I rule :)
Hm..I have no life whatsoever. Watched the Real World tonight for way too long. Oh well, it happens I suppose. The highlight while watching was seeing the Plato’s Closet commercial with Caitlin and Eileen and other people I know in it. It was cool seeing Eileen and hearing her voice again. Even if it was just through the TV. I see her in pictures and talked to her on my bday but this was cool cuz it was like, a visual and audio at the same time. Like she was almost in my basement with me! haha, aw, I miss Eileen.
The electrician is still here. He’s been here since like 5:30 working.
But anyway, seeing that it’s 10:15 or so right now, I suppose I’ll give you that promised Costa Rica update. Oh brother..Here goes the rest of my night..
Honestly, this thing is LONG!!! I only advise reading it if you have time! Or just skim it, cuz it's a beast! But I did it like I promised :)
The people that went: me, Corissa Shoemaker, Shakayla Kyle, Billy Paull, Joey Ferriero, Nick Bohl, and Dan Leksell. Mr. Poole was our chaperone type guy.
Monday, 6/16/03 - I got up around 8:00 to get ready and then do my last minute packing! Got ready, ate breakfast, and left for the airport with both of my parents. Encountered some crazy traffic and eventually got there around um, I forget when. We waited for the whole group to catch up and then went through security and all that jazz. We got to waste some time then so the girls got McDonald’s and wandered around before we all hung out near our gate and played on the moving sidewalk. By now the girls were moderately close. I went into this trip not being good friends with anyone and ended up becoming so close with everyone. If you had asked me this before we got on the plane I would have thought you were insane. But eventually we boarded our plane to Houston. Ate the food, listened to music, had my own seat. This plane was like a toy airplane, I swear to you. It had one seat on the left, the aisle, and two seats on the right. And some carry-ons, like mine and Dan’s guitar were too big so they had to be stored under the plane instead. So the uneventful, long, boring (get the picture?) flight ended. We landed at Houston and proceeded to sit in the toy airplane for about 45 minutes because they had no open gates. Our flight to San Jose was scheduled to leave at 5:50. Well, 5:15 came and left. Then 5:30 did. Around 5:45, we got off the plane. And it didn’t help matters much that Dan and I had to wait for our carry-ons to be removed from under the plane. So Mr. Poole sent everyone else ahead to get on the plane while Dan and I got our stuff. So then we booked our asses across the entire Houston airport. Had some people stare at us, and I would have stared back had our plane not been leaving so soon. Boarded that flight 6ish and was relieved to get on a real plane, not some dinky little toy thing. This plane was like 3 seats, aisle, 2 seats. And it had more than 20 rows which was a plus. So Shakayla, Corrisa, and I put our seats all next to each other and jammed to the Continental Airlines radio. Ate the dinner, jammed some more, went through some TURBULENCE!!!!, and made fun of the guys talking to these 2 19 year old girls (that looked 13 they were so small). And we met Jesse, an adorably cute California surfer/skater type guy with a rockin laid-back vibe. So I made small talk with him as he was coming back from the bathroom. I’m so slick. ;) Got into San Jose 10:40 ET, 8:40 CR time. Went through Customs and headed to the baggage claim. Sat at the baggage claim. Sat at the baggage claim. Sat at the baggage claim. Sat at the baggage claim for so long, not because we felt like it, but because our baggage was in Houston! The damn airline lost our luggage! So after we got help from very Matrix-y looking Spanish baggage claim people, we walked down the streets some and found our tour guide, who actually wasn’t our real tour guide. Big fiasco! Got help getting my stuff on the bus. Went to the Hotel Residencias de Golf where we stayed the first night. Got more help with my carry on. Costa Rican guys are niiiiiice! So we went to dinner and then to our rooms. Couldn’t get it, so instead we got working room keys then went in. The guys from our group were already friends with these other girls in our group from Ohio. More about that later. So Corissa went off with them and Shakayla and I stayed in our room watching tv en espanol. We watched movies in French with Spanish subtitles and translated them to English. haha, we rocked so hard! So then we wandered around some outside and gazed longingly at the pool wishing we could swim in it. But alas and alack, we had no trajes de bano. So we lost and instead went to sleep to Spanish MTV.
Tuesday, 6/17/03 - hm, so the luggage was still lost somewhere. Wore the same clothes again, yes baby! It was damn sexy, let me tell you! So we got a wake up call and went to breakfast on our own time. The weather was enjoyable and a hummingbird came right up to us as we were eating breakfast. So that was cool. Then we moved our carry-ons to the bus and all got on for a long ride to the Poas Volcano. We had a lot of long bus rides filled with CD players, talking, and sleeping. We arrived at the Poas Volanco to hike up a small incline to the top. It was all foggy and cloudy at the top, which was quite a disappointment because we couldn’t see down into the crater of the volcano. Took some pictures that are kind of blurry and cloudy but oh well. I’ll live. Then we went to lunch and had another meal of rice, beans, and beef or chicken. After lunch we went to La Fortuna Waterfalls. Now this would have been a sight to see. A bunch of high schoolers hiking down an incredibly steep mountain through the rainforest. Sure there were steps, but my dear, you were holding onto the chains on the sides with both hands for dear life. It started raining and became quite muddy and slippery. But this didn’t stand in our way. We all made it to the bottom and while all the others shed their clothes to swim in the waterfall in their bathing suits, our group jumped in in our clothing since we had no bathing suits yet! This experience I would not trade in for the world. It was incredibly liberating and incredibly fun. I mean, honestly, who else can say they swam in a waterfall..in Costa Rica..in their clothes? My point exactly! Played on slippery and incredibly dangerous, sharp rocks while Nick and Dan ventured behind the waterfall. Had a heck of a time exiting the water - we kept being swept back out. Evenutally we made it out and everyone proceeded to put their shoes back on. Billy and I however, didn’t want the inside of our shoes all muddy and dirty and wet. So we walked up the millions of steps shoeless. So now my feet were as tough as rocks and I reeked of waterfall. Thought we were going back to our new hotel, Rock River Lodge, before we would go to the EcoLodge for dinner. I figured I’d use towels and sheets to make a very stylish toga while my clothes dried out. But instead we went straight to dinner. So we waited around some there and played some pool and observed some pool before dinner. Had another typical Costa Rican dinner before leaving for our hotel still wet and soaked. The girls all went and chilled in Nick and Dan’s room some since ours was jack shit. It was bunk beds and a double bed with a mosquito net. Meanwhile Nick and Dan had like a queen with a net and a double. Much nicer. And their bathroom was the shit. But we made up songs with Dan’s guitar about me and Nick and random stuff. And Nick is awesome. I love him so much! His personality kicks ass! Then everyone else came back to Nick and Dan’s room including Mr. Poole and we all talked some and just enjoyed ourselves before the girls went back to our room. Then later, los chicos came by and we played strip poker! Before this old chaperone from the other PA group came and yelled at us. He was like, “No one else can get any sleep. You’re being too loud. If they leave now, I won’t tell your chaperone.” So I’m hiding behind a pillow and Corissa and Shakayla are at the door while Joey stands there half dressed. Then there’s a pause before 3 half dressed guys pile out of our bathroom. haha, that was a moment! So they leave and the girls all jump in the double with the mosquito net cuz we don’t wanna be eaten alive! I take like an hour writing in my journal and we all go to sleep after Corissa and Shakayla have this crazy match of “fuck you” and laughing. While I’m like “dude, just sleep.” so they flip out and we get like zero sleep at all. Always a good time.
