Adventure

The day started at 5am, after being out at a bar the night before. Up, quick breakfast and off to the bus station. I still missed the street the terminal was on and had to back track (even I though I practiced getting there several times). I'm glad I always leave time for the unexpected. I was still a half hour early for the time of departure for the bus. However, there were others there waiting, I learned that, yes you do have to check in, or they might sell your seat. Of course the bus was late (I'm on no schedule, oh well) I watched someone else (usually me) ask the agent "que paso?" ( what's up). Agent's response "traffic in Managua, Nicaragua. I'm learning how to relax more in my retirement. At the border the agent collected our passports and charged us $6 and took care of the paper work getting out of Nicaragua. Going into Nicaragua, three days ago we paid $28, of course being the newbie I just went along with it and nobody was challenging it. So he was a scalper. Anyway that's taken care of, then the bus driver announces that Costa Rica requires some info. ticket or plane reservation when you are leaving the country. Well, guess who doesn't have a hard copy. I had already erased the copy of when I was leaving (plane reservation) off the phone, but still had it on the computer. Well he let me power up the computer right at the counter, and that was good enough to let me in the country. The next little part of the adventure would be not going all the way to San Jose and doubling back to Monteverde the next day on the public bus. (schedule indicated 6am and 230pm daily from San Jose. With the driver and other attendants on bus where to get off and then for me to find where to catch that bus going up the hill. So with the help of another passenger I figure out how to say where is the bus station for Monteverde? So got off the bus almost in the middle of nowhere. Big step for this one. So I was going to have to wait about 2 hours for the bus. I asked a couple of people at the corner gas station if they were going up to Monteverde, they didn't have room or weren''t going that way. Then as a Tico (Costa Rican) and his went by where I was waiting I just kind of yell at the passenger "Monteverde?" they stopped and I got a ride. I have a new friend Gilbert, he's a dairy man with a small farm. Of course we both practiced our second language. He admitted he is a "Poco Loco driver" Crazy Driver, we had a lot of fun and silly-ness coming up the hill. When my kids were growing up I used to crazy drive with them, memories, had to share that with my new friend. Got some amazing pics of Gulfo Nicoya and a double rainbow, full arch, from one pot of gold to the other. I got his number, hope to visit his farm before I leave. The weather here is of course cooler, man the wind really blows. Glad I'm settled in for the night. Next big investment a better camera.