"Going Slow" in Caye Caulker

Caye caulker

For the first time in several journeys, our mission to the next destination is rather short. Within 5 hours we have crossed the boarder from Guatemala to Belize. Before we know it we have jumped off the boat to the beautiful Caye Caulker - a Rastafarian paradise. The strangest part of this journey was seeing everything in English for the first time in 2 months. Belize's national language is English it was so bizarre crossing boarders and being able to read again!

After being on the road so much in Guatemala we were ready to fit into the "go slow" motto (they have plastered all over the island) and booked our hostel for a minimum of 5 nights. We ended up staying 7. Our hostel was basic but it had everything we needed including private bathroom, kitchen and wifi. Plus the lady who managed the place was a total legend!! It was easy to settle for so long.

After a few hours we were pleasantly reunited with some of Dave's work friends from Whistler and other friends we had met along the way. What better way to celebrate with a few ice cold crevasses to catch up on each others travels!

Unfortunately, we finally met the brunt of the rainy season into our second day in Caye Caulker. We had been so lucky the rest of the trip, copping only afternoon storms to clear muggy skies. But here we only got 3 out of 7 nice days.

However, the sunniest day of our time here, was the day that we did the Ragamuffin snorkel trip with our Whistler mates. To think we almost didn't go due our sore heads and slightly squeamish bellies from a few too many rum punches the night before. Thankfully we followed Shaan and Nom's lead and booked the tour last minute (it was the last sunny day we had in Caye Caulker).

The ragamuffin tour was fantastic! We all jumped aboard a small sailboat captained by a local Rastafarian man, and off we went on the stunning Caribbean waters to find nurse sharks and stingrays. We stopped off at several snorkeling spots and got to see a wide range of coral, fish and a few turtles. The highlight was when we arrived at shark and stingray ally. Here we got to swim with 20 plus massive rays, nurse sharks and countless tuna fish who swam right next to people swimming. These docile sharks don't actually bite, they use suction to eat their food and we were able pat them and the rays. The animals were amazing, they were so tame not surprising though as they get fed every time a boat comes. The trip also included a Caribbean style lunch and rum punch and ceviche for the sail back. This was definitely a trip worth paying for!!!

We were lucky enough to be in Caye Caulker for the opening of Lobster season. We were told that on opening day fisherman would bring fresh lobsters up to sell on the shore, we thought this sounded too good to be true. We certainly weren't disappointed with the first catch of the season. Everyone’s restaurant board now had an added dish containing lobster, even the pizza shop. Randomly, our first taste of lobster for the season came from a Jewish couple who had been given a free lobster to try. Since it wasn't kosher they thought best not to waste and yelled out to us and friends of ours walking buy... Free lobster?? Yes please!!!

We also purchased two beautiful BBQ lobster tails the following evening that were BBQ for us and came with endless amounts of rum punch ( although we were skeptical of the amount of run in this sweet cordial) all for $10!

There were many culinary delights in Caye Caulker especially the bbq's set up along the main street where you are able to get a wide variety of Caribbean flavored meats that come with sides for about $5. The best advice is to wash these meals down with a cold beer while sitting in the water at the lizard bar. When it wasn't raining we took every opportunity to relax at this funky bar made on the water.

If the weather is good there is a lot to do in Caye Caulker considering how small it is. However due to weather and let's face it, a quickly diminishing budget, we took it pretty easy here. Dave got his fishing and kayak fix and we even caught a fish that made for a tasty (free) lunch. Even though it was a relaxed 7 days, Caye Caulker was one of our favorite spots. Oh and if you don't like Bob Marley this is not the Island for you - they literally play it on repeat 24/7 and thats no exaggeration!! (Luckily we are fans!)

Next stop our final country in central, Mexico!!!

Caye caulker breakdown

Travel - buy your boat ticket either round trip or onward depending what way your coming from (heading North or South) and you’ll save money and boarder fees.