Wednesday, 6/18/03 - put on the same clothes..again! Felt really cool. Got yelled at through our walls by another group. They made fun of us playing strip poker and harassed us to take our clothes off some more so we yelled back that they should go out some instead of sleeping all day and actually have fun. Left and our luggage met us where we were kayaking on Lake Arenal, as in the Arenal Volcano! Dude, clean clothes! Bathing suits! Different shoes! Toilet paper! Mas comida! All sorts of stuff I had in my suitcase! We danced around in joy, hugged each other, humped our suitcases, and changed into bathing suits and clean clothes while everyone else went for the first session of kayaking. We talked some and I swam with the guys. We then started kayaking. Corissa and I shared a kayak. But it didn’t really matter because we all linked our 4 kayaks together (minus Dan and Mr. Poole who were elsewhere) and kayaked in an incredibly straightl line! We switched seats and had disasters occur before we ended our session early. We had some extra time so Nick and I decided, hey, why not swim out to the island across the lake? So me, the swimmer begins to swim, and Nick the non-swimmer, begins to swim. Half way there, we both get super tired so instead of turning back we keep going. We finally make it there and conquer the island as ours! We take some plants as memorabilia and hear crazy noises. We make up stories about it being natives who are going to capture us and sacrifice us, so we leave the island..quickly. But of course, after we get pictures. Taken by the people on shore. We swim back and decline a ride from the pontoon boat taking some chaperones around the lake. All in all I’d say we swam .. a quarter to half a mile or so. We then went to lunch at a really nice outdoor restaurant. Had a good chicken fajita. We then went to Fortuna (the town the waterfall was in) and exchanged our money where the doorman would unlock the door whenever someone wanted in or out. We walked around and got to shop some. I bought some coffee, a peasantish shirt, and a painting of a Costa Rican market. Then we had the option of paying $10 to go to natural Hot Springs. So of course we did and we spent a few hours relaxing in fantasticly warm water with an amazing view of the Arenal Volcano. Had some creepy older men stare, but by now I was getting used to it. So then we go back to the EcoLodge for dinner after leaving the orgasmic waters of the Hot Springs. On the way back we saw a drunk guy passed out in his truck which was like, half covered in water. Quite the sight. Played/watched some more pool and ate. Showered then went to Dan and Nick’s room for some more fun. Joey and Billy came down later, but no Senor Poole tonight. Listened to Dan play some guitar, played some more strip poker (finally the other girls joined in! And I dominated, haha! At one point all the guys were totally naked while I, along with the other girls, was rocking out in my clothes!). Also got an orgasmic massage from Dan. He gave Nick a 20 minute one or so then I was like, “Hey, I want one too!” So mine was like an hour long. haha. I was so relaxed. He used suntan lotion as a makeshift oil and I got to listen to his Enya CD and just zone out. Man, I’ve never had a massage that good before. Seriously, if you ever have the chance, ask him to give you a massage. We all talked some and then the girls left to go to sleep.
