I'm back!!!

I knew that it had been a very long time since I blogged last but didn’t realize just how long.  With the bad things that happened just before and soon after the turn of the calendar to 2012 I lost heart for writing.  Many of you emailed me over the ensuing months to check on me and whether I was still alive as my blog was your only real contact with me.  During that time I’ve enjoyed some great adventures alone and with friends.  Several sailboat trips with Gaston and Britt to the Cayes, a 10 day sail to Guatemala and up the Rio Dulce with a bus trip to Antigua, trips to Caye Caulker (Belize) alone and with friends, several fishing trips to the reef and a trip to Orlando.  I’ve also had a few difficulties befall me during that time, one in which my new (’99 Honda Passport) was stolen 3 weeks after I bought it and was rolled twice and demolished.  But now I think I’m ready to blog again and share my new adventures with you.  At some point I may try to catch you all up on some of the things I’ve enjoyed prior to now.  But for now I’ll start with what is happening in my life right this second.

My current plans are a trip to Costa Rica from 12/2-15, with 4 days home in Hopkins, followed by an Orlando trip for the holidays from 12/20-1/16.

Several months ago my cousin Kevin Drews, of the Phoenix Drews’, told me of his plans to travel to Costa Rica to look for property and I thought, since my plan when moving to Belize was to travel all of Central America, what a great opportunity!  Kevin put his life on hold for about 10 days almost 3 years ago to help me drag my trailer from Brownsville TX to Belize and we had a great time.  So what better way to repay him than to join him on his quest and finally make it further south that Guatemala?  His pan was to head to CR from 12/2-15 with a stop for a day or 2 in Nicaragua to visit a boy that he sponsors there.  So now we are in Costa Rica!!!  I almost wasn't though. I got to Belize International and went to the TACA desk to check in and was told that I didn't have a ticket, that the company I bought it through never finished the transaction. I could however buy a ticket for $750, $300 more than the internet price. So I went across the street to the internet and check it online and it said the transaction was cancelled. Cancelled??? The internet was tooooo slow to do much else so I went back to the counter. They did the ticket and when I gave them my debit/credit card they said they didn't take debit. I told him to enter it as a credit card and he said again that they didn't take debit cards. So I said it once more, telling him how to enter it. Again I got we don't take debit cars. Ok do you take cash? Yep! Well I only brought $1500 so that was 1/2 my cash. CRAP!!! Well anyway both flights were nice and I got in on time. Kevin and Kim were waiting right at customs (no bag check except x-ray). The car rental (National) was easy and Kevin found out that when he wanted to cross into Nicaragua all he has to do is go to the national office right at the border and trade cars. We'll see how that works. The directions to the hotel were a nightmare even though we confirmed then with the rental agent. The 10 minute ride took us almost 1-1/2 hours. We finally arrived at the hotel and the room is nice and the beds comfy. Free breakfast though from 7-9 was included, which was delicious!  Omelets cooked to order and fresh fruit.  The grounds of the hotel include a winding pathway through a very lush tropical garden that we thoroughly enjoyed.

Day 2:  We spent about an hour with a wonderful lady named Mary at our 1^st hotel getting directions to our next destination Puerto Viejo, which is on the southeast Caribbean coast.  She made us a reservation at an all-inclusive resort in Tortuguero, where we will travel to on the 4^th.  Part of that adventure will be a boat ride up (or down) the Rio Torta because the town is not accessible by road.  That will be Day 4 so stay tuned.

By 11am we were on the road for what turned out to be about a 4 hours trip through Limon and a hard right to the south to Puerto Viejo. It turned out to be a curvy route through the mountains and along the coast.  We hit a bit of rain in spots and plenty of wild drivers, which included us at times, as we tried getting around the slower traffic.  I know many of you have driven in countries where it is a common occurrence to pass traffic on hills and around curves so I won’t bore you with the details.  We were afraid to stop anywhere because we knew that we would only have to repass all the slow traffic that we fought so hard to get in front of so we kept going.  Sometime in the early afternoon we got onto the coast hugging part of the trip, where the traffic was much lighter, so we made a stop for our 1^st cervezas at a roadside stand.  Both of us are aficionados of street food and have no problem stopping at what look to be the worst dives you’d ever imagine to sample their fare.  We’ve had some of the best meals in Mexico, Belize, and now Costa Rica at these stands and today was no exception.  We weren’t sure what the meat was hanging above the grill but it we were assured that it was beef.  It turned out to be true and we had a very yummy marinated and grilled beef and boiled yucca meal all for about $20 total, beers included.  The price was a bit high but we knew that we were in the tourist corridor and the prices were going to rise, or so we thought.  We were soon back on the road and it wasn’t long until we had our 1^st glimpse of the Caribbean.  Kevin found a good place to stop and we walked down onto a beautiful volcanic black sugar sand beach where we spent a few minutes enjoying the view. taking a few pictures, and listening to the Howler monkeys screaming in the trees behind us.  Next stop Puerta Viejo and looking for a room for the next 2 days.  We toured a couple of places both on the beach and in the rain forest and settled on Casa Camarona, which is right on the beach.  Dinner at Coconuts Bar and Grill surprised us.  For $22 we had a couple more cervezas and a delightful meal of marinated beef, rice, black beans, diced grilled potatoes and a small salad.  While we waited for it to be cooked we went across the street and bought a few supplies, bottled water for both of us and a bag of Pepperidge Farms cookies for snacking whenever.  There was a coffee stand next to the store that I visited after dinner and partook of my favorite coffee drink…a 6 shot espresso.  The eyes of both the barista and a customer popped wide open and questions flew about how I was I going to sleep in the near future.  I’m sure that they thought they’d soon see a caffiene crazy American running the streets.  Me...caffeine has no affect on me so I assured them that wouldn’t be a problem, and of course it wasn’t because within an hour or so I was fast asleep.

Day 3:  Up at 5am, after a great night’s sleep, and into the bar/restaurant area for a pass at the internet and to watch the sun come up and to start this blog.  We aren’t sure if we are going to remain in this hotel or try for another and we’ll make that decision after breakfast.

And so, life goes on for the Fatboy in Belize.  As always, stay well, keep happy, and practice peace.  I am!!!