Accommodation

Jeremiah’s Inn - $23 a night for private with bathroom ( ask for one of the top floor rooms they are cooler)

Food:

Terry's grill $6 for jerk chicken

Pig on the spit place $9 all you can eat

Enjoy cafe popular free drinks with meals

The bakery at the back of the island

Activities

Ragamuffin tour $50usd

Hire kayaks and fishing reel $10 for 2 hours

Swim and have a few drinks at the Lazy Lizard Bar

Semuc Champey and Tikal

Semuc Champey and Tikal Ruins 

After a night stop over at the now familiar Antigua, Guatemala we hop in a ‘private shuttle’ on route to Lanquin, the base town for the stunning Semuc Champey pools. A translation for ‘private shuttle’ is roughly an awkwardly crowded uncomfortable mini van with a whole bunch of smelly backpackers that’s hot with no air con. Though being the safest, cheapest and most direct way to get around Guata we welcomed its convenience and bunkered down for the 8 hr journey with a strangely talkative Spaniard. A truck stop, a overly priced meal and a long conversation in broken Spanglish later we arrive in Lanquin conveniently in time for the afternoon down pour. This was a jungle storm like no other and while Juan is stuck in a steamy truck cabin, Dave is in the back with Spaniard and some locals seeking shelter from the streams flowing from the sky and the street. Because we stayed at Hostel El Portal we had to hold on for a 40minute 4wd to the hostel located right next to the Semuc Champey entrance. They cram 10 people in the back and while the rain is still teeming we make our way in the dark like cattle on their last voyage.

Thankfully its all worth it because the next day we are able to wake up and walk right up the gate entrance, other hostels location mean you have to do that trip to and fro each time you see the pools. It costs 50q ($6.75) to enter the area and thankfully you can see that’s going to good use. This beautiful area is formed by a limestone ‘bridge’ that passes over Lanquin river. It is essentially a gigantic cave underneath with megatons of water gushing through every minute. On top however, are the most beautiful tranquil pools of crystal clear aqua water, each flowing gently into the next. After a quick dip we hike up the 25min walk to the famous lookout and enjoy the green scenery and breathtaking views. Watching the torrents flow under the start of the rock gives you an idea of how they’re formed, I wouldn’t want to fall in that rapid.

One day felt like enough and a 6am shuttle greets us for our next ‘private shuttle’ to Flores to see the famous Mayan ruins, Tikal. This shuttle had chaotic beginnings and was a total rip off (don’t book through a hostel, but when the nearest building is half hour drive, there isn’t much choice) but we made it by about 5pm. We made a deal for Tikal and transport to Belize, had a few beers with new friends and hit the hay ready for our 4.30am shuttle to the Tikal ruins.

Our phone blinks 4.28am, we spring to life and rush out the door by 4.33am just in time to wait for the van that turns up at 5 to 5am. Somehow Dave scores shotgun and with the sun rising and blurry eyes we drive past a motorbike and some clothes on the side of the road. Confused, we continue and pass a man sleeping (we hope) length ways in the middle of the road! Shocked, we conclude he was likely drunk from the festival in Flores the night before but I guess we cannot be sure. We’ve all heard stories of gringo’s stopping to help and being jacked and we can only assume that’s why the driver simply went around and continued.

Tikal opens at 6am, you can bribe the guards to get in early if your there overnight but our trip, arriving at opening time, worked out just fine. We go through, pay our overpriced entry fee’s, map fee and coffee and make our way into the Tikal site. It’s 6.30am, no one in sight, Spider monkeys swinging above, howler monkey’s screaming in the distance and the slightly overcast morning gives this place a real jungle authentic feel. Full of excitement and curiosity we gawk up at the spider monkeys in amazement. Turns out they make a game of this and hit Juan with a bulls eye air raid in the form of poop. Not a bad shot. Wondering around the ruins was a mystical cultural treat and going early means you beat the heat and the crowds. It took us about 4-5hrs to cover the whole area with 5 temples and many more archeological sites this really gives you a feel for the pre Colombian Mayan epicenter.

With tired legs we retire to some shade for our shuttle back. We indulge in some more beers watching the sunset and some pretty crap street food then promptly hit the hay. Gotta be up for the 5am bus to Belize city! On route to Caye Caulker to see some fellow Whistlerites and a overdue return the white sands of the Caribbean sea.

Semuc breakdown:

Transport: Shuttle from Antigua to Lanquin takes around 8 hours shop around for the best deal and barter the price on this we paid $10

From Lanquin we got a free 4wd transfere to our hostel in Semuc Champey (try get in the front of the truck for a comfier ride).

Hostel: El Portal $14 for a private room – This is an eco hostel due to its location. The power here runs only from 6-10pm. So make sure you have a torch and charge your cameras the night before (rookie error!)

Food: We didn’t have much choice but to eat at El Portal. These were pretty tasty and large portions for around $6.