Thursday, 6/19/03 - woke up to take yet another cold shower. Got frusterated so I got dressed, packed my stuff, and trekked to Nick and Dan’s room. Walked in the open front door (don’t ask me..) and asked Nick if I could use their shower. So I did and got a wonderfully warm shower. went to breakfast before leaving our rustic Rock River Lodge for Monteverde. It was a long ride. We had to help Costa Rica out by patching up a road so that our bus could make it up the hill. We put rocks from the side in a ditch to make it, more level I guess? Saw some sloths, my animal equivalent and made it to our hotel, El Bosque. Dropped our luggage off in our rooms and spent the first 15 minutes of lunch wandering around because we were so lost and clueless. So we went to this lady’s house and asked her in horribly mangled Spanish where the cafeteria was since that’s all we knew how to ask her. She told us where to go, which meant nearly nothing to us. But she pointed so we now atleast had an idea of the direction to head in. We thanked her and finally made it to lunch to eat 3 different kinds of pasta. After lunch we went to the horse stables to get our horses to ride through the Cloud Forest on. Lots of good pictures I missed, but soon we’ll have our picture trading party so I’ll have them then hopefully. So we had some good times on horses, including when mine like reared up. But our ride ended eventually and we then went to the frog museum. Not nearly as good as I expected it to be. Quite a disappointment. We went back to our hotel for dinner. Went to a town then, Santa Elena, I believe. Bought a wooden bowl and cup. Then we went back to the hotel and went to the guys room for our nightly guitar and talking. We all ended up sleeping in the guys 2 rooms that night. Mr. Poole was next door and could really care less which was cool. Joey, Corissa, and Shakayla were all in one room. Nick, Dan, Billy, and I were in the other room. In one bed it was Billy, me, and Dan and Nick was across the room by himself. It was really quite amusing at one point because Billy had his arm around me and I had no where to put my arms so I put on around Dan, haha. I wish I had a picture of that love fest ;)
Friday, 6/20/03 - traveled to another cloud forest, this one in the tropical highlands. All the same to me. We had a walking tour this time and it was kind of chilly at times, but all in all good. Then we went to a hummingbird garden which was cool. More hummingbirds there then I’d seen in practically my whole life! Looked in some stores, then went back to El Bosque for lunch - homemade pizza. Finally something I recognized! After lunch we had some time to waste before our canopy tour of the rainforest. So Nick came to the girls room where we talked about everything from childhood nightmares to why he saves every bug he sees, including the creepy earwig I made him get out of my suitcase mid-lecture. Then we went in 3 groups to the canopy tour. Got basic instructions and then we were transported along 14 cables throughout trees in the rainforest. The views were spectacular. Every 3 or 4 cables you’d get higher and higher so the view just got better and better. I was so afraid my camera in my back pocket would fall out, but it didn’t and neither did I which was a major plus. Went back to the hotel then and wandered around before dinner. After dinner we went into town for 30-40 minutes, which was a long time looking at this town. It was like 2 blocks. And all the stores were closed. In fact, the only things open were a restaurant and a bar where, we were informed, police officers were stationed. So we entertained ourselves with passing by the telephones multiple times where the only chicos on the whole 2 blocks our age were. We got back on the bus and Eddie, our kickass tour guide who I have not mentioned so far, made the bus driver put some musica on. So he pulled me up and we started dancing then our whole group was dancing and soon the bus was one big, giant dance party! Man, that was a fun time. I danced with Ed, Dan, Billy, Corissa, and Nick some. The dance party ended when we got to our hotel. We changed and went to the guys room like usual. Guitar, talking, etc etc, basic night routine. Joey told us the first half of this awesome story about our group in Costa Rica - it was called Cuatro Chicos y Tres Chicas. It was about us having to stop an evil group of terrorists from um, terrozing Costa Rica. And we each had a super power. It was so funny. You just had to be there, I guess. Another sleep over! All in one room! Me and Nick in a bed, Corissa and Dan in a bed, and Shakayla sandwiched in between Joey and Billy! haha, Shakayla got shafted! Joey and Billy together, man, I’m surprised she talked to us the rest of the trip, haha! Nick and I were so awkward together. We like split the twin bed in half until we both woke up at like 4 or some odd time in the morning and he put his arm around me. OoOoOh! Then we went back to sleep, haha.
Saturday, 6/21/03 - big, long honkin bus ride to Jaco Beach following breakfast! Wrote in my journal and didn’t sleep cuz I can sleep in Mville. So I savored Costa Rica..and yet another rainforest. Soon we retreated to the bus and went to our hotel - El Balcon del Mar. It was right on the beach and very nice! Espcially compared to the last 2 hotels we were at. We were planning on going clubbing that night, but we couldn’t. So instead after getting there we went to our rooms (ours with a complimentary lizard/salamander thing) and then to lunch. We then went to the beach for tanning, bodysurfing, and watching cute Costa Rican boys play soccer on the beach. After beaching it, we migrated to the pool and then to our room to change before shopping! Shopped with Nick, Corissa, and Shakayla some. Helped Nick pick out jewelry for various people. Made me happy that he valued my opinion. Then we lost him and Corissa somewhere so Shakayla and I wandered around. Got completely lost. Had to ask 2 different police officers where our hotel was, mwha. Went to dinner. Got changed for a night at the hotel where they were letting us play music etc from 9-12. Walked on the beach some in the rain. Corissa started talking to 3 creepy, old drunk men who she proceeded to invite over to sit with us. Um, we couldn’t talk with them because they understood no English and our Spanish was lacking. Dan asks Corissa to dance so she leaves me, Shakayla, and Nick with these men. So Nick is holding up the convo since Shakayla and I feel sooo totally uncomfortable. Then the men want to dance with me and Shakayla so Nick explains that we don’t like dancing or boys. So basically we’re lesbians who don’t like to dance. Then Eddie comes over and asks if we feel comfortable or not. We’re like, “Hell No!” He says to leave then since these guys have been sitting in their car drinking all day long. I tell Nick I don’t want to leave him all alone but he tells us just to go. *swoons* I could have married him that second. So Shakayla and I excused ourselves, went up to our room, and vented about how stupid Corissa was. Corissa then comes up to the room asking why we left and we tell her why. We then demand she make the men go away. She begs us to go with her and we refuse on the grounds that she invited them herself, she can make them leave herself. So she does and Shakayla and I still haven’t forgiven her so we end up sleeping in Nick and Joey’s room. I’m with Nick and Shakayla is with Joey. Nick is all sweet and comforting me and stuff and I wanted to marry him again. Quite the winner.
Sunday, 6/22/03 - got up and went to Manuel Antonio National Park after a gross, hot, smelly, muddy, bug infested rainforest. We then crossed the road after getting out of there and saw alligators. Then got to M.A. and saw the gorgeous beaches! Spent the day there playing in the water with our group, Eddie, and this little 4 year old Psdummer or something (pronounced Summer). Made sandcastles, saw rabid monkeys eat our food (haha), took pictures, had chicken fights, blahblahblah. Then we shopped around some. I got a wrap and a bracelet. Went back to the hotel and it was raining so we went to dinner then made a brief appearance at the second dance-y thing that night. Went to the guys room for a very short time, then to ours where we slept a lot for us.
