Costa Rica - Checklist

Documents
 Passport
 Work permit
 Immunization card
 E-ticket
 Personal card
 Hotlines
 Photocopies
 Bus schedule
 Flight schedules
 Itinerary
 Lonely Planet

Gear
 Rain jacket
 Rain pants
 Convertible pants
 Board shorts
 Long tees
 Tees/polos
 Trail socks
 Undies
 Shorts
 Flip flops
 Trail shoes
 Sarong
 Towel
 Waterproof case
 Umbrella
 Utility Rope
 Garbage bags
 Dry bags
 Camera, charger, memory media
 Cellphone, charger
 iPod, charger
 Water bottle
 Headlamp, batteries
 Flashlight, batteries
 Sunglasses

Miscellany
 Sewing kit
 Utensils
 Water purifier tablets
 Pen, paper
 Power bars
 Medications
 First aid kit
 Bandages
 Alcohol wipes
 Antihistamines
 Antidiarrhea
 Topical antibiotic
 Safety pin
 Thermometer
 Toiletries
 Toothpaste
 Toothbrush
 Shampoo
 Soap
 Hand sanitizer
 Dental floss
 Shaver
 Sunblock
 Amosan
 Q-tips
 Nail clipper

Costa Rica - Initial Preparations

With a tight schedule to work on, we decided to finally buy our plane tickets. Ces was adamant in making flight reservations first than working on the whole trip's itinerary. Not a bad idea considering that we really need to make some serious planning with a little more than a month to go.

But first, we had to set an exact date for the trip. All the while I thought that it'd be just a maximum of 7 days. I was able to squeeze in a 7-day off for myself in our work schedule beginning on September 16th. But Ces had other ideas. She was thinking of a 10-day trip! So now I had to apply for a leave-of-absence. We agreed on these dates: September 16 to 25.

Then the flight reservations. I told her that since she will be off on the 15th, she can come to Windsor and we can fly out from Detroit. I even offered her train tickets. But stubborn as she is (hehehe..) she wouldn't budge. It took us almost three hours to figure out which schedule will work for both of us. She is going to fly out from Toronto and I from Detroit on US Airways. We'll have the same connecting flight in Charlotte, NC to San Jose, Costa Rica. For the trip back, we'll leave on the same plane to Charlotte then she will head to Toronto and I to Detroit.

More work to do..

Costa Rica!

When I was in Grade 4, some good soul donated old copies of National Geographic to my teacher. At that time, my teacher was working on setting up a reading centre for the community. I was lucky enough to be picked to bring and arrange the periodicals in the centre. And this was when I first had a glimpse of a country that was barely described in the 1977 edition of the Nations of the World (my favorite book since I learned how to read). My fascination with Costa Rica, its biodiversity in particular, never waned since then.

Fast forward to 2005

Cecile and I decided to go on an adventure trip. This pharmacy practice is too stressful! We considered the Carribean, the Maritime provinces and Costa Rica. Carribean was too easy. The Maritimes were too accesible. Costa Rica was the one.

We planned for the trip to fall in September when she will have her vacation. At this time of the year, it will be rainy season in Costa Rica which means that it's the low season. This translates to less transportation and accommodation expenses, less crowd and sure adventure for us.

Costa Rica here I come!