uncommon sight here.
2108 Fuck it, I'm not confident they've gone but I'm gonna go have my beer in the kitchen - rather there than here as it's vaguely nice to have the hostel music playing.
2113 Beer isn't super cold even straight from fridge. Not sure what's different about Imperial Silver. Still, even if I'm not super enjoying it, it's welcome, and I hope as the alcohol takes effect it will have a mellowing effect.
Just as a random observation, if I were willing and able to go splurge money around in the resort-ish facilities, I'm not too old for *Tamarindo* even if I'm maybe too old for this hostel's current crowd. There's no shortage of older US-ish-looking couples around. I *might* fall into an awkward middle ground where I'm too young for those people and too old for the 20somethings, but I don't know. However, I honestly think even if I were a billionaire I wouldn't really feel "right" spending money in places like that, even if the actual amounts were trivial to me. Sort of hard to describe, but the value proposition feels kind of shit and vaguely insulting ("yeah, the beer is USD5/10 for a tiny bottle and there's a service charge on top, because you're on holiday and you'll pay anything, won't you? and you don't want to look "cheap" in front of your friends, do you?") and it makes me not want to play.
(Hell, it's not like I *couldn't* afford to pay these prices now and go out and "have a good time" if I wanted. But apart from the value prop stuff just discussed, my financial situation is such that pissing money away on such things would compromise my ability to do more travel in the future - I could probably piss away a few days' worth of "fun, cheap" holiday money in a single night without really trying.)
There is actually some "I don't like Tamarindo" conversation going on right now between some unoffensive people. Not entirely sure why they don't like it but FWIW.
Just to be clear (as if it matters) my annoyance with that group earlier started as general "why can they start conversations with strangers when I can't?" envy but mutated into a more specific hatred for those people based on the content of the conversation. I don't generally find the latter happening when I'm overhearing conversations and wishing I could start one myself. Maybe they really were annoying, or maybe there's been a corrosive effect on my mental state of being here for three days.
2127 Hostel woman who checked me in is washing up/cleaning round and making me feel vaguely edgy for no good reason at all.
I have a few presumably mosquito bites on my back and have had for a day or two at least. Fingers crossed malaria isn't a big issue here. They aren't (touch wood) proving tremendously itchy bites so far. I sometimes put spray on head and even back of hands if I remember when I go out (esp at night) but not sure if it's necessary, but my back is uncovered (except for sheet) and unsprayed at night - barring high malaria alert levels I cannot be covering my whole body in spray every night before bed. (And I guess if it was a high alert level we'd be using mosquito nets at night.)
Sure as hell a lot of overlap between music here and the YT bossa nova covers playlist. "On the beach" now. Not complaining.
Almost all the kitchen seating here is made for giants and I struggle to get my legs comfortable.
Ha, just seen the YT (?) video still frame for the playlist as woman got up to tweak it. It isn't the same still as the one I've listened to, but I suspect the two have a lot of tracks in common.
As expected no one has made a fuss about me drinking my own beer. Also I mentally offset the loss of profit to them against them chucking out the leftover part of my first pack of mortadela. :-)
Not really tired (a tiny bit though, now I think about it) but probably move towards bed at 10. Be good to be up a bit before 8 if I can, since I have two sandwiches worth left and also some milk and it would be good to consume that in not too much haste. Hope laundry is dry enough to pack when I go to bed, it was borderline when I checked before opening beer. Rather not leave it out overnight.
2213 Bed. Lights on and a few people around just a few mins ago, but meh. Laundry still borderline but brought it in anyway.
2221 Couple of guys just talking about joining a group going to play cards for a bit then head out. I really am out of it here, for multiple reasons, as discussed endlessly.
We saw some (hermit, I think) crabs on beach at end of last night's turtle tour BTW.
Be good to make a fresh start in Samará (if I have the accent right there, need to be careful how I pronounce it).
Woke up 1amish busting for piss, got out no problem (vague "what if the dog has a fit" concerns but it wasn't about), saw a largish animal (maybe an iguana) scuttle into a drainpipe under path as my phone screen lit up the path. Also woke up about 4-5am *not* busting for a piss but with a moderate attack of that pseudo-homesick depression, I went out for a piss just to "break the spell" (which worked - already walking down path to toilet/shower block felt fine).