Activities: Visit one of the most amazing natural wonders of the world for $5 entry fee.

Flores and Tikal:

Transport: We had no choice and had to book at our hostel in Semuc which meant we paid way more then we should have $14. If you stay in Lanquin or get the chance barter a better price in town.

Accommodation: Mirador hostel – basic rooms but everything you need for your short stay $7 for a private.

Food: From Wednesday to Sunday find the lady selling Tostadas in the whole in the wall. Delisious and cheap street eat for less then $1.

Take your breakfast and lunch with you to the Tikal ruins as the options you have there are a total rip off and looks like you’d be pretty disappointed with the food there.

Activities: Book a sunrise tour to Tikal ruins. If your like us forget the guide, purchase a map for $2 and go and explore these amazing ruins. It gets super hot so pack lots of water sunscreen and insect repellant!

Guatemala - Antigua and Lake Atitlan

Antigua

After a pain free shuttle, we arrived in our first destination in Guatemala -Antigua in around 5hours. We were recommended a basic hostel that was super cheap and had all the things we wanted for our 3 night stay there.

We were pleasantly surprised by the cute colonial town when we began exploring the next morning and soon fell in love with it here.

It was easy to spend time wandering through the cobblestone streets, ducking into market places while enjoying real cafe coffees.

If you had the money I'm sure you would not be disappointed at the restaurants here. We opted to make the most of our kitchen while we had one, and hit up the local food markets. We were absolutely blown away how cheap it was for good quality fruit and vegetables. For just over $1 we got enough food for 2 dinners and lunches each (Dave was so impressed he took several photos of our booty)

There are many volcanoes near Antigua and many more tour operators selling tours to see them. After bartering for a good price we decided to hit up a tour to Pacaya . After a not too bad hike we made it to the top of a steamy active volcano. We had been warned by fellow travelers that we wouldn't be lucky enough to see flowing lava like all the photos advertised at this time, but we did get to toast marshmallows from the steam. It was a pretty fun experience eating volcano-toasted marshmallows while looking out at a breath taking view!

Breakdown -

Accomm - Casa Shalom $14 for private room

Food: Refuge Cafe, best coffee in Central so far

Travel Cafe - Beef sandwich $5 with lots of fresh guacamole and chips on the side

Chocolate Museum!!!

Local markets for super cheap fresh fruit and vegies 

Activities: 

Window shop

Hike a volcano 

Make your own chocolate in the chocolate museum  

ChiChi Markets

After three enjoyable nights in our new favorite colonial town we headed to Chichicastenango. Every Thursday and Sunday this mountainside town is transformed into the Guatemala’s largest handicrafts market, where you'll find pottery, colorful textiles, Mayan goods and food. We managed to score some sweet bargains on the few things we budgeted to purchase.

The accommodation was ridiculously cheap but in hindsight we should have continued on from here in a shuttle after the markets as Chichicastenango is a bit of a hole when the markets finish and was tricky to get out of the next day. We were rather bummed also as the one time we didn't have Internet this trip we missed out mates who came to meet us at the market. So instead of sitting in our dingy hotel rather board at 6pm, we could have been catching up with friends.....

San Pedro, Lake Atitlan

Finally after 1 shuttle, 2 chicken buses, 1 stop in the wrong town, 2 tuktuk rides and a boat we made it to the picturesque San Pedro on Lake Atitlan. Supposedly this is the deepest lake in central America surrounded by volcanoes. We stayed at a funky chilled out popular hostel called Zoola's, and spent the majority of our time relaxing in their groovy garden tent. As many of you know after being on the move so much some destinations you just can't be assed doing much at all, this was here for us and the most rowdy activity we got up to was drinking 1L of red cask wine each playing scrabble (I don't normally play games)! Dave would tell you that the highlight of this adventure was definitely the sandwich lady!! For less then .70c you got a massive sandwich with at least 8 different fillings on fresh bakery bread. Needless to say we ate them for lunch and dinner for the next few days…. Don’t get us wrong Lake Atitlan is well worth the visit you can be as active or as chilled as you want and the drive our boasts some of the most spectacular views!

Breakdown:

Accomm:

Zoola's Hostel - Israeli run hostel. Super funky and nice food $16 for a private room with bathroom

Food: Sandwich Lady - .70c for the best and biggest sandwich. Just up from the dock, she comes out around 3pm each afternoon.

Activities: Hire kayak's and paddle around, chill out on the decks or if you feel like hiking go exploring!!