Monday, 6/23/03 - went to Sarchi after breakfast and packing and a walk on the beach. Did some shopping and has lunch. Headed back to the first hotel we were in - Hotel Residencias de Golf. Had a nicer room than before, which was hard to believe. But it was all trashed from the people that had been their before. So we called the maid. And I took a huge crap and the toilet wouldn’t flush adding to the grossness of the room. I know you really wanted to know that one! ;) But we left like 15 minutes after getting there for the mall! We took taxis and everyone but Dan went. I went in the taxi with the guys. These taxi drivers are crazy. Talking on cell phones, having broken seatbelts, driving on the other side of the road then swerving when another car comes! But we made it to the mall and I got lots of shopping done. Asked some guy to see the ropa interior (ie: underwear) with a beautiful display of where you wear it, haha. And Shakayla like, wiped out on this metal box so some guy gave her a tissue to mop up the blood from her leg in the same store. It was hilarious, but once again I guess you had to be there. Then we left and I rode back with Billy and the girls. Had lots of time to waste before dinner so we invited our group to our room. Did some prank phone calls (Billy: “Is your washing maching running?....You better go catch it!!” *hangs up* Us: “WTF, Billy!” lmao) Got our bathroom (and my makeup and hair wax) trashed by Billy and Joey on a mission. They also used up the rest of my bottled water and they used a roll or so of toilet paper, and all our bathroom towels. I have some greeeeat pictures of that. Oh God, if only all of FR could see these. haha. Saw Eddie and his fiancé who visited and we sang to them. Dinner time where I spotted a not so bad looking chico. Then we had a folklore evening with dancers and stuff. We went back to our room and Joey finished his story. Mr. Poole came for the ending and Dan adlibbed some guitar to make it more dramatic. Then the 4 Ohio girls invited everyone to their room which was way better than ours, which was pretty sweet, any day. They had a loft, mini kitchen, a gazillion beds, a stained glass bathroom door, a double sink, and a lot of other stuff. It was depressing. But people went to the AM/PM and got some beer. Blech. And the cutie from dinner, Johnathan, was there too. Johnathan McAllister from Canada, that lives in St. Louis and is Dan’s soul mate. They both play lacrosse, like Enya, and drink like sailors. Then Corissa had like 3 and she was like, “Dude, I’m soo wasted! *giggle*” So Shakayla and I were like, “Shut the fuck up, man.” So I stayed sober and made fun of people with the sober Shakayla. Felt like I was going to pass out cuz I was so dizzy like earlier in the day while wating for our taxi. So I went and sat in the hallway before going to our room to try to sleep on the hard as rocks box springs. We had moved the mattresses to the sitting room so it was like a huge bed cuz we were gonna have another sleepover in honor of our last night. So then I felt better and went back before we all eventually left to sleep. We all gave a very touchy Johnathan good bye kisses on the cheek and wandered back to our room. Slept wedged in between Nick and Dan.
Tuesday, 6/23/03 - woke up, missed breakfast, ate some chips, packed, and left for the airport. *cries* Spent some time there sitting, wandering, shopping, singing Moulin Rouge songs with Nick, and eating before our flight back to Houston left. Slept through that flight after eating my meal. Woke up for awhile and then ran through the Houston airport in our fashion. Flew back to Pittsburgh on another toy airplane. Listened to music and wrote a beautiful closing in my journal about the trip and everyone that went on it. Wrote about my first impressions of people and what they were actually like, including myself. I really did learn a lot about myself on this trip. Like I give in to peer pressure, but I still stand up for myself. I make stupid decisions, but I realize it later and decide to change them in the future. I like myself and I’m pretty optimistic despite what my parents say. I enjoy life and spending it in good company who accepts you for yourself also.
Now for the good random memories:
*Mr. Poole being our friend and opening up about his life to us all..sometimes too much (the “educational” movies! eww, hah!)
*Billy and Joey breaking it down every 3 seconds for their cameras
*Dan’s perfect guitar playing for any and every story
*Shakayla making fun of me and Corissa
*Nick becoming tired and saying exactly what was on his mind before thinking about it
*Attempting to bodysurf with Dan, Nick, and Corissa
*Billy saying “Shh..just let it happen,” “poco toco?” and “just a little bit? Little bit?” every 5 seconds
*Joey’s great bed time stories
*singing every minute
* Eddie’s bear hugs and tearful goodbye speeches
*losing our luggage and wearing the same clothes 3 days in a row
*crazy games of poker
*Billy trying to rap with Dan
*A lack of chicos except for the old, drunk variety who liked to whistle and blow kisses at us..or just stare
*Nick saving the rainforest one bug at a time
*bus dance parties
*our group being the life of the party
*the guys trying to pick up girls
*Nick’s friend Pdcsummer or whatever from the beach
*Our bathroom being trashed by Billy and Joey who then ran around the hotel like maniacs
*my weird noises for any situation
*Nick sleeping with his eyes open
*always running through the Houston airport
*Billy’s impersonation of LaLa from MTV
*shit ass roads!!
*girl talks
*Corissa’s crush on Jener, the waiter
*not knowing colones/dollar values..ever
*numerous comments about me never being clothed, haha!
*swimming every day, even in clothes in waterfalls with huge, slippery rocks
*complaing about getting jipped with our rooms
*nicknames - Billy (Joey), Joey (Billy), Bohl (Nick), Chimney (Dan), LaLa (Shakayla), Camisa (Corissa), Sweet Ass (me), Senor Piscina (Senor Poole)
*meeting Jesse and Johnathan
*cold showers everywhere we went
*walking over the huge spider without even realizing it
*a thousand and 2 mosquito bites
*great massages
*Enya music about the world ending while watching the moving sidewalk..esp when the little Chinese man was on it
*the real world - Costa Rica
*”pretty pretty!”
*Nick’s community bad ass shorts
*Nick and I swimming to our island
*”Becky, get that sweet ass over here!”
*kayak chains
*Nick’s dirty hair (unwashed the whole trip)
*Dan’s goodnight music (esp. “Time of your life”)
*the same meals every day
*liking, hating, then liking the other groups
*”This isn’t the same Becky I knew before!” - a shocked Mr. Poole
*yelling at the other groups through walls
*everything (inc. the tarantulas, not taranchillas - haha, Billy..) that almost ate our souls
* Odemar, the best bus driver ever
*dumb pranks that never worked (the chair in front of the door, the bucket on the door, and phone calls about washing machines)
*the constant raping of me
*Billy and Joey screaming “Ayee!”
*”Whatever happens in Costa Rica, stays in Costa Rica!”
*que mya = hey dude!
*tawais = sweet!
