Visa Run!

Last week I ran off to Panama to renew my 90 day Costa Rican tourist visa. It was quite a trip! Knowing that I would eventually have to take this trip to renew my visa, I had mixed feelings of eagerness and trepidation since I was to do the journey solo, and traveling alone by bus and border hopping to a foreign country all the while staying in hostels was a new experience for me. Luckily though, I got a blessed mass e-mail from my dear friend and former housemate from Cal, Andrea, about her intention to run off to Panama and do the same thing I intended to do. After a couple e-mails and a nerve wracking phone call about potentially going to Nicaragua instead, it was all settled and we were to do the crazy trip together.

I did this same trip two years ago to renew my visa when I was doing a UC tropical biology program through the Monteverde Institute, so I had a fairly solid idea of what I was getting myself into. I met up with Andrea and her dad in La Fortuna, who then drove us to the bus station in San Jose. From there we took a bus to Puerto Viejo and stayed the night in Pagalu Hostel, the neatest and nicest hostel I have ever been in. The next morning we took a bus to the border and walked across a rickety bridge whose flooring was made of strips of decaying timber. I was very anxious to hurry across the bridge before I got stuck on it at the same time an 18 wheeler truck was trying to pass. When finally at Bocas del Toro, our destination, Andrea and I got a room in a hostel that had a bar attached to it, Mondo Taitu. We were so happy to be settled that we didn’t notice how grungy the place was until after dinner—it was like living in a frat house! But we made do. The only thing that seemed to appease us was the promise of their complimentary do it yourself pancake breakfast.

All in all, I had a blast snorkeling, swimming at the beach, and rooming in hostels with people from all over the world. I loved the medley of accents I encountered; all the Irish, English, Swedish, Swiss, and German was so fun to hear. I also got to practice my Spanish a bit with a Korean guy who didn’t speak any English. I was so amazed how Europeans were often fluent in multiple languages, while all the North Americans I met were sadly limited to only English.

I had a really great time, but unfortunately ran myself ragged and returned to Luna with cold. It is so nice to be back and be taken care of. Lorena made me chicken soup and Iti brought me room service complete with a pitcher of hot honey and lemon tea, strong, just how my mom makes! I’ll be better in no time.

Arenal Volcano, La Fortuna