Jan 28, 2007 | Mail and Shipping, Pets, Travel Tips
Since I posted my nightmare experience at customs, several people have let me know about their experiences. Continental Airlines wins hands down over all other airlines for ease of picking up your pet. One woman wrote to me that Continental just handed over the pet to...
Jan 17, 2007 | Accommodations, Restaurants, Travel Tips
Well, I did it again. I invited myself to someone’s house for dinner. Conveniently, this person’s house is a Bed & Breakfast. And their dining room is a restaurant. Finally! I get it right!!! Really right: this was the best meal we’ve had in...
Jan 17, 2007 | Driving, Teenagers, Travel Tips
There was a little news item in La Nacion this morning that caught our eyes. When I discovered the driving age here is 18, I was so relieved. Whew! But it turns out, once you are 18, you can get behind the wheel of almost anything, including a big rig. One of the...
Jan 15, 2007 | Culture Shock, Driving, Living-In, Renting A Car, Travel Tips
I’ve heard this is true in Boston, I don’t know. Xavier says it is – he’s from they-ah. It is definitely true in Costa Rica. Just because it’s on the map, just because you can see it from whey-ah you are standing, does NOT mean you can...
Oct 11, 2006 | Books, Culture Shock, Mail and Shipping, Travel Tips
There’s a lovely, powerful saying by which I live. It goes: "The more you complain, the longer God lets you live."* Poetic, isn’t it? And productive. My complaints about not being able to get my books cheaply to Costa Rica produced many helpful...
Oct 6, 2006 | Culture Shock, Driving, Manuel Antonio, Travel Tips
The first time Jal and I came to Costa Rica, the December ’05 exploratory trip (all of five days) to determine if Costa Rica was The Exotic Place To Spend A Year, we did a 24-hour speed tour of Manuel Antonio. I had heard there were monkeys here and I was going...
Sep 30, 2006 | Travel Tips
1. Maps2. Compass3. GPS4. Umbrella5. Sunscreen6. Sweatshirt7. Comfortable shoes that can get wet. Flip flops are big here. If you are going into the jungle, you need snake-proof boots. Do not mess around with anything less than good full-coverage boots. Don’t...
Sep 30, 2006 | Culture Shock, Driving, Renting A Car, Travel Tips
When you make your plane reservations, try to time your arrival so you have plenty of daylight left, particularly if you are renting a car and driving off somewhere your first day. You want to do your driving the first few times (months?) before dark, no later than...