Woke up properly 9ish and maybe got up 930ish. Bit awkward with some many of these girls hanging round but not terrible. Was going to have sandwiches for breakfast but my chicken ham has gone - someone may have nicked it, but gut feeling is some arsey staff member threw it away as it was "open" in the fridge (not a resealable pack and I should probably have tied it in a plastic bag, but I didn't have one to hand). Mildly annoying but not end of world.
Asked at desk about turtle tour and I have to pay cash, so I went out and withdrew $200 at BCR (not more as exchange rate particularly poor just now and it may blip up tomorrow or something) and had a briefish wander round town and looked on OSM re buses and tried to find a bus stop it mentioned but couldn't see anything obvious. Gut feeling is I may go to Santa Cruz next, not checked accom or guide book but at least it's new and from there I could go on to Nicoya or maybe one of the coastal towns to the south and do Nicoya later. Trouble is there's nowhere to ask about "public" buses, all the tourist places are selling shuttle services so presumably won't be helpful.
Got some hot dog sausages and buns and 1.8l milk at supermarket and came back to hostel. Sitting in kitchen area and it's too damn hot but it is in the shade and there's a moderate breeze and presumably I will gradually acclimatise.
Asked about tour and woman (French one having that conversation last night, so I spoke to her in English) who doesn't really seem very confident about this tour - maybe no one else is ever interested? - is notionally sorting it out but I haven't heard anything yet. May chase it up in half an hour or so.
Had four slices dry toast with leftover bread from yesterday and a couple of cups of free coffee with some of the milk (though I mainly bought it to drink).
Feel broadly OK, a tiny bit out of place, a tiny bit bored in a not entirely enjoyable way (be good to get this tour booked, then I can maybe relax - may do some washing this afternoon too), a bit too hot. It's fine really.
(Just FTR - I keep saying girls because a) I don't buy into the notion (no idea if currently fashionable or not) this is pejorative b) they're probably 20+ years younger than I am, and I feel there's something relative about this. Incidentally as a random data point on the "sexist language" theme, I note this group of girls constantly addresses each other as "guys" , which to me is natural but ISTR seeing some wanky objections to online. But then, I shouldn't think there's anything you can't find wanky objections to online.)
Hmm, absolute lowest price on booking.com for 2 nights in Santa Cruz is USD69 including tax! Hostelworld doesn't even seem to recognise Santa Cruz CR as a place. So maybe I won't go there, or I will do a 2 bus hop into there and on to somewhere else.
Right, booking has a property at USD46 for two nights (private room - no dorms offered) in Nicoya, and rome2rio (via general web search) suggests Santa Cruz-Nosara would involve a change in Nicoya and I think I want to visit the place anyway so it's looking like the plan is a short-ish 2 bus hop from here to Nicoya via Santa Cruz then stay probably for an initial three nights in Nicoya.
It would be nice to have a private room and unless other sites turn up dorms it looks like I will, though given the ability to do my own laundry here and thus leave with a decent complement of clean clothes I think I could handle a third dorm in a row if it was an option and would save money.
Hmm, hostelworld doesn't even recognise Nicoya!
1240 OK, I paid USD5 deposit (I wasn't *nasty* as I have to pay USD40 but 5 now and 35 later and I was offered change in colones, I said "but then I'll get ripped off on the exchange rate" and went away and "found" a USD5 note I knew I had - fingers crossed the operator tonight will have USD5 bills to give me change for the 40 I'll hand over) for the tour and I'm being picked up here at 1735. Plan incidentally is not to have any alcohol today then tomorrow I will probably do beach in evening and maybe bring (since there are cans in the fridge, and owner made no fuss about that wine last night, and no rules posted) a can back and keep in fridge for tomorrow night.
I'm changing my mind re onward travel. The location of that one place is Nicoya is inconvenient, guide book says hardly anyone stays there. I am far from convinced Nosara and Samara are going to be much different from Tamarindo but current thinking is I'll chance a 3-bus day Tamarindo-Santa Cruz-Nicoya-Samara and book myself a hostel (probably a dorm, not super cheap) near beach in Samara and then from there I can look into travel options if any down to maybe quieter southern bits of Nicoya peninsula and if not maybe head across (eg via ferry) to "mainland" and set out down the west coast southbound. I asked French woman on desk about bus to Nicoya and she told me about rome2rio.com when I said I didn't want a shuttle...
