Nuevo Arenal, Saturday

Sat 11th 0937 Just come out to sit outside room; bit of a cool breeze so have fleece on. Woke up a bit in the night (in what might have been a vaguely pleasurable way), more or less properly woke up 8-9ish feeling fairly refreshed and pleasantly surprised how early it was. Been puttering around in room until now.

Subject to checking (not v helpful IME) weather forecast I plan to go over to El Aguacate for lunch and to buy some snacks about 1130ish as I have a vague idea based on over-recognising patterns from being here a couple of days that it may be more likely to rain in afternoon. It did rain quite a bit in the night and earlier this morning though.

There are some birds here with the most bizarrely "80s home computer game/synthesizer"-sounding calls - one reminds me a bit of the sounds at end of Pog's "Happy Birthday Positron" . I tried to record this on one of phones yesterday and may try again today.

Feel both kind of bored at prospect of doing very little today and also kind of pleased.

Also thinking I might get a couple (no more) of cans of cold beer at supermarket in EA and have them in/outside room, then go up to restaurant for a coffee to two (there's probably more wildlife to view during the day based on experiences so far). I think the coldness may last the 20ish mins walk back, plus i may experiment wrapping them in tissue paper which should get damp from condensation etc and maybe help.

Lack of wifi in room is a minor nuisance but not end of world; seems borderline OK sitting here outside.

1445 On balcony getting black coffee. Went into EA, very nice casado con (obv both prepositions work) chuleta de cerdo, got some snacks and a 710ml can of Imperial at supermarket (which I wrapped in fleece to keep cool), had that sitting out of my room (drinking it out of the glass I'd use to catch the spider in) and only feeling slightly furtive. Had four galletas de naranja I got from supermarket (tempted by more of the empanada de piña but thought would mix it up, and these are very nice too and equally sugar-laden) and as I say now come up here. It rained earlier but is sunny now so fingers crossed I see some wildlife.

While sitting on seat outside room with legs crossed a little dog cannoned into my legs a little stupidly (almost kicking itself in the head, sort of thing) then it came and jumped up on my lap before I knew what it was doing. Owner (of dog, not hotel) came and rescued it but although it seemed a little dopey it was really sweet.

Feeling vague regrets at thought of only two more days here, but I will probably call it quits at that. I need to be looking at booking hostel in Cañas soon (probably a dorm, esp as only likely to be two nights, but we'll see what's on offer) and it probably with luck won't be long before I hit Pacific coast and maybe find some cheap-ish relaxing-ish beach place where I may want to sit and do nothing for n days, so I need to not burn too much time here.

1734 On balcony with beer - can't get my "usual" seat as someone else in it, the outrage! Went back to room for about an hour to shower/shave (meant to buy new razor in EA today but forgot; may leave it til Cañas now) and now out here for sunset.

1814 Second beer. Quick poke on booking.com and hostelworld makes both Tilaran and Cañas out to be mildly expensive and more hotel-ish than hostel-ish. This *may* be because I'm looking short term but I suspect not. Gut feeling is I will book a single night in Cañas and plan to move on the next day - I could potentially not overnight in either, but it's two bus hops to Cañas and I'd rather not chain three together in a day, Cañas may be oddly charming and even if it's not I'm not so short of time that a single overnight will kill me. I don't seriously expect to meet any other tourists there so I will look at guide book later tonight/tomorrow and see where I would want to go after Cañas.

I've been trying to avoid just a single night anywhere but once in a while it's fine. I can probably check in about midday then trog off to the bus terminal to see about booking an onward ticket if necessary or at least to find out where the buses to the next place go from, then just wander round the place and have something to eat during the afternoon. I'm reluctant to burn two nights there in the absence of any strong reason to visit except as a necessary-ish stop on the bus network.

1831 Right, quick poke at RG and looking at the map suggests Liberia is quite nice (if maybe pricey on accom? I haven't checked) and the regional transport hub, with loads of places being an hour or so by bus with frequent services. So it seems (subject to tolerable accommodation, and I'd probably look at a dorm after private room here and in Cañas, and hope to meet people with advice on nearby stuff) like the obvious plan is one night in Cañas then say three (initially; obviously have option to extend) in Liberia, perhaps if there isn't enough interesting stuff to do there for 2-3 days using it as a base to pop over to a few places around the coast as daytrips and seeing if any of them look like candidates for n days of vaguely beach-adjacent lounging. And also of course there may be more "active" things in that region as well - I wouldn't have to go straight from Liberia to a lounging place, even if I found one, I could go to some other places from there first. I could obviously read the guide book for more details on places round Liberia, but right now I don't think I need to plan further ahead than getting there.

Gut feeling is I'll maybe book tonight or tomorrow morning-ish and see if I can find somewhere with decent free cancellation, although I'm willing to compromise on that in Liberia if it's necessary to get into what sounds like a decently social, perhaps single traveller oriented hostel. You know, I will book the one night in Cañas now, as the cheapest (not cheap) place looks good for an overnight stop and has very good free cancellation (day of arrival, basically), and then the immediate time pressure is probably relaxed and I can deal with Liberia tomorrow.

1845 Right, booked hotel in Cañas.

1915 Third beer. Not not enjoying myself but somehow not feeling it tonight, either the beer or the view (albeit it's dark, still vaguely nice seeing lights on far side etc). Not a big problem. Back to room for bit of YT and unhealthy snacks after this.

1958 Finished beer. Not feeling bad or anything, just not feeling actively good about being here etc. Let's settle up and go down to room and slack off a bit.

2152 Bed. Had an ant crawling on me earlier and it's still knocking around, fingers crossed I don't end up with loads of them.