J and K Adventures: Journey to Tamarindo

Jeff here -

Well, the days melt together - living on island time - no rush, no stress, just assume the position, (somewhere close to horizontal) and feel yourself melt like a pat of butter left out in the sun. As you might imagine, we have been able to adapt rather readily and have had no problem adopting to local customs, as the Costa Ricans proudly proclaim, "Pura Vida" - meaning good life. We are in! No need for any arm twisting, guilt trips or oh buts!

Yesterday, we boarded a bus with 3 other intrepid adventurers and headed out for an hour and ten minute drive South to Tamarindo - a coastal town known for it's surfing and loosey goosey atmosphere. The drive down was mellow and the town lived up to it's name. We ate lunch in a restaurant whose history (recorded on our menu) proclaimed how this very broke couple drove their school bus down from Santa Monica in 2001 - through Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras before hitting Tamarindo and proclaimed, "Nirvana", or, "Geez, we are out of gas" and they slowly rose like the Phoenix and created a restaurant/ dive shop/surf shop/shoe shine emporium - made me proud to be an American or a very hungry patron as snails move faster then their waiters who are gathered behind the kitchen inhaling God knows what?

The beach was beautiful, dozens of surfers bobbing about waiting for that perfect wave. I waded out about 50 yards in bath temperature water where each wave tried to separate various body parts from the main core. I lasted about 15 minutes and decided my choice was either to retreat landward or become the main character starring in "Burial at Sea". I chose the former. It was still nice enjoying the warm sun and people watching. We did a bit of window shopping, enjoyed our traditional ice cream treat and caught the bus back to our warm, snuggly hotel room.

We enjoyed a relaxing dinner and a stroll on the beach prior to retiring - not a bad way to spend a Friday, the 13th.

Today, Saturday was spent on the beach working on our tans and realizing that tomorrow, Sunday, the craziness begins as we start our 14 hour joy ride home. Rather than focus on the negative, we took full advantage of Pura Vida. The most stress was walking back to the room for more sun tan lotion. Oh, it was a very nice day!!