1254 Right, booked a dorm for 3 nights for a bit under USD48 inc tax in Samara, free cancellation until 6pm on day of check in. There was another hostel nearer beach (limited prospect of being able to walk to beach in swimming trunks and leaving stuff in hostel, sound of waves at night) but apart from being about USD10 more it didn't have free cancellation, and I don't think it's a big deal. I am not likely to cancel but if eg I come unstuck during my three-bus hop I can cancel this booking and stay elsewhere.
3-bus hop not ideal but they should all be short-ish. Another dorm also not ideal but I'm kind of getting used to it and since I can do laundry here tomorrow that aspect of the problem is sorted. And it does help keep the cost down, and it may help me meet people (I do wonder if there might be a different kind of people there compared to here, maybe not but who knows) and in the long run the memories of the trip are not going to be any worse for having stayed in a dorm, and may be better.
I may have a go at heating up some of these hot dog sausages in a little bit. No mustard but it will be fine ("American style" mustard would almost certainly be all I could get, and I don't like it much, it's vinegary and has little heat to it and I wouldn't be able to use the entire supply before I left), there may be some free chilli powder knocking round.
1336 Had six hot dogs in four rolls. First four hot dog sausages I microwaved and bit into before realising they were individually plastic wrapped. Live and learn.
Having more free coffee (with some of the milk I bought) even though it's hot. Because a) free b) coffee :-)
Feel a little bit of a sad git but it's kind of OK. As I've said, I really came here for the turtle tour and fingers crossed I am ticking that box tonight. Sunset+beer last night was an unexpected bonus, will do that again tomorrow night (though do wonder if beer contributed to 5am "depression" - probably not, but you never know) and really the days here are just "relaxation" time for me to feel a little awkward and over-hot.
2233 Bed.
Mon 20th 1420 In kitchen, bossa nova cover of "left my self (?) there down by the sea" which sounds like it might be on a YT playlist I sometimes listen to playing.
Turtle tour pretty good, didn't get back til 2150 (and I was dropped off first) and I just had time (not that I was starving) to heat up 4 sausages and stuff them in the last 2/4 (can't remember, prob 4) buns before they turned kitchen lights off at 10 (and I ate them in the dark with a cup of cold milk). And I sort of felt I might as well go to bed and other people were sleeping so didn't like to be typing on K1 in bed.
Woke up surprisingly early at 730-8ish today. Probably got up about 830 and quite a few people still in bed so felt a bit conspicuous with every clang of locker etc, but got out, showered, put fresh clothes on. Did some laundry (which I just collected off line now) and came to kitchen for breakfast on 2 remaining hot dog sausages and several cups of free coffee with my milk.
Went out for walk over to Langosta beach, got a bit lost but found it, quite nice, very quiet - felt like I was there on my own (I sat back on a branch in the moderate shade of a small tree) to some extent. Thoughts running on what I might do when I get back home (in a fairly positive vein) so not exactly "meditative" but still nice. I had also been thinking before going that there's no reason why the beaches at PdC should be "not too hot" for me to sit on but the Tamarindo beaches are.
Spent maybe an hour there then came back via supermarket, got 2x710ml Imperial (one original, one silver - same volume and alc content so no idea what's different - Bohemia 710ml only 1k BTW so the 2k price at hostel is a fair mark up), some more chicken ham (bologna? - actual word is "mortadela") and a loaf of bread and some toothpaste - the second 15ml tube is pretty much empty, I might squeeze (haha) one or two more brushings out of these two 15ml tubes but not much.
Original 1550 so 50 more than "usual" and than what I paid in other shop on way to beach other night, but negligible and silver 1450 for some reason so evened out.
"I sit in my old car same one I've had for years" bossa nova cover on, I rather suspect this *is* the playlist I listen to sometimes. Fingers crossed I will get to hear the surprisingly cool cover of "Last Friday night" if it is.
Plan is to sit here til 4ish, have some sandwiches in next half hour or so, write this crap, then have a shower about 430-5 (yes, it is 99% the same playlist "precious and fragile things need special handling my god what have we done to you" now), then maybe wash top I'm wearing and the trousers and maybe uw for good measure (tho it's tops I am pushed on due to only having 3 plastic) before putting clean stuff on to go out for sunset, then I'll wear that clean stuff all day tomorrow as I won't really sweat into it tonight. This should max out clean clothes inc plastic tops for upcoming dorm stay, and I can maybe do the "quick wash of plastic top in sink with no soap" trick I was doing in Liberia. Got the beers here as I said so will take one to beach and drink my own (no rules posted, so sod it) here later.