*Hot Springs
*the AM/PM
*Nick being a hot male model and wearing Corissa’s wrap as a skirt
*trying to talk in Spanish
*Aw yeah!
*Pura Vida!
And now it's 1:35, but hey - no worries! I have now updated on Costa Rica! All that's left is the photo album.
Expect it..much, much later.
The electrician is still here. He’s been here since like 5:30 working.
But anyway, seeing that it’s 10:15 or so right now, I suppose I’ll give you that promised Costa Rica update. Oh brother..Here goes the rest of my night..
Honestly, this thing is LONG!!! I only advise reading it if you have time! Or just skim it, cuz it's a beast! But I did it like I promised :)
The people that went: me, Corissa Shoemaker, Shakayla Kyle, Billy Paull, Joey Ferriero, Nick Bohl, and Dan Leksell. Mr. Poole was our chaperone type guy.
Monday, 6/16/03 - I got up around 8:00 to get ready and then do my last minute packing! Got ready, ate breakfast, and left for the airport with both of my parents. Encountered some crazy traffic and eventually got there around um, I forget when. We waited for the whole group to catch up and then went through security and all that jazz. We got to waste some time then so the girls got McDonald’s and wandered around before we all hung out near our gate and played on the moving sidewalk. By now the girls were moderately close. I went into this trip not being good friends with anyone and ended up becoming so close with everyone. If you had asked me this before we got on the plane I would have thought you were insane. But eventually we boarded our plane to Houston. Ate the food, listened to music, had my own seat. This plane was like a toy airplane, I swear to you. It had one seat on the left, the aisle, and two seats on the right. And some carry-ons, like mine and Dan’s guitar were too big so they had to be stored under the plane instead. So the uneventful, long, boring (get the picture?) flight ended. We landed at Houston and proceeded to sit in the toy airplane for about 45 minutes because they had no open gates. Our flight to San Jose was scheduled to leave at 5:50. Well, 5:15 came and left. Then 5:30 did. Around 5:45, we got off the plane. And it didn’t help matters much that Dan and I had to wait for our carry-ons to be removed from under the plane. So Mr. Poole sent everyone else ahead to get on the plane while Dan and I got our stuff. So then we booked our asses across the entire Houston airport. Had some people stare at us, and I would have stared back had our plane not been leaving so soon. Boarded that flight 6ish and was relieved to get on a real plane, not some dinky little toy thing. This plane was like 3 seats, aisle, 2 seats. And it had more than 20 rows which was a plus. So Shakayla, Corrisa, and I put our seats all next to each other and jammed to the Continental Airlines radio. Ate the dinner, jammed some more, went through some TURBULENCE!!!!, and made fun of the guys talking to these 2 19 year old girls (that looked 13 they were so small). And we met Jesse, an adorably cute California surfer/skater type guy with a rockin laid-back vibe. So I made small talk with him as he was coming back from the bathroom. I’m so slick. ;) Got into San Jose 10:40 ET, 8:40 CR time. Went through Customs and headed to the baggage claim. Sat at the baggage claim. Sat at the baggage claim. Sat at the baggage claim. Sat at the baggage claim for so long, not because we felt like it, but because our baggage was in Houston! The damn airline lost our luggage! So after we got help from very Matrix-y looking Spanish baggage claim people, we walked down the streets some and found our tour guide, who actually wasn’t our real tour guide. Big fiasco! Got help getting my stuff on the bus. Went to the Hotel Residencias de Golf where we stayed the first night. Got more help with my carry on. Costa Rican guys are niiiiiice! So we went to dinner and then to our rooms. Couldn’t get it, so instead we got working room keys then went in. The guys from our group were already friends with these other girls in our group from Ohio. More about that later. So Corissa went off with them and Shakayla and I stayed in our room watching tv en espanol. We watched movies in French with Spanish subtitles and translated them to English. haha, we rocked so hard! So then we wandered around some outside and gazed longingly at the pool wishing we could swim in it. But alas and alack, we had no trajes de bano. So we lost and instead went to sleep to Spanish MTV.
Tuesday, 6/17/03 - hm, so the luggage was still lost somewhere. Wore the same clothes again, yes baby! It was damn sexy, let me tell you! So we got a wake up call and went to breakfast on our own time. The weather was enjoyable and a hummingbird came right up to us as we were eating breakfast. So that was cool. Then we moved our carry-ons to the bus and all got on for a long ride to the Poas Volcano. We had a lot of long bus rides filled with CD players, talking, and sleeping. We arrived at the Poas Volanco to hike up a small incline to the top. It was all foggy and cloudy at the top, which was quite a disappointment because we couldn’t see down into the crater of the volcano. Took some pictures that are kind of blurry and cloudy but oh well. I’ll live. Then we went to lunch and had another meal of rice, beans, and beef or chicken. After lunch we went to La Fortuna Waterfalls. Now this would have been a sight to see. A bunch of high schoolers hiking down an incredibly steep mountain through the rainforest. Sure there were steps, but my dear, you were holding onto the chains on the sides with both hands for dear life. It started raining and became quite muddy and slippery. But this didn’t stand in our way. We all made it to the bottom and while all the others shed their clothes to swim in the waterfall in their bathing suits, our group jumped in in our clothing since we had no bathing suits yet! This experience I would not trade in for the world. It was incredibly liberating and incredibly fun. I mean, honestly, who else can say they swam in a waterfall..in Costa Rica..in their clothes? My point exactly! Played on slippery and incredibly dangerous, sharp rocks while Nick and Dan ventured behind the waterfall. Had a heck of a time exiting the water - we kept being swept back out. Evenutally we made it out and everyone proceeded to put their shoes back on. Billy and I however, didn’t want the inside of our shoes all muddy and dirty and wet. So we walked up the millions of steps shoeless. So now my feet were as tough as rocks and I reeked of waterfall. Thought we were going back to our new hotel, Rock River Lodge, before we would go to the EcoLodge for dinner. I figured I’d use towels and sheets to make a very stylish toga while my clothes dried out. But instead we went straight to dinner. So we waited around some there and played some pool and observed some pool before dinner. Had another typical Costa Rican dinner before leaving for our hotel still wet and soaked. The girls all went and chilled in Nick and Dan’s room some since ours was jack shit. It was bunk beds and a double bed with a mosquito net. Meanwhile Nick and Dan had like a queen with a net and a double. Much nicer. And their bathroom was the shit. But we made up songs with Dan’s guitar about me and Nick and random stuff. And Nick is awesome. I love him so much! His personality kicks ass! Then everyone else came back to Nick and Dan’s room including Mr. Poole and we all talked some and just enjoyed ourselves before the girls went back to our room. Then later, los chicos came by and we played strip poker! Before this old chaperone from the other PA group came and yelled at us. He was like, “No one else can get any sleep. You’re being too loud. If they leave now, I won’t tell your chaperone.” So I’m hiding behind a pillow and Corissa and Shakayla are at the door while Joey stands there half dressed. Then there’s a pause before 3 half dressed guys pile out of our bathroom. haha, that was a moment! So they leave and the girls all jump in the double with the mosquito net cuz we don’t wanna be eaten alive! I take like an hour writing in my journal and we all go to sleep after Corissa and Shakayla have this crazy match of “fuck you” and laughing. While I’m like “dude, just sleep.” so they flip out and we get like zero sleep at all. Always a good time.
