I’m concentrating on producing positive vibes for the rest of my time here. I want to leave the U.S. feeling wonderful about what comes next in Costa Rica.
In just three weeks I will be in Costa Rica!
Thursday, September 4th, will be my first full day there.
I will be arriving at Villas Escondidas (VE) before noon if I can get through SJO airport’s customs in a couple of hours after arriving at 7:18 a.m. A driver from VE will transport Charli, my luggage and me to my new temporary landing pad.
I will greet whoever is there to greet me (if anyone), put Charli in the hotel room, set down my luggage, and commence to veg, or unpack, or do whatever strikes my fancy.
If I’ve been able to sleep on the flight, I will probably feel ready to do more than collapse, but I’m not going to schedule anything for that day, in case I just feel like sitting, walking, and taking in my new surroundings, which will include a pool, yay!
There’s a store just 600 meters away from VE, so I can probably get a few things for dinner that afternoon before the sun goes down and the mosquitoes come out. (Gotta be indoors before the mosquitos come out or be well sprayed with insect repellent to keep them away! They can carry diseases like dengue fever and malaria.)
It will be good to see bugs on windshields again
Costa Rica has lots of bugs. I’m actually looking forward to cohabiting (more or less) with them. When I was a kid here in the Pacific NW, every time we drove anywhere, our vehicle’s windshield and hood (bonnet) would be smeared with the carcasses of flying insects. That doesn’t happen anymore here. In Costa Rica, I’m guessing it will — and I will celebrate the diversity and health of the biosphere there every time I see it!
I will bring this big bug/big spider catcher
I bought a big bug/big spider catcher. It doesn’t kill the critter; it just allows me to collect it and release it harmlessly. I don’t suppose the really big dudes can get in under a door, but if they do manage to, Charli will let me know and I will put them back outside.
If geckos come in, welcome! They’ll eat the little bugs that do get in. (If I could befriend an anteater, I’d let it in, too, but Charli would probably balk at that LOL!)
As long as I wash my dishes promptly and don’t leave wet cat food on the floor except when Charli’s eating it, the ants won’t have any reason to visit.
AC/HUMIDIFIER
Laurie says she has a humidifier that I can use to dehumidify the hotel room, plus there are fans in the room. I’m also bringing an additional fan. Plus I have neck scarves and two other cooling devices (wearable fans) if I need them. So I don’t think I will need to worry about air conditioning at all. I’ll acclimate soon enough, probably.
The official translator of my apostilled documents will courier them to me at VE c/o Laurie before I get there.
Friday Sept 5th
On my second full day I may venture as far as Grecia to get a SIM card for my phone and a portable CR phone number. I may also (if others are going) visit the famous feria in Grecia. (I will probably need to get some CR cash from an ATM if we do these two things on Friday.)
If my laptop gets plugged in and connected to the Internet, I may take some pix and write a blog post.
Saturday, Sunday and Monday
I plan to veg while getting to know my hotel neighbors better around the pool.
I may write a blog post.
Tuesday Sept 9th
Leave VE at 8:45 a.m. for fingerprint day in San Jose at 11 a.m.
Count number of pages in application package and figure out how much to deposit in the bank the next day to cover cost of app.
(If my apostilled docs didn’t arrive, we’ll stop on the way back from the appointment to fetch them from the originator.)
I may write a blog post.
Wednesday Sept 10th
Bank of Costa Rica day to make required deposits for next day’s San Jose immigration application trip.
Maybe exchange some USD into CR colones.
If I haven’t gotten a SIM card and phone number yet, I’ll do that on this day, too.
I may write a blog post.
Thursday Sept 11th
Back to San Jose super early in the morning (leave at 5:30 a.m.!) to apply for immigration status (to change my status from tourist/turista to immigration applicant)
I may write a blog post.
After that
Anything goes!
- I’ll look into making an appointment (and future appointments) to have my INR level checked locally in Grecia.
- Apply for MediSmart.
- Find out if I need prescriptions for warfarin or levothyroxine in CR. (I probably don’t. Most drugs except narcotics are available over the counter at pharmacies.)
- Write blog posts!
It’s gonna be soooo cool! (Er, fantastic, if not exactly cool!!! LOL!)
Tranquilo, bebe!