I will try to pseudo-pack around 4-5 before heading out for sunset and maybe dump everything in locker inside a big plastic bag so all I have to do at (hopefully) 7-8am ish when everyone else is asleep is grab that and my bag and take them outside and sort them for a proper-ish pack there.
Oh, I asked some people at where I thought Santa Cruz bus goes where they were going/if they knew anything and apparently a SC bus had been through "about an hour earlier" which would be 1030 ish, and on walk to L beach I also saw a Cabos Velas (?) bus or two which ply between Tamarindo and SC so while there may be a T-Nicoya bus I haven't been able to track down, I'm reasonably confident I can find T-SC bus without too much fuss.
K1 was on charge during morning sit in kitchen so didn't write this then. Was mulling over how I could (if I wanted) "blend in" wrt clothes. I think wearing a pair of long swimming trunks as shorts would be the main trick, although open-toed shoes and no socks would help, as would a short-sleeved T-shirt (or no T-shirt, but that isn't me - sunburn/excess sunblock use an issue even ignoring self-consciousness about body), but observing other tourists (not the youngish crowd here) on street I suspect my current shoes with the socks "down" so they barely come above the shoes and a long-sleeved T-shirt would probably cut it (tho this is rare, I don't think the long sleeves are *that* big a deal - short-sleeved T-shirt v common, not all men shirtless by any means)
TBF, at this point it feels like it's "just" the long trousers that differentiate me so much (albeit that's going from the borderline point just described) and I wonder if therefore I really do stand out clothes wise that much. Probably do a bit.
I think really the problem (putting it too strongly; it's not a big deal) is that the other guests here are mostly 20 years younger than I am, there's a biggish "clique" (not meaning to be pejorative) of young women and most people aren't really socialising that much outside people they know, I am a bit old, etc. I might blend in more with a clothing tweak but I don't think people aren't talking to me because I look "weirdly dressed" .
It does occur to me that the big problem in general (not here specifically) with socialising *is* actually literally meeting people, making that first initial contact beyond a grunted "hi" . Given that I would naturally say things like "how did you get on with your X activity today?" when I saw people I'd already spoken to. Not saying no worries about remembering names and faces of people I've only spoken to for a minute or two, but still, that initial contact seems to be the main hurdle.
1447 Looking up Cabos Velos on web, according to yoviajocr.com it looks like there are buses (among others) at 645, 910 and 1030, which also happens to agree with what that woman told me at the bus stop. I think I will aim for the 910 then, so not quite such an early start (though still ideally be up 8ish to pack and have some free coffee to maybe get bowels moving before I leave hostel and lose convenient access to toilet :-).
I was either wrong about the playlist or it's been stopped and v different (but OKish) music on now.
1455 Suddenly (very casually) earwigging a conversation about surf lessons, I find myself thinking (not for first time, I mentioned it other day and probably other times too) this does sound fun. *But* I'm not I think throwing artificial obstacles in my own way here - I almost certainly need and it definitely feels smart even if it's not an absolute requirement to learn to swim half-decently first. I *do* need to overcome the faff factor and get on with having lessons when I get back home, but beyond that this isn't an option right now, for better or worse. I also probably wouldn't learn here in Tamarindo - it's too busy and expensive to stay here, but the guide book mentions several other places which are good for learning and at least potentially CR would be a good place to have a go once I've got the swimming prerequisite ticked off. I don't think age is a big problem here, it's not as if I expect to become a top-tier surfer or anything, it would just be fun to try and maybe aspire to a basic level of competence so it became something I could do on future visits to not-insanely-hard locations with good conditions for surfing. Obviously I don't know but barring serious health issues I can't see why that shouldn't be achievable for someone even ten or twenty years older than me.
I did dip my hand in water at L beach just to see, pleasantly warm-cool if that makes any sense. Not saying I won't take a dip at some point in next week or two if it's convenient.
Let me waffle about turtle tour now. Picked up no problem in minibus, driver turned out to be our guide and I paid him 35, getting 5 change. We picked up two more people - an Australian couple (we all exchanged the odd word during the tour, it wasn't "unfriendly", but they didn't seem disposed to chat and I wasn't super inclined either) and that was it for our group.