Wednesday, 6/18/03 - put on the same clothes..again! Felt really cool. Got yelled at through our walls by another group. They made fun of us playing strip poker and harassed us to take our clothes off some more so we yelled back that they should go out some instead of sleeping all day and actually have fun. Left and our luggage met us where we were kayaking on Lake Arenal, as in the Arenal Volcano! Dude, clean clothes! Bathing suits! Different shoes! Toilet paper! Mas comida! All sorts of stuff I had in my suitcase! We danced around in joy, hugged each other, humped our suitcases, and changed into bathing suits and clean clothes while everyone else went for the first session of kayaking. We talked some and I swam with the guys. We then started kayaking. Corissa and I shared a kayak. But it didn’t really matter because we all linked our 4 kayaks together (minus Dan and Mr. Poole who were elsewhere) and kayaked in an incredibly straightl line! We switched seats and had disasters occur before we ended our session early. We had some extra time so Nick and I decided, hey, why not swim out to the island across the lake? So me, the swimmer begins to swim, and Nick the non-swimmer, begins to swim. Half way there, we both get super tired so instead of turning back we keep going. We finally make it there and conquer the island as ours! We take some plants as memorabilia and hear crazy noises. We make up stories about it being natives who are going to capture us and sacrifice us, so we leave the island..quickly. But of course, after we get pictures. Taken by the people on shore. We swim back and decline a ride from the pontoon boat taking some chaperones around the lake. All in all I’d say we swam .. a quarter to half a mile or so. We then went to lunch at a really nice outdoor restaurant. Had a good chicken fajita. We then went to Fortuna (the town the waterfall was in) and exchanged our money where the doorman would unlock the door whenever someone wanted in or out. We walked around and got to shop some. I bought some coffee, a peasantish shirt, and a painting of a Costa Rican market. Then we had the option of paying $10 to go to natural Hot Springs. So of course we did and we spent a few hours relaxing in fantasticly warm water with an amazing view of the Arenal Volcano. Had some creepy older men stare, but by now I was getting used to it. So then we go back to the EcoLodge for dinner after leaving the orgasmic waters of the Hot Springs. On the way back we saw a drunk guy passed out in his truck which was like, half covered in water. Quite the sight. Played/watched some more pool and ate. Showered then went to Dan and Nick’s room for some more fun. Joey and Billy came down later, but no Senor Poole tonight. Listened to Dan play some guitar, played some more strip poker (finally the other girls joined in! And I dominated, haha! At one point all the guys were totally naked while I, along with the other girls, was rocking out in my clothes!). Also got an orgasmic massage from Dan. He gave Nick a 20 minute one or so then I was like, “Hey, I want one too!” So mine was like an hour long. haha. I was so relaxed. He used suntan lotion as a makeshift oil and I got to listen to his Enya CD and just zone out. Man, I’ve never had a massage that good before. Seriously, if you ever have the chance, ask him to give you a massage. We all talked some and then the girls left to go to sleep.
Thursday, 6/19/03 - woke up to take yet another cold shower. Got frusterated so I got dressed, packed my stuff, and trekked to Nick and Dan’s room. Walked in the open front door (don’t ask me..) and asked Nick if I could use their shower. So I did and got a wonderfully warm shower. went to breakfast before leaving our rustic Rock River Lodge for Monteverde. It was a long ride. We had to help Costa Rica out by patching up a road so that our bus could make it up the hill. We put rocks from the side in a ditch to make it, more level I guess? Saw some sloths, my animal equivalent and made it to our hotel, El Bosque. Dropped our luggage off in our rooms and spent the first 15 minutes of lunch wandering around because we were so lost and clueless. So we went to this lady’s house and asked her in horribly mangled Spanish where the cafeteria was since that’s all we knew how to ask her. She told us where to go, which meant nearly nothing to us. But she pointed so we now atleast had an idea of the direction to head in. We thanked her and finally made it to lunch to eat 3 different kinds of pasta. After lunch we went to the horse stables to get our horses to ride through the Cloud Forest on. Lots of good pictures I missed, but soon we’ll have our picture trading party so I’ll have them then hopefully. So we had some good times on horses, including when mine like reared up. But our ride ended eventually and we then went to the frog museum. Not nearly as good as I expected it to be. Quite a disappointment. We went back to our hotel for dinner. Went to a town then, Santa Elena, I believe. Bought a wooden bowl and cup. Then we went back to the hotel and went to the guys room for our nightly guitar and talking. We all ended up sleeping in the guys 2 rooms that night. Mr. Poole was next door and could really care less which was cool. Joey, Corissa, and Shakayla were all in one room. Nick, Dan, Billy, and I were in the other room. In one bed it was Billy, me, and Dan and Nick was across the room by himself. It was really quite amusing at one point because Billy had his arm around me and I had no where to put my arms so I put on around Dan, haha. I wish I had a picture of that love fest ;)
