Most people know from our blogs that we’re not ones to sit still for too long. So, once again, we were off on a new adventure. This time, our travels brought us to the beautiful country of Costa Rica.
A Little Bit of Costa Rican Geography and History
Costa Rica is a country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the northwest and Panama to the southeast. Its population is 5 million, and its area is approximately 19,500 square miles.
Indigenous peoples inhabited Costa Rica before it came under Spanish rule in the 16th century. Costa Rica officially declared independence in 1847, and after a brief civil war in 1948, it abolished its army. It boggles our minds that they have no military, no form of defense.
Nestled in the middle of Central America, Costa Rica is one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. Around half a million species are known to live there, equal to about 5% of the estimated species on Earth.
Traveling With Gate 1 Travel
As you have seen on previous blogs, we tend to squeeze in as much as possible into our travels because we never know if we will return. This map gives you a general idea of what we squeezed into 14 days.
However, as with many of our other trips, we used Gate 1 Travel, and they have never disappointed us. We booked the 14-Day Kaleidoscope of Costa Rica.Â
Our Group
This group was the largest group we have traveled with, 41 people. But the universe was in our favor; everyone got along with everyone, and it was one big happy bus.Â
Of the 41 people, 22 were from a Dell Webb community in Sun City, Arizona. They added a lot of positive energy.
Our group consisted of 8 people: Casey and Candi, whom we met on our Gate 1 Travel trip to China (to our right); Brian and Sheryl, whom we met on our Gate 1 Tavel trip across Mexico with Casey and Candi (to our left); and Bob, (aka 808), and Rick, who met Brian and Sheryl on an Africa trip. One of the things we love about travel is all of the fantastic people you get to meet.
Twists and Turns in Costa Rica
Our Costa Rica trip was full of twists and turns. If you look at the travel map, you’ll see that we started in San Jose and ventured off to Tortuguero. We returned to San Jose and then trekked across the island, returning to San Jose to end the trip.
The roads in Costa Rica are full of twists and turns. Our drivers earn every cent, and we were happy to tip them well. The mountainous roads are narrow, filled with potholes and steep inclines, and often have no shoulders. These guys were worth their weight in gold! You never know when a washed-out road will send you on a detour.
Even our group had its share of twists and turns. While our group was on the 14-day journey, others did fewer days. So, we picked up some folks after Tortuguero, and others left before Manuel Antonio. But, thankfully, we all got along!
Pura Vida
Pura Vida, or Pure Life, is Costa Rica’s unofficial slogan, and you hear it everywhere. While it’s used as a greeting, much like Aloha or Shalom, it symbolizes the cheerful, friendly lifestyle of Costa Rica, sometimes called the “Happiest County in the World!”
So, watch for upcoming blogs as we share our travels from San Jose to Tortuguero, Arenal National Park, Monteverde, Tamarindo, and Manuel Antonio National Park.