Drive maybe 30 mins to some beach, then we walked down a rocky-ish path to beach. Guide showed us some dug out areas of sand where turtles had made nests before. He gave us a bit of a spiel - turtles come from 3000km away (Galapagos, I think), they only swim in coastal waters as they have heavy shells (we are talking Pacific green sea turtles here, not leatherbacks - *tiny* bit of a shame I didn't see a leatherback, but maybe time/place is wrong and I never asked and no one promised etc - the turtles we saw look black, apparently they are black even in white light although the guides use red torches to minimise disturbance, despite being called green) (can you get to Galapagos from coast of Ecuador without crossing deep water??).
We sat down to wait and I admired the stars, wishing I knew more about the constellations, but despite a bit of light pollution it was better than T beach other night and I obviously had time for my eyes to get dark adapted.
Some other groups with their guides around and we kind of merged with them at times.
Some baby turtles hatched out while we were there and we watched first a couple go down to the beach (semi "helping" them with red torches), then later a new batch hatched and dozens (?) were all going much faster (the first couple were prob deeply buried so more tired by time they go to surface??). They're about (guess? told?) 7cm long and are very cute of course.
Oh, moon (near new anyway) set before we got there. I did ask guide and he said the turtles like it dark so it's best to go when no moon, but I didn't get an answer as to whether phase of moon matters (except obviously moon rise/set isn't such an issue wrt light/dark at new moon because the moon gives no light anyway).
The guides all have some sort of radio chat going to share tips. We waited around on that beach for a while but no turtles came so we drove over to another beach nearby (which had less light pollution so more stars, I think) and there were some heavy tracks (outside spacing about three of *my* feet-in-shoes) made by a turtle having gone up the beach and although guides try not to put light on them at this point as it's better to let them decide if they're nesting or not (apparently sand on that beach quite dry and turtles tend not to nest there, and we *didn't* see any eggs laid), after it became kind of apparent it wasn't nesting we got quite close to it and watched it decide not to nest and then drag itself back down into sea, then I *think* another one came up and we watched that go up the beach and not-nest as well. They're big, a guide said the first one would probably weigh 180lbs if I heard right, I find that slightly hard to believe but FWIW. Not leatherback enormous but big. Very cool to see and although obviously a shame we didn't get to see egg laying I don't think I can complain, we certainly didn't rush off etc.
Was sort of but not quite busting for piss but managed to resist temptation to ask if I could pop down beach for a leak. Didn't tip guide at end though would have been willing to, it didn't feel quite necessary/appropriate - FWIW he did offer us a water or beer (!) as we got into the van to come back and I declined (always tempting to have a "free" beer, but was having a day off and main reason being I was already a tiny bit keen for a piss, though not in agony) so I'll tell myself he gets to keep the price of a beer as a pseudo-tip since he doesn't have to replace the one I'd have drunk.
Worth noting a lot of the time at end we were (fairly big combined group at this point - but given there was no laying I don't personally feel we were "bothering" the turtle even if it knew we were there, and in a small way our presence is helpful as obviously no sane predator is going to turn up with 15+ humans all standing round watching the turtle) standing around in the near-dark which is why I'm a bit vague if this second trying-to-nest turtle came up out of the sea while we watched - I was trying peripheral vision trick and stuff but I think I was looking at a rock in the surf for a while thinking it was a turtle coming out.
There is a light-emitting plankton in the water which gives a cool effect of little tiny green "embers" in the waves as they break on the shore. At first I wasn't sure if I was just seeing starlight/light pollution reflecting on the foam but after a bit (maybe as eyes dark adapted - it was easier to see on second beach, which also had less light pollution) the "sudden green speck appearing" effect was distinctly noticeable.
Incidentally I did snap a few photos but it's obviously very low light and I wasn't using a tripod or special camera gear and while they may or may not show something, I didn't let taking photos turn into a chore and concentrated on just watching - if any photos come out that's just a bonus.
Incidentally it was/is warm/hot today, though sort of nice while sitting on beach. Not absolutely intolerable (because I am so hardy ;-) ) but yes, warm/hot. But I am telling myself I am adapting to it gradually.
FWIW while observing clothes earlier I do see the locals - though they're relatively thin on the ground - do seem to be wearing long trousers (the women wearing tight-ish jeans) and short-sleeved T-shirts. So although I obviously in broad daylight do look like an oddly dressed tourist, my vague "try to look like a local to a blind man on a galloping horse" strategy still strictly speaking applies even here.
