To Montezuma!!

YEah! So, we've arrived into San Jose on Friday morning. We were at first a bit confused as far as exchanging our money at the airport. However, we got it done and got 58,000 colones for $130 USD. (We decided to figure out how the 'colones' thing worked once we got to our cabina. )In the mean time, we walk outside to find 3 guys holding written signs that read "Maumau & Moronez". They were our driver, his son, and a porter. Our driver was a really nice costa rican named jUAN Santamarie and his 16year old son named Jose. The porter was an old man that just greets the guests and carries your bags into the car. He didn't ride with us. I'm surprised at the level that Gen and I can communicate with the locals. Between us two and our spanish combined, we aren't doing too bad. So, the ride into Playa Grande took roughly 4 and a half hours. THe costa ricans are crazy drivers! The main 'highways' here are only 2 way roads and anyone may get stuck behind a sllllloooooooow moving semi at any given time. In that case, costa ricans will pass them and any other slow cars,using the oncoming lane. This is done a lot! Regardless, costa ricans generally drive waaay slower than the Americans. So getting into PLaya Grande or anywhere here requires having a bit of direction savy because it's pretty rural here. There are no street signs, street lights, no paved roads off the highways. It's intimidating at first but we now feel totally at ease with it. The locals are super nice and helpful. We got here and met Marina and Frank(our Cabina owners) and my co-worker, Brett. Yesterday, Gen, Brett, and I took a water taxi (dingy boat) across the ecscuary into Tamarindo. When it's high tide here, you have to take the water taxi to Tamarindo but if it's low tide, you can walk 20 mins. to get there. Tamarindo is a lil' surf tourist spot. There are a lot of Europeans, Canadians, and Americans there. Lotsa surfers from all over the world come here and rightfully so. The surf is AMAZING. Early mornings here gaurantee clean lines and many barrels and vast empty beaches. Howver surf can be dangerous here too. The day before yesterday a local costa rican had told us of a French surfer that had died in Tamrindo. He apparently was surfing in a rocky zone and had hit his head against reef. He was probably unconscious which caused him to drown. I haven't surfed yet because I've been on my moon cycle. (It started the first day I got here!) But the water is WARM! (78 DEGREES!!!) Whoot! Whoot!!! :) Can't wait.
It's sooo beautiful here. Everything is lush and green. The water is blue and the air is 85 degrees and light humidity. Iguanas are everywhere, crocs, and crabs, and geckos! These creatures run the place! Anyway, Gen and I are heading to Monte zuma today. It's a small town at the very tip of the Nicoya Peninsula in Guanacaste. We might have convinced some other backpackers (from Massachusetts) to join us in our shuttle ride, which will save us money. Montezuma has a wildlife sancuary that we will be working and staying at for $3 a night! The locals here keep telling me how gorgeous and tropical it is down there. It's suppose to be like a Hawaii or better! Anyway, that it for now....until then, PURA VIDA!!!