Friday, 6/20/03 - traveled to another cloud forest, this one in the tropical highlands. All the same to me. We had a walking tour this time and it was kind of chilly at times, but all in all good. Then we went to a hummingbird garden which was cool. More hummingbirds there then I’d seen in practically my whole life! Looked in some stores, then went back to El Bosque for lunch - homemade pizza. Finally something I recognized! After lunch we had some time to waste before our canopy tour of the rainforest. So Nick came to the girls room where we talked about everything from childhood nightmares to why he saves every bug he sees, including the creepy earwig I made him get out of my suitcase mid-lecture. Then we went in 3 groups to the canopy tour. Got basic instructions and then we were transported along 14 cables throughout trees in the rainforest. The views were spectacular. Every 3 or 4 cables you’d get higher and higher so the view just got better and better. I was so afraid my camera in my back pocket would fall out, but it didn’t and neither did I which was a major plus. Went back to the hotel then and wandered around before dinner. After dinner we went into town for 30-40 minutes, which was a long time looking at this town. It was like 2 blocks. And all the stores were closed. In fact, the only things open were a restaurant and a bar where, we were informed, police officers were stationed. So we entertained ourselves with passing by the telephones multiple times where the only chicos on the whole 2 blocks our age were. We got back on the bus and Eddie, our kickass tour guide who I have not mentioned so far, made the bus driver put some musica on. So he pulled me up and we started dancing then our whole group was dancing and soon the bus was one big, giant dance party! Man, that was a fun time. I danced with Ed, Dan, Billy, Corissa, and Nick some. The dance party ended when we got to our hotel. We changed and went to the guys room like usual. Guitar, talking, etc etc, basic night routine. Joey told us the first half of this awesome story about our group in Costa Rica - it was called Cuatro Chicos y Tres Chicas. It was about us having to stop an evil group of terrorists from um, terrozing Costa Rica. And we each had a super power. It was so funny. You just had to be there, I guess. Another sleep over! All in one room! Me and Nick in a bed, Corissa and Dan in a bed, and Shakayla sandwiched in between Joey and Billy! haha, Shakayla got shafted! Joey and Billy together, man, I’m surprised she talked to us the rest of the trip, haha! Nick and I were so awkward together. We like split the twin bed in half until we both woke up at like 4 or some odd time in the morning and he put his arm around me. OoOoOh! Then we went back to sleep, haha.
Saturday, 6/21/03 - big, long honkin bus ride to Jaco Beach following breakfast! Wrote in my journal and didn’t sleep cuz I can sleep in Mville. So I savored Costa Rica..and yet another rainforest. Soon we retreated to the bus and went to our hotel - El Balcon del Mar. It was right on the beach and very nice! Espcially compared to the last 2 hotels we were at. We were planning on going clubbing that night, but we couldn’t. So instead after getting there we went to our rooms (ours with a complimentary lizard/salamander thing) and then to lunch. We then went to the beach for tanning, bodysurfing, and watching cute Costa Rican boys play soccer on the beach. After beaching it, we migrated to the pool and then to our room to change before shopping! Shopped with Nick, Corissa, and Shakayla some. Helped Nick pick out jewelry for various people. Made me happy that he valued my opinion. Then we lost him and Corissa somewhere so Shakayla and I wandered around. Got completely lost. Had to ask 2 different police officers where our hotel was, mwha. Went to dinner. Got changed for a night at the hotel where they were letting us play music etc from 9-12. Walked on the beach some in the rain. Corissa started talking to 3 creepy, old drunk men who she proceeded to invite over to sit with us. Um, we couldn’t talk with them because they understood no English and our Spanish was lacking. Dan asks Corissa to dance so she leaves me, Shakayla, and Nick with these men. So Nick is holding up the convo since Shakayla and I feel sooo totally uncomfortable. Then the men want to dance with me and Shakayla so Nick explains that we don’t like dancing or boys. So basically we’re lesbians who don’t like to dance. Then Eddie comes over and asks if we feel comfortable or not. We’re like, “Hell No!” He says to leave then since these guys have been sitting in their car drinking all day long. I tell Nick I don’t want to leave him all alone but he tells us just to go. *swoons* I could have married him that second. So Shakayla and I excused ourselves, went up to our room, and vented about how stupid Corissa was. Corissa then comes up to the room asking why we left and we tell her why. We then demand she make the men go away. She begs us to go with her and we refuse on the grounds that she invited them herself, she can make them leave herself. So she does and Shakayla and I still haven’t forgiven her so we end up sleeping in Nick and Joey’s room. I’m with Nick and Shakayla is with Joey. Nick is all sweet and comforting me and stuff and I wanted to marry him again. Quite the winner.
Sunday, 6/22/03 - got up and went to Manuel Antonio National Park after a gross, hot, smelly, muddy, bug infested rainforest. We then crossed the road after getting out of there and saw alligators. Then got to M.A. and saw the gorgeous beaches! Spent the day there playing in the water with our group, Eddie, and this little 4 year old Psdummer or something (pronounced Summer). Made sandcastles, saw rabid monkeys eat our food (haha), took pictures, had chicken fights, blahblahblah. Then we shopped around some. I got a wrap and a bracelet. Went back to the hotel and it was raining so we went to dinner then made a brief appearance at the second dance-y thing that night. Went to the guys room for a very short time, then to ours where we slept a lot for us.
