Costa Rica: day 1

sunday 8:35AM Nicaragua
-from LAX went to Guatemala (GUA) for a short layover, then OFF to a 20min layover in Nicaragua.
Nicaragua has volcanos & lakes... it's a fun land nestled between waters- VERY GREEN! a fun little airport w/ cool Nicaraguan Mtns & landscape in the background. Guatemala had tall volcanic mtns that jutted up above the clouds. Loving the trip so far!
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Landed in Costa Rica 20min til 10AM. 1st item is to find Sansa Air & get a flight to Fortuna. Fortuna is supposed to have a volcano with live flowing lava.
got to Sansa & took a cab to Nature Air.. i missed the Sansa flight to Fortuna (turns out they have 1 flight/day to Fortuna & it's @ 7:15AM), but Nature Air is supposed to have a flight leaving in 1hour...
the cab driver, General, had 24 yrs experience as a driver and has 4 grown kids (33, 31, 28, & ?). One of his boys is a weight lifter. General was not amused when i asked if his boy could beat up a luchador (professional wrestler)... he simply said yes.

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Met Kim & Diana (college travel friends).. they were also waiting for the flight to Fortuna. Turns out we're all going to Fortuna, Monteverde, & Quepos- they gave me some helpful hints re: Jeep-Boat-Jeep travel, Hotels, & the exchange rate.


the Plane ride was legit... 14 of us in a 2 engine prop plane- i felt like Indiana Jones.. i fully expected a dotted line to follow us as we went along =] the Aeropuerto in Fortuna is the coolest looking thing. would be cool to sit down & have a beer there.

Met up w/ Jesus the taxi cab driver & paid him $5 for a ride to Arenal Springs resort- Kim & Diana had reservations- i got a $102 room (2 beds, a "Greenhouse" shower, etc) for $70. Kim & Diana are next door. Now to find food.

things to do: CIGARS, Hot Springs. reserve Jeep trek to Monteverde.

PS- it POURED for 10min!
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10:30PM entry
had lunch w/ Kim & Diana- great pasta dish.. lined up my Jeep-Boat-Jeep trip to Monteverde @ 8:45AM 2morrow.. walked the grounds, talked to the ppl, went back to my room & fell asleep until 6. Diana knocked on my door @ 6:15PM & invited me to dinner w/ them. we walked to the main road (1/2mile to 3/4mile) & ate at a nearby restaurant. the 3 of us had a great meal..
Steak, chips & salsa/beans/guacamole, 2 bottles of TRIO, cafe flan, & coffee- $40 each. Got back & bought cigars @ the gift store & i've been enjoying cigar porch time w/ ephesians 1:1-5:17... especially meditating on 5:1-17. i took a walk w/ my cigar & God and prayed thru the passage- so convicting. expose the dark parts of my life & let Christ rule.. it's scary.

it's gorgeous here. nestled against the mtns/volcano- dense air, lots of bugs/noises. the clouds have not lifted so we didn't get to see the Volcano's lava =[ & the Hot Springs cost $28 to enjoy, so i didn't do it =].

agenda items 4 tomorrow: Jeep trek to Monteverde, find a Hotel, go on a canopy tour, book Grayline bus to Quepos/Dominical.

OH- & it rained for 5min & stopped while i was on the porch. it's way tropical here- i am anxious 4 my trip into the jungle 2morrow. =] PURA VIDA!