Remember Robert, Randi, Jacob and Willow? We had communicated online for several months till we practically felt like octuplets separated at birth… Robert has been gung-ho on Costa Rica for a long time – in fact, he’s put together a great website called TicoLinks. In the expat world, he’s what we’d call Ready.

Over time, he’s been selling the idea of retiring here to the rest of his family. Who hadn’t yet worked up enthusiasm to match his. In fact, they were downright leery. When they came to Costa Rica for a week in December, they came to our house for dinner. We had a great time, saw them off and on over the next couple of days. Then they took off for the southern Pacific coast, Manuel Antonio and points a bit south of that. On a road that is rough gravel from MA on down. Roughin’ it. Here’s how it went:

Hi Sally,

We are back in New Jersey, safe and not quite sound. Randi fell in Parque Manuel Antonio and broke her arm. Kinda messed up her day. It was not pleasant for her, with much pain. We made it out of the park and to the hospital in Quepos. Great service at the hospital, taking about an hour from x-ray to cast. Then another hour waiting for the prescription for anti-inflammatory medicine. Total bill, 51,000 colones. [$100]

Otherwise, we had a great time and were sad to leave. We drove around a lot. Went up above Jacó to Playa Hermosa and went to Parque Carara. Stopped in Jacó for a street market. Checked out a few beaches north of Quepos.

Went south to Palma del Sur and up the Intercontinental highway to San Isidro. Checked out some beaches south of Dominical. Went on an all-day tour to Parque Corcovado (bus, boat, and trail).

Spent the last day (Saturday) at the beach at Playa Matapalo. It was as nice a beach as we saw in all our wanderings. A few people, great waves, clear water, and great sunsets.

We did not like Jungle House when we first arrived. It was so hot and humid we could barely breathe. What a shock after coming down from the mountains. Our cabin had air conditioner but we were requested to run it only an hour in the evening. By the end of the week we loved it. Monkeys in the trees every morning. Beautiful birds. Saw maybe five mosquitoes, and no screens on the windows. At least a trillion ants.

We should have spent more time there instead of driving all over.

Jungle House didn’t change. We changed. Randi went from, "let’s look for another place" on arrival to, "when can we come back?" by the end of the week. She even wanted to check out some lots for sale!

Thank you so much for your hospitality. You really made us feel welcome and made our vacation even better.

I am as sure that I want to retire in CR as I was sure that I wanted Randi to be my wife.

Robert

This is how it happens in Costa Rica. It’s how it happened to us. You just kinda get grabbed. So unexpectedly.

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