Monday, 6/23/03 - went to Sarchi after breakfast and packing and a walk on the beach. Did some shopping and has lunch. Headed back to the first hotel we were in - Hotel Residencias de Golf. Had a nicer room than before, which was hard to believe. But it was all trashed from the people that had been their before. So we called the maid. And I took a huge crap and the toilet wouldn’t flush adding to the grossness of the room. I know you really wanted to know that one! ;) But we left like 15 minutes after getting there for the mall! We took taxis and everyone but Dan went. I went in the taxi with the guys. These taxi drivers are crazy. Talking on cell phones, having broken seatbelts, driving on the other side of the road then swerving when another car comes! But we made it to the mall and I got lots of shopping done. Asked some guy to see the ropa interior (ie: underwear) with a beautiful display of where you wear it, haha. And Shakayla like, wiped out on this metal box so some guy gave her a tissue to mop up the blood from her leg in the same store. It was hilarious, but once again I guess you had to be there. Then we left and I rode back with Billy and the girls. Had lots of time to waste before dinner so we invited our group to our room. Did some prank phone calls (Billy: “Is your washing maching running?....You better go catch it!!” *hangs up* Us: “WTF, Billy!” lmao) Got our bathroom (and my makeup and hair wax) trashed by Billy and Joey on a mission. They also used up the rest of my bottled water and they used a roll or so of toilet paper, and all our bathroom towels. I have some greeeeat pictures of that. Oh God, if only all of FR could see these. haha. Saw Eddie and his fiancé who visited and we sang to them. Dinner time where I spotted a not so bad looking chico. Then we had a folklore evening with dancers and stuff. We went back to our room and Joey finished his story. Mr. Poole came for the ending and Dan adlibbed some guitar to make it more dramatic. Then the 4 Ohio girls invited everyone to their room which was way better than ours, which was pretty sweet, any day. They had a loft, mini kitchen, a gazillion beds, a stained glass bathroom door, a double sink, and a lot of other stuff. It was depressing. But people went to the AM/PM and got some beer. Blech. And the cutie from dinner, Johnathan, was there too. Johnathan McAllister from Canada, that lives in St. Louis and is Dan’s soul mate. They both play lacrosse, like Enya, and drink like sailors. Then Corissa had like 3 and she was like, “Dude, I’m soo wasted! *giggle*” So Shakayla and I were like, “Shut the fuck up, man.” So I stayed sober and made fun of people with the sober Shakayla. Felt like I was going to pass out cuz I was so dizzy like earlier in the day while wating for our taxi. So I went and sat in the hallway before going to our room to try to sleep on the hard as rocks box springs. We had moved the mattresses to the sitting room so it was like a huge bed cuz we were gonna have another sleepover in honor of our last night. So then I felt better and went back before we all eventually left to sleep. We all gave a very touchy Johnathan good bye kisses on the cheek and wandered back to our room. Slept wedged in between Nick and Dan.
Tuesday, 6/23/03 - woke up, missed breakfast, ate some chips, packed, and left for the airport. *cries* Spent some time there sitting, wandering, shopping, singing Moulin Rouge songs with Nick, and eating before our flight back to Houston left. Slept through that flight after eating my meal. Woke up for awhile and then ran through the Houston airport in our fashion. Flew back to Pittsburgh on another toy airplane. Listened to music and wrote a beautiful closing in my journal about the trip and everyone that went on it. Wrote about my first impressions of people and what they were actually like, including myself. I really did learn a lot about myself on this trip. Like I give in to peer pressure, but I still stand up for myself. I make stupid decisions, but I realize it later and decide to change them in the future. I like myself and I’m pretty optimistic despite what my parents say. I enjoy life and spending it in good company who accepts you for yourself also.
Now for the good random memories:
*Mr. Poole being our friend and opening up about his life to us all..sometimes too much (the “educational” movies! eww, hah!)
*Billy and Joey breaking it down every 3 seconds for their cameras
*Dan’s perfect guitar playing for any and every story
*Shakayla making fun of me and Corissa
*Nick becoming tired and saying exactly what was on his mind before thinking about it
*Attempting to bodysurf with Dan, Nick, and Corissa
*Billy saying “Shh..just let it happen,” “poco toco?” and “just a little bit? Little bit?” every 5 seconds
*Joey’s great bed time stories
*singing every minute
* Eddie’s bear hugs and tearful goodbye speeches
*losing our luggage and wearing the same clothes 3 days in a row
*crazy games of poker
*Billy trying to rap with Dan
*A lack of chicos except for the old, drunk variety who liked to whistle and blow kisses at us..or just stare
*Nick saving the rainforest one bug at a time
*bus dance parties
*our group being the life of the party
*the guys trying to pick up girls
*Nick’s friend Pdcsummer or whatever from the beach
*Our bathroom being trashed by Billy and Joey who then ran around the hotel like maniacs
*my weird noises for any situation
*Nick sleeping with his eyes open
*always running through the Houston airport
*Billy’s impersonation of LaLa from MTV
*shit ass roads!!
*girl talks
*Corissa’s crush on Jener, the waiter
*not knowing colones/dollar values..ever
*numerous comments about me never being clothed, haha!
*swimming every day, even in clothes in waterfalls with huge, slippery rocks
*complaing about getting jipped with our rooms
*nicknames - Billy (Joey), Joey (Billy), Bohl (Nick), Chimney (Dan), LaLa (Shakayla), Camisa (Corissa), Sweet Ass (me), Senor Piscina (Senor Poole)
*meeting Jesse and Johnathan
*cold showers everywhere we went
*walking over the huge spider without even realizing it
*a thousand and 2 mosquito bites
*great massages
*Enya music about the world ending while watching the moving sidewalk..esp when the little Chinese man was on it
*the real world - Costa Rica
*”pretty pretty!”
*Nick’s community bad ass shorts
*Nick and I swimming to our island
*”Becky, get that sweet ass over here!”
*kayak chains
*Nick’s dirty hair (unwashed the whole trip)
*Dan’s goodnight music (esp. “Time of your life”)
*the same meals every day
*liking, hating, then liking the other groups
*”This isn’t the same Becky I knew before!” - a shocked Mr. Poole
*yelling at the other groups through walls
*everything (inc. the tarantulas, not taranchillas - haha, Billy..) that almost ate our souls
* Odemar, the best bus driver ever
*dumb pranks that never worked (the chair in front of the door, the bucket on the door, and phone calls about washing machines)
*the constant raping of me
*Billy and Joey screaming “Ayee!”
*”Whatever happens in Costa Rica, stays in Costa Rica!”
*que mya = hey dude!
*tawais = sweet!
*Hot Springs
*the AM/PM
*Nick being a hot male model and wearing Corissa’s wrap as a skirt
*trying to talk in Spanish
*Aw yeah!
*Pura Vida!
And now it's 1:35, but hey - no worries! I have now updated on Costa Rica! All that's left is the photo album.
Expect it..much, much later.