Run for the Border

90 days just flies by and once again it was time to leave CR for my visa run.  Each time this comes up, those of us who need to go often gather the troops together and before we know we are off on a road trip.  I was in California the last time but the 2 previous trips were to Panama and once again this is where I ended up.  Desirae, Kealy and I are on the same schedule so we combined forces and decided where we would go.  A new friend - Sunny, from CA... this being her first visa run - joined us.

Kinda got off to a rocky start.  Planned to leave EO at 6 am.  Kealy was having problems with his car but still we headed out.  About an hour down the road decided this was too much of a risk - came all the way back to Esterillos and took Sunny's car.  Had a lovely 4 hour drive south, no problems crossing the borders, checked into a budget hotel in David and by 7 p.m. was sharing an amazing Italian dinner where the most expensive dish was $9.00 :)

We came here with the plan of leaving the next morning for a beach named Playa Barqueta.  The tide report had indicated a new swell and big waves.  The beautiful taxi drive ($7 per person) thru country brought us to a beautiful resort named Los Olas.  The place was right on the beach, beautiful and practically deserted.  There was only a handful of people there. We had the place to ourselves to enjoy the pool while Kealy surfed.  Breakfast was wonderful and cheap.  That evening, a bar crawl.....followed by dinner in a fine restaurant - cost.....under $10.  I love Panama!!

Swell had arrived and Kealy managed to talk me into going back to Barqueta the next morning.  We were up by 4:30 am - on a bus shortly after 5.  Cost $2.00 When we got to the beach it was still not light enough to go in.  Waves were a good size but closing out really fast.  The photos suck because of low light but it was still nice to be on a deserted beach in the presence of such power and beauty.  Several hours and a great breakfast later, we managed to catch a taxi that had just dropped people off at the resort for 1/2 the price and spent the afternoon back in David with the girls shopping.  By evening we were in party mode and hit the local billiards where they had everything.  Finished the evening with take out pizza in our ghetto hotel room we all shared but had lovingly named the GoldiLocks suite due to the 4 twin size beds with gold bed spreads all in a row that we all shared.

Doing these trips gives one an opportunity to get to know people on a very different level.  You have time to talk, you are sharing an adventure, you deal with all the decisions that need to be made as a group, it is always fun.  Having Sunny on this trip was the frosting on the cake.  She is delightful, saved the trip by driving, was a ton of fun!!

Back home now, things are pretty slow here in EO.  I find myself looking forward to a few months of quiet as the rain picks up.  I bought some art supplies and now have an e-reader with a ton of books on it.  For 6 months solid I have had people staying with me - looking forward to being alone, love when the rain forces me to stay inside.  I have been in this place before.........however, my life is subject to change every single day and who knows.....by this evening I will once again have a new best friend I haven't yet met... but happens quiet often.  That is the beauty of my life - seldom knowing what my day will bring and by evening - what an awesome day was had!  I have so much to be grateful for and seldom does a day go by I am not aware of that.  Costa Rica has been good to me!!  However, I am feeling a shift in the tide.......stayed tuned :)

Pura Vida