1956 Back at kitchen after sunset at beach. It's amazingly busy, but even though there is a modicum of chat between other people most people aren't really talking and it feels vaguely companionably quiet.
Felt bit edgy before going down to beach, felt a bit lonely with other people chatting and also paradoxically genuinely a bit worried someone would ask me where I was going and invite me to join them and I didn't *want* to. Also on a tech support phone call with parents and though I tried not to be irritable it wasn't exactly great timing.
Anyway, took my beer down to the beach - dunno if just bad luck or the food fridge is not ultra-cold, but it wasn't all *that* cold. Anyway, got to beach, tide a bit further in than two days ago so couldn't sit on rocks. Feeling a bit of a sad git after general perception before leaving hostel but kind of gradually got over it. Paradoxically a (presumably local) guy spoke to me in Spanish as we sat on a rock and I didn't understand him but made a genericish response and felt awkward, despite having felt lonely earlier. He subsequently made some other comments as we moved off to avoid some splashing water and I understood him and commented back and while I was a bit edgy (as if I had much to be mugged of - I washed security belt earlier so wasn't even wearing that) it also felt vaguely companionable in a way.
Definitely different mood on beach tonight, perhaps just in my head but still. I was positioned so that I could hear competing music from at least two beach bars (one had a guy doing "Benny and the Jets" on guitar, which made me smile and helped lift my mood) until one stopped, also some vaguely mariarchi music at one point, and later on I also noticed a couple (?) of fire performers twirling fire around outside one of the bars and sort of watched that a bit (hey, it's free :-) tbf this is the sort of thing which for me *is* impressive but also gets dull to watch quite fast.
A group conversation has kicked off which makes me feel a bit lonely again, although I'm not the only one not speaking.
Was reminded earlier (sad though it might be) of meme showing "being alone" as great and "feeling alone" as terrible. Feels kind of apposite here - when I am alone that's great (eg beach two nights ago, even tonight really), when I *feel* alone in the middle of a crowd (a smidge just now, more so earlier tonight before heading out to beach for sunset) that feels shit. That's not quite rightly expressed - obviously there was a "crowd" at the beach and that was fine. I think it's kind of down to whether it feels like it's *supposed* to be a crowd or if I'm "supposed" to feel like part of the group and I don't.
2015 I dunno, maybe there's an element of jealousy that it seems like it's OK for these people to just say to someone they don't know "so where are you from?" or whatever, whereas it doesn't feel like it's OK for me to do that.
Meh. Not saying I don't have "issues" (too strong a word) here, but this place is just not for me. I came for the turtles whereas I think everyone else is here for the beachy expensive resort ("OMG that Italian place was just fantastic"), everyone (which has not universally been the case elsewhere - obviously there is certainly a natural bias) seems relatively young, I'm blatantly dressed differently and doing different things and not hanging round the pool etc etc. It's just a perfect storm of awkward incompatibilities. It's just a mix of bad luck and different goals and there's no reason (indeed, while not *amazing* I haven't been doing too badly of late, and have felt like I'm "learning" ) to take this one hostel experience excessively to heart.
Laundry wasn't dry earlier so I've left it on line. Tiny bit edgy I'll forget it but the fact the security belt is on the line and wearing it is almost second nature should help ensure I don't. Have put a note on tomorrow morning's alarm but it's not guaranteed I'll read the text when drowsy, but it's an extra level of defence. And it may be dry in an hour or so and I'll get it down and stick it in bag then if so.
Will save beer until (I hope) it quietens down a bit here.
Do these people not have bars and massage parlours to get to, FFS? It was really quiet and chilled here the night before last.
2029 This is a bit bitter, but all these people I'm (somewhat unwillingly) earwigging seem kind of smugly self-confident. They're all doing/have done volunteering and have lived abroad and all sorts of shit like that, which simply would not have been within the realms of possibility when I was 20 or 24 or whatever.
Meh, again. It's fine, except it's a bit annoying *right now* when I'm, you know, here and just want to chill with my beer. It's not as if I haven't managed to compensate by digging myself into a moderately comfortable position right now, it's not a competition either etc. But still, I could do without having to listen to this shit.
