Gino's Travels

Monday, 15 April 2013

Snakes, Frogs & scary spider!

We left Punta Arenas and headed inland to Lake Arenal, a really nice part of Costa Rica and a few degrees cooler which was good. Stunning road around the Lake and some ripio to keep our hand in. The Cabana we stopped in was nice but the smell from the drains was terrible, I'm sure something died in there! We should have complained but it didn't seem so bad last night, this morning though I was glad to get out to catch some fresh air! Last night we done a Snake tour at the small "Eco Zoo" in El Castillo, we got a bit of a raw deal as we were told we'd see monkeys as well but they were "tomorrow and only $30 Dollars each" yes right enough, robbed enough already mate!
There are seemingly 160 different kind of snakes in Costa Rica BUT only 18 will kill you! Just what we wanted to hear. Snakes aren't my thing so full marks to Fiona for holding some of the smaller ones, I took the photo from a safe distance.
Today we have headed back across the lake and to the North of Costa Rica almost to the border with the intention of doing the Nicaragua border crossing in the morning, stay tuned to see how that goes!

Laake Arenal with the volcano in the background (last active 4 years ago)

Our nice but smelly hut!!

Fiona's Jugo Pina, (my beer!!)

Fiona looking slightly nervous (but not as nervous as me!)

These things are really big!

Mr Angry, thank god it was toughened glass, he really didn't like my aftershave!

The red eyed green leaf frog, or as I like to think of them, the comedy frog

Now this disturbed me slightly, (not my hand!!) our guide feeding the spider! poor My cricket looks sad!

Fiona above with a Comedy female frog and below with a male and female!

Sunday, 14 April 2013

Costa Rica , Hot hot hot

We entered Costa Rica with a relatively quick border crossing, it was though very hot and humid, some minor holdup as the guya questioned my temporary import document as it had an estimated leaving date the same day as I entered , just what you don't need when its reaching 40 degrees! Thanks to Gianni who'd been through a couple of days before we knew pretty much what to expect. The girl doing the insurance ($30) must have had a good night as she was sleeping in the back of the booth and seemed to have a massive hangover. All in all one and a half hours so quite pleased with that.
We headed to our first stop in Costa Rica the Cascada Verde Hostel just outside Uvita and on the edge of a forest, recommended if you are passing, a really cool place to hang out for couple of days. Yesterday we visited the waterfall nearby in the hope of spotting some monkeys which you can hear, especially at night when the forest comes alive but unfortunatley not so Fiona did some monkeying around for the camera instead!
Today we have further headed North to Punta Arenas, en route we stopped at a bridge to look at some pretty big crocodiles, Fiona decided wisely not to join them for a swim. We are enjoying Costa Rica, the wildlife, Flora & Fauna is amazing but the heat is incredible, we really dread having to put the bike gear on but of course its a must .

Another immigration done!

Cold drink break

Bought new specs in Panama for one Dollar, suits you sir!

The view from the balcony of our hostel

Watching the sun go down and the insects come out

Fiona studying (this is a great book)

Hostel kitchen so it must be Pasta for tea

Bike Parking

Enjoying a cool down

Fiona taking the plunge

And again

Showing off now

Watching us watching him

It's a hard life!

I've spent all day singing "Do you know the way to San Jose"

I thought you are kidding

These are pretty big, somebody's been feeding them!

Glad we were On the Bridge and not doing a river crossing here!

Thursday, 11 April 2013

All Roads Lead to the Moon Episode 7 (Colombia)

Today we head to the Border to Costa Rica, We have enjoyed our time in Panama, its been laid back with great weather, meanwhile a recap on Colombia

Tuesday, 9 April 2013

Boquete

Yesterday we said goodbye to our new friends Dan & Sara and headed with Gianni to Boquete, a small and very nice town just in the mountains above David (the town, not the person!) Before we left though a visitor in our room, a scorpion, obviously enjoying a sleep under my riding trousers until I woke it up! I'll be double checking my boots and gear from now on.
An excellent run on a winding and very picturesque road in 38 degrees C! (Sorry to the folks back home) After a bit we came to a regional border and a checkpoint, I thought the police were waving me on but by the roars I heard and the sudden activity from the five or so guys at the checkpoint I realised they wanted me to stop so stop I did , not fancying a bullet in the back! I got a wee telling off from the police and we explained in South America the police waving meant carry on, he pointed out this was Panama , not South America. He checked our passports, the customs guy then checked our papers and was a bit confused about us arriving into Panama via plane with motorcycles, he also pointed out that my temporary import document showed me leaving the same day we arrived, Gianni's was the same but Fi's showed 2 months. I pointed out that the woman customs person was obviously mental, after some Spanish chit chat he let us go. On this occassion it was more sensible to speak Spanish as his mood lightened a bit when he realised we weren't just gringos with no grasp of the language, I probably got off on the wrong foot by answering the "Habla Espanol" with No, Tu habla Escocia?"
We ended up at a hotel recommend by Dan & Sara, Casa Abuela whic means granny's hoose, just like granny's hieland hame but much warmer.
This morning we stayed put for a look around the place while Gianni headed for the border, he is on a much tighter timescale than us so needs to make progress, we will maybe see him again in Costa Rica which all going to plan we'll enter in a couple of days. Plenty pics to keep you all entertained today, and for the folks back home a reminder that Summer will come eventually for you.