Monday, December 07, 2009

Costa Rica 3

So one of the other lists I found on line said that if I wanted to really enjoy myself in Costa Rica while looking at the wildlife, I needed to bring along a birding book. Well, I was just taken aback at how well they know my intrigue with birds! (That is sarcastic.) However, I do believe that Costa Rica has some of the rarest and coolest birds in the world (including the red footed booby), so I went to amazon and got a birding book of Costa Rican birds. It's supposed to be the "best" one, but who knows? They let everyone and their spider monkey review books nowadays. There's no telling whether this book is actually good until I bring it to Costa Rica.

I've been gathering things to bring and putting them in my suitcase which lies open in our nonexistant baby's room. Yesterday I got a new travel toothbrush. Very thrilling. And I put in $45 in ones because I hear that the Ticos accept American money in some places. If it's anything like Mexico, the ones will come in handy.

Now I just have to decide on how many shirts I really need to bring. I suppose I should bring more than I think if I have the space. If it's humid, wash-and-wear won't really work because there will be no significant drying time.

Saturday, December 05, 2009

Costa Rica 2

The rain ponchos have arrived. They are quite large and very poncho-esque, which will be good for quick rain coverage. I took mine out of its package with the idea that I could put it back in the package. Said package seemed large enough to hold a rain poncho whether it had been packed by a machine or by a person. I was very, very wrong. Rain poncho is now it's own entity, free in the world with no packaging.

I have also gathered one dollar bills. Apparently, many vendors in Costa Rica, like Mexico, are willing to take American dollars in small denominations.

I was looking at the DK Eyewitness book on Costa Rica and reading up a bunch of the things we'll see. One of the sections is on souvenirs. So I guess I'm supposed to get a replica of an ox cart because they are widely used by farmers and are very brightly colored. Honestly, they look pretty cool, but a replica ox cart sounds like it will turn into kindling in my suitcase.

Anyway, I'm still concerned about monkeys trying to steal my camera. And now also about poisonous snakes in the banana plantation. Apparently it's a real problem if you don't have the correct footwear, e.g. plastic knee-high boots.

Wednesday, December 02, 2009

Costa Rica

So I agreed to go to Costa Rica this X-mas holiday with my wife. I have wanted to see this beautiful country ever since my friend J went and I knew I couldn't travel with him. I keep teasing my wife that I'm afraid that the spider monkeys will steal my camera, but I really don't think that will happen.

What I am afraid of is the heat and the sun. I will burn like a lobster and I will sweat like a pig. I will be a lobster-pig. This is not something I want for my vacation pictures. But what the hell. It's our fifteenth wedding anniversary. We wanted to do something special. I think London might have been more meaningful to me, but certainly not more special, if special means unique.

I am currently consulting packing lists and survival guides so I am prepared. I have purchased a rain poncho because I hate rain jackets. They are restrictive and get hot. But the poncho is easy to put on and will still be ventilated. Plus, it was cheap. I usually rely on an umbrella and not a jacket/poncho, but after the rainiest vacation ever this past summer in Central Europe, I have been reformed. Struggling with my camera and the umbrella will not happen again. Also, the umbrella strap ended up in a bunch of my photos. Boo to you, umbrella.

Clothes is the next question. Iusually wear short and tee-shirts on my vacations, but in Central Europe I tried wearing some seer sucker button shirts. They were very comfortable and airy, and a little dressier. So I'll probably bring mostly button shirts. The question is how many? The shirts didn't seem to last more than one wearing because of how many hours we were out walking around and how much I sweat. I'd like to think that I could wash them in our hotel room, but what if the air conditioning is not working or working poorly? They wouldn't dry very well then...

Problems.

Then the question becomes do I need to bring more than one book. And what book or books? Currently I'm reading a YA mystery from a woman I met at the Loft and a book on the actual history and beliefs in vampires from around the world. Both interesting, but neither one would be a good plane companion.

Well...more on Costa Rica later.