Boats, Buses and Beaches

Packed up my things at Casa Morfo this morning to head out for Manuel Antonio. The car for the shuttle boat to Jaco left at 9:15, and I started the 30 minute walk into town from the hills at 8:55. I made it just in time after sprinting down the hills with my pack, once again drenched in sweat. Good thing the car had A/C.

The 1 hour speed boat ride to Jaco was completely refreshing. Cruising across the Pacific at high speeds enjoying the breeze was so much better than sitting on a hot bus for 5 hours, even if it did cost me. At one point the motor shut off suddenly in the middle of the ocean. Crap, I thought, we're screwed. False alarm though, just a hunk of driftwood in the propeller. We pressed on to a small harbor outside Jaco. The water was that beautiful turquoise blue you usually only see in Corona commercials. That with the green hillsides and partly clouded skies made for a great view.

Once in Jaco I stopped off at the chain bakery down here for a snack before taking the bus to Quepos, 15 minutes outside of Manuel Antonio. One transfer later and I was busy hostel shopping in town. I ended up being far from the place I had checked out online near the national park, so I was going to hoof it 5km up the road before a cabbie wanted my business. I haggled him down and hopped in. The hostel I'm at is National Park Backpackers, and as the name might suggest it's basically backed up right against the jungle. The noise here at night from the bugs, bats and birds is fantastic.

I met a new friend  from Utah here and we went into town, which is right on the beach. The waves were gigantic and tubular from a big swell that had come through, and all the locals were out to take advantage. It's always great how they can make surfing look so easy, when in reality it's very difficult and brutal sport.

Dinner was spent at a restaurant down the road, I had a decent chicken curry. Tomorrow morning I'll be in the forest again, hopefully to see hundreds of animals. We'll see about that. For now I'll settle for sitting poolside, watching the lightning show from a big storm north of here.