And of course there's a self-selecting aspect here. *These* specific people might well be (even if I shouldn't necessarily hold it against them) smugly self-confident, but there's likely an enormous cohort of other 20-24ish year olds who *aren't* smugly self-confident (and, if you want to get semi-political, playing in the right "political elite" training grounds and doing volunteering and certain kinds of university course etc) and thus *aren't* sitting here in a hostel in a beach resort 5000 miles from home (most of this group are either Scottish - extremely English-sounding Edinburgers (?) - or Scandinavian).
I don't hold out *huge* hope for Samara (although fingers crossed I'll *get* there fine) as there's still a beach resort aspect but I think it's a little lower key, the hostel is cheaper IIRC which somehow feels like a good sign, there's no pool at the hostel and there's also the simple lottery wrt who is there and their ages and how much they know each other and getting a fresh lottery draw compared to the sadly distressing results I got here is something.
Please guys though, just finish eating or whatever you're doing and go to a club or something.
There's supposed to be a "glamping" option at this hostel (and IIRC one of the reviews said the tents were hot during the day) but I'm really not sure where these tents might be.
2038 Genuinely smiling. Just overheard "I did an EU funded project... and I got the one in Italy" (Erasmus?) "Political elite trainee" suspicions confirmed, IMO.
Can I get a (bingo) line by one of the Scottish guys bringing up Brexit shortly? (FTR I didn't vote for it, but I'm only too well acquainted with a certain style of argument.)
Do - genuine question, to my own brain - I actually have to listen to this shit? In theory could I just sit here and not have this conversation impinge on my consciousness? I mean, if I wasn't "bothered" I might be able to treat the conversation just as fluff/meaningless prattle, but would I actually be able to not *listen*?
You know, I *could* go sit elsewhere (eg near pool - there's no sun, so I could sit on a sin lounger or something) and maybe be out of earshot. Genius-level IQ right here. Fuck it, let's have a go.
No, smug Scandinavian (Swedish, I think) girl doing most of the talking is still audible from the far end of the courtyard. If I put headphones on that would work, but they're buried in my bag due to pseudo-packing and trying to optimise noise of departure tomorrow morning so not digging them out.
I dunno, I am probably coming across as well bitter here and maybe I am, but it just feels like, let's say, if I felt a bit smugger and cockier about some of the things I've managed to set up for myself (and I might argue I "worked" for them, since I didn't have them at 20, but whatever), and started gabbing off about how I have this and can do that and don't have to do the other, I think I'd be judged (perhaps rightly) as an arrogant cock. But somehow these people (and especially this Scandinavian girl) gabbing off about all their advantages and the cool stuff they've done is absolutely OK?
She is at least softened (albeit not almost into melody) by the distance from over here. Tempted to try a hammock but I have shoes on and it might be rude, and that would do nothing to alleviate the involuntary conversation overhearing.
I mean, it's fine. I'll go get my beer and have it over here in half an hour or so if they're still in the kitchen. But surely to fuck they're going out?
FWIW round sunset saw some guys "surfing" against the tide. Is there such a thing as a motorised surfboard? I'm genuinely unsure. I didn't see any signs of a boat towing them, but of course I could have missed it.
You know, I am at least genuinely glad I'm not in (even on the fringes) this conversation. I suspect I'd be wearing a plastered-on smile or (unlikely; I doubt I have the smug glib status quo justifying chops to "win" in such a crowd, *and* I've only had one beer) I'd be making disagreeable remarks in an attempt to disrupt the smugness of it all.
As I say, I'm probably to blame for some of how I've felt in this hostel, and there's also probably an element of bad luck. I came to see the turtles and I did (shame no egg laying, shame no leatherbacks, but I am 90% satisfied), the sunset the first night was an unexpected and pretty cool bonus and although different the sunset experience tonight wasn't bad either. Move on physically and mentally tomrorow and give the socialisation bag another shake and draw some new counters etc etc.
Must say - make of it what you will - the innovation of toasting the bread for the chicken ham sandwiches made a surprising difference. Not that they weren't nice un-toasted, but you know, variety.
Ooh, ooh, are they going? I think they have. I'll give it 5-10 mins in case they've just popped into a dorm to get some weed or something before reconvening in the kitchen, but fingers crossed. Peace, quiet and a meditative beer beckon.
Just to continue waffling, while I didn't handle it brilliantly (I just got kind of lucky with Kurt), at least back in the La Fortuna hostel I felt the *main* difference between me and the bulk of the other guests was age. I wasn't *massively* differently dressed, they were mostly doing activities I wanted to do and often did or had done etc, they didn't feel like almost an alien species (massive exaggeration just to finish the sentence).
