Well…finally we’ve locked in our lodgings…until July 4th (good day, eh?….sorry, evil Canuck influence).
What I mean to convey is that we now have our housing arrangements, thankfully, arranged to my satisfaction (basically this means BIG bed, A/C, internet….as well as conveniences like access to a washing machine). In the short term…a rather nice 2/1 apartment up the pike close to the beach, and for the longer term, a great 3/3 house (with its own pool) until July 4th.
And therein is the fly in the ointment. It used to be that an extension for a vehicle (an extra 90 days) was automatic. However, for some odd reason, the government of Costa Rica, which is “trying” to make tourism easy….has up’d their “rules” for cars. We’re hearing bad things….like if you go over your 90 days they’ll “nationalize” your vehicle (i.e. charge you ten grand to get it back).
NOT SO FAST, says I. So before any further commitment to stay here, we must check this out thoroughly. Which will entail a lot of hassle, so I’m told.
No matter, if it is impossible to stay in Costa Rica beyond the 4th of July, we’ll pack up the XT, and head north, to spend a leisurely return home….a week at the lake in Honduras, some time at the ruins in Copans, maybe another four-five days in Antigua de Guatemala….and then perhaps six-eight weeks in Puerto Escondido.
In the interim, I’m waiting for my good friend Paul to make his plans to come visit…and for those of you, my friends, who have been following this trip, we got the BIG HOUSE for a reason, ahem! No reservations necessary…first come first serve!
Time will tell. But we are here for now, enjoying the Pura Vida. Join us if your schedule permits….I’m dying to cook for a crowd!
~ Blonde Gator
P.S. XTerra has a slow leak in the left rear tire….we were feeling all superior about buying new tires…but I guess nails are everywhere (for you WM people, you know that to be a fact, LOL).
JJ,
I wish we could pull it off…….we would love to go, but alas, funding just aint there. Take pictures, I want to see!!!!!
Take care, Brint.
You have no idea how much I would love to join you. Unfortunately, I have three trips in five weeks and that darn family to take care of. So let me get this straight… if you were to be in CR permanently, would they just be able to come up and take the XT for gov use? Sounds like the USA…soon.
Hermano,
From what I understand, they impound your car and hold it for ransom, up to 50% of the fair market value of the vehicle. Until you pay, no vehicle. No worries, if we can’t get the XT’s visa extended, we are OOH on day 89.
The XT is quite a celebrity here, they have Nissan’s, of course, but none with the ameneties and structure of the XT built for the American market (oddly, ours isn’t a “luxury version”….an XT is by definition really an SUV!!!!).
Wish you all could join us, but I’ll try to keep the photo pages updated, it’s a nuisance w/slow internet connection. Hopefully the house will have a better connection.
~ Blonde Gator
Would you like to go on a trip to a volcano area before you leave?
Hey Jeffrey,
We’ve been to Arenal, and saw LOTS of volcanos on our trip down, a couple of pairs of twins, too….one set in Guatemala and the other in Nicaragua.
How about a new bar?
Just to bring you up to date if you don’t knwo. Timmy was drafted 24th by the Broncos. A lot of Gators have ben drafted. If I heard right no one from Ohio State had been drafted in the first 2 rounds.
yes indeed the Patriots went back-to-back with UF picks Jermaine Cunnigham and Brandon Spikes in the second round then returned for Aaron Hernandez in the 4th round
Thanks Bruce & Rick (and Ken, too!)….you guys are pals for keeping me up to date on Timmy & the Boys. We get NFL channel on the Satellite, but it sux! Looks like I’ll become a real Pats & Bronco’s fan next year. B ~ you’ll enjoy Cunningham & Spikes, & Hernandez can catch it and run! I shouldn’t be surprised, Urbs & Belicheck are buds…Urby was quoted as the NFL draft looked like a Gator commercial!
Just a bit of an update. I haven’t seen the exact figures but from what I heard and saw it looks like the Gators had more players drafted than any other school. The SEC had 49, the ACC 31 and the Big 12 had 30. Ohio State only had 4 player drafted but that didn’t happen until the 4th round.
Nationalize your vehicle, and this is suppose to make tourism easier how?
P.S. Blonde next road trip go to Wal-Mart and pick up a Green-Slime Kit works wonders on slow leaks, nails etc.