CRANKY IN COSTA RICA –part two

CRANKY IN COSTA RICA –part two

Getting to Costa Rica

Part two indicates there was a part one; if you missed it go to

http://joeh-crankyoldman.blogspot.com/2016/03/cranky-in-costa-rica-part-one.html

Getting to Costa Rica should have been easy.  It was, but with some agida. 

OC is one who always dots his I’s and crosses his Tee’s. I am one that just sort of goes along and expects stuff to work out.  This difference may be one reason that OC has always been successful at virtually everything he set out to do while I traditionally fall short of expectations.  It is also a reason we sometimes butt brotherly heads.

OC was concerned that my passport would not be accepted as it expired within 6 months of our planned trip.  (Turns out this was a valid concern, score one for Mr. Worrywart.)  My fear was that while sending off for a renewed passport I only had eight weeks before the trip and was afraid a bureaucratic screw-up would kill the trip. 

That did not happen, the passport was renewed, and the trip was still on.

Next dilemma was meeting me at the airport.  Mr. Cross the Tee’s and dot the I’s, was convinced I could not find the pickup point at the Atlanta Airport.

Keep in mind I have gone to this airport several times when I have visited in previous years.

“I’m going to meet you at Baggage North.  To get there you will take the train that runs between terminals.  Now the airport is like a big spine, with terminals running along the spine. (at this point I am totally zoned out on all his details) You need to go to terminal T.  When you get there, go up the stairs, (ZZZZzzzz) and go to baggage north.  Do not go to baggage south, go to baggage north, I think it is on the right.  If you don’t find it…”

“Ah Chris.”

“Yeah.”

“I think I can follow the signs to terminal T, baggage north and then call your cell to handle the pick up.”

“Ok, but you may not get service until you get to (ZZZZzzzz) terminal T and…”

“I think I’ll be ok.”

My plane from Newark deplaned at Terminal T, the first sign I saw was for Baggage North, I called his cell and the pickup was complete in less than five minutes. (Score one for Mr. Gowiththeflow.)

The next day we drove back to the airport with YC.  Mike was to meet us in San Jose, Costa Rica.  We made the plane with little incident, though OC found about seventy-five things to worry about.  The flight to Costa Rica was also smooth until we landed.

While pulling my bag from the overhead, I heard and felt something in my knee snap which should not snap.  I limped the rest of the day fearing that this trip may be ruined by a bad knee.  We met up with Mike who had recently hurt his back…this was not heading for a successful ending. 

Fortunately my knee did not swell up, and eventually it seemed stable.  It was just a tweak that worked itself out.

We were met at the airport by a cute young Costa Rica guide who led us through customs and to the bus that would take us to our new home in Los Suenos, Costa Rica, about a two hour drive away.

Along the way it was pretty hot and the driver suggested we stop for a refreshing dip in a local river.  The driver spoke only a little English, but YC had been to Costa Rica twice for a language immersion course, had taken Spanish through high school and college, and he uses the language in his job as a school administrator, often speaking with parents who do not know English, so we had the luxury of an interpreter for the whole trip.

This was the river where we stopped.  It was pretty hot, but we still decided a dip did not look all that inviting.

We continued on to Los Suenos and settled in for the night prepared for the next day’s fishing for sailfish.

Tomorrow part three – “Catching”