I've got a feeling they are entering a dorm near me. Fingers crossed they are gonna fuck off somewhere though.
I would quite like in general (not just now) to sit and put some headphones on and listen to music but I've kind of felt (for all that I'm intermittently fiddling with my phone) that I don't want to "block myself off" and appear unavailable for conversation by doing that while I'm sitting in a communal area.
There are FWIW 3-4 people sitting (eg in hammocks) on their own round the pool playing with their phones. Not an uncommon sight here.
2108 Fuck it, I'm not confident they've gone but I'm gonna go have my beer in the kitchen - rather there than here as it's vaguely nice to have the hostel music playing.
2113 Beer isn't super cold even straight from fridge. Not sure what's different about Imperial Silver. Still, even if I'm not super enjoying it, it's welcome, and I hope as the alcohol takes effect it will have a mellowing effect.
Just as a random observation, if I were willing and able to go splurge money around in the resort-ish facilities, I'm not too old for *Tamarindo* even if I'm maybe too old for this hostel's current crowd. There's no shortage of older US-ish-looking couples around. I *might* fall into an awkward middle ground where I'm too young for those people and too old for the 20somethings, but I don't know. However, I honestly think even if I were a billionaire I wouldn't really feel "right" spending money in places like that, even if the actual amounts were trivial to me. Sort of hard to describe, but the value proposition feels kind of shit and vaguely insulting ("yeah, the beer is USD5/10 for a tiny bottle and there's a service charge on top, because you're on holiday and you'll pay anything, won't you? and you don't want to look "cheap" in front of your friends, do you?") and it makes me not want to play.
(Hell, it's not like I *couldn't* afford to pay these prices now and go out and "have a good time" if I wanted. But apart from the value prop stuff just discussed, my financial situation is such that pissing money away on such things would compromise my ability to do more travel in the future - I could probably piss away a few days' worth of "fun, cheap" holiday money in a single night without really trying.)
There is actually some "I don't like Tamarindo" conversation going on right now between some unoffensive people. Not entirely sure why they don't like it but FWIW.
Just to be clear (as if it matters) my annoyance with that group earlier started as general "why can they start conversations with strangers when I can't?" envy but mutated into a more specific hatred for those people based on the content of the conversation. I don't generally find the latter happening when I'm overhearing conversations and wishing I could start one myself. Maybe they really were annoying, or maybe there's been a corrosive effect on my mental state of being here for three days.
2127 Hostel woman who checked me in is washing up/cleaning round and making me feel vaguely edgy for no good reason at all.
I have a few presumably mosquito bites on my back and have had for a day or two at least. Fingers crossed malaria isn't a big issue here. They aren't (touch wood) proving tremendously itchy bites so far. I sometimes put spray on head and even back of hands if I remember when I go out (esp at night) but not sure if it's necessary, but my back is uncovered (except for sheet) and unsprayed at night - barring high malaria alert levels I cannot be covering my whole body in spray every night before bed. (And I guess if it was a high alert level we'd be using mosquito nets at night.)
Sure as hell a lot of overlap between music here and the YT bossa nova covers playlist. "On the beach" now. Not complaining.
Almost all the kitchen seating here is made for giants and I struggle to get my legs comfortable.
Ha, just seen the YT (?) video still frame for the playlist as woman got up to tweak it. It isn't the same still as the one I've listened to, but I suspect the two have a lot of tracks in common.
As expected no one has made a fuss about me drinking my own beer. Also I mentally offset the loss of profit to them against them chucking out the leftover part of my first pack of mortadela. :-)
Not really tired (a tiny bit though, now I think about it) but probably move towards bed at 10. Be good to be up a bit before 8 if I can, since I have two sandwiches worth left and also some milk and it would be good to consume that in not too much haste. Hope laundry is dry enough to pack when I go to bed, it was borderline when I checked before opening beer. Rather not leave it out overnight.
2213 Bed. Lights on and a few people around just a few mins ago, but meh. Laundry still borderline but brought it in anyway.
2221 Couple of guys just talking about joining a group going to play cards for a bit then head out. I really am out of it here, for multiple reasons, as discussed endlessly.
We saw some (hermit, I think) crabs on beach at end of last night's turtle tour BTW.
Be good to make a fresh start in Samará (if I have the accent right there, need to be careful how I pronounce it).
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