Change of Plans - To El Salvador we go!!

El Tunco El Salvador

Throughout our trip we had always planned to skip Honduras and El Salvador and head straight for Guatemala. With a lot of extra time and a craving for the beach things changed and we hopped on a Tika bus to San Salvador. We found a room with two other travelers in the not so clean capital and after a $1 breakfast and being introduced to the awesome Salvadorian dish papusa's, we got on a chicken bus and high tailed it to the sun and sea. People try to sell anything to you when on the bus and in El Sal we were treated with a kilo bag of strawberries for just $1!

El Tunco is the busiest of a few super slow, super relaxed surf towns on the coast. Everyone here lives and breathes surfing, backpacking surfers stay for months not days, ex pats with leather skin paddle out 3 times a day without a worry in the world. Lifes good in El Tunco. Being on the pacific side, the beaches have black sand and pretty consistent surf. Even when it's small there's a decent right hand point break for all levels. Making the most of $5 day rentals, Dave had yet another crack at surfing and after 3days in El Tunco he can finally ride the face of a wave!

Enjoying a cold beer from a thatch roofed bar while watching the sun set over the rolling waves was the icing on the cake and we were stoked we listened to Juan's brother Marsh and made this stop over. Cheap burritos, quesadillas and papusa's was an added bonus and we left El Tunco chilled out and and pretty content. 






El Salvador Breakdown:
Accomm: Papaya's Lodge $20 for private room


Food: The taco's and Burritos at the corner shop next to Papaya's $3 and soooo good!!
Papusa's - so delicious cheesie goodness for .50c


Activities: Surf and sunbake!!

Nicaragua - A Central must do!!

San Juan Del Sur

After catching several buses from Manuel Antonio Costa Rica we made it to the hectic boarder crossing into Nicaragua. As soon as we jumped off the bus we got harassed to swap money, take a taxi and buy a load of useless crap. It was surprising to see how different the socio economic standards were between the two countries as soon as you crossed an imaginary line in the road.

It was dusty, hot and caotic and we wanted to get out of there stat! So occupied with leaving we almost did so without getting our passports stamped which no one seemed too phased about! It wasn't until we almost pulled away that Juan realized and we weaved our way off the crowded chicken bus and over to immigration. We're sure this would have caused a hefty fine when leaving the country 2 weeks later.

Our two night stay in San Juan Del Sur was extended to five as we fell in love with it here! Most likely due to the fact that we had finally hit a place that we could afford to eat food. For $1 -3 you had your choice of taco's, buritto's, wraps, sandwiches, pizza, burgers, salads and real latte's!

Ok so it wasn't all about the food! With a few friends in town and the ocean nearby we took advantage of relaxing by the beach and a few 60cent beers in the evenings. The surf beaches in San Juan are access by a shuttle truck and a not so comfortable dirt road. Though for surfers there is definitely treasure at the end of this rainbow in the form of consistent pacific ocean breaks all year round. Dave had a shot at surfing and after getting dominated for most of the day he started to get the hang of it, kinda.

The differences between wealthy Costa Rica and underdeveloped Nicaragua were quickly apparent. The afternoon of our first day saw the dark clouds roll in and open up with an almighty thunderstorm and torrential rain. Welcome to wet season. That’s all well and good but it took two days to get power back to our hostel. This means no fans, no fridge's (don't eat the seafood!) no lights and at times no running water! As rain doesn't mean cool temps it certainly wasn't the most pleasant sleep we've had.

They say everyone one gets sick in San Juan. They are correct. Everyone except Juan (coincidence?) was overcome with a nasty 24hr bug, one after the other. It was Dave's turn to get sick and with a blackout from 8pm to early hours of the morning only a cold shower could relieve us of the heat. So worn out by the bug he was probably less nervous than Juan about the gamsat result which, thank god, was better than expected. So it's not all doom and gloom, also we spent just $13 that day (thanks to not eating) so there's a positive buried in all situations.

Next stop Ometepe……

San Juan Del Sur Summery

Hostel – Casa Oro $8 dorm, $25 private with bathroom comes with free breakfast (delicious!!)

We then moved around the corner for $18 for a whole apartment with kitchen and free water in our room at Rosetta’s.

Eats:

Simon Says – good burgers and healthy options

El Gato Negro – great coffee, sandwiches and smoothies (bit pricier then some but worth it)

Taco Stