Departure Day Minus 2

Tuesday, August 5, 2008.

The time is nearing for our Costa Rica adventure with the Caravan Tour Group. We chose this tour group based on evaluations from some of our friends who have already gone on this adventure tour.  Of course we chose to go in the "Green Season" which is when you read between the lines is the "rainy season."  This could make it more fun or a total "wash", pardon the pun. We are obligated to travel during this time because Stephen, our 16 y/o son, is off school during the summer and this makes the travel period fixed.

Earline (tangodiva), Lee (tangodoc), and Stephen (no baila tango) leave from San Francisco at 8 p.m. on the evening of August 7, 2008 and arrive in San Jose, Costa Rica at about 10 a.m. the following morning. We then check into our hotel (or at least check bags until we can get into a room) and then explore the city. We have a tour meeting at 8 p.m. on that evening in preparation for an early morning departure for our first tour stop.

The exchange rate is about 500 colones to the U.S. dollar making $20 US give you 10,000 colones.  It will be interesting to see how Stephen adapts to the new exchange rate.

We are limited to one piece of baggage and a carry-on for the tour even though American Airlines lets you have two pieces of luggage 50 pounds or less plus a carry-on without extra charge. I packed a small leather carry bag inside my suitcase because we are limited to 25# of luggage on the boats to Tortuguero National Park. Hopefully, the turtles will be nesting on the beach making the extra $20/person charge to see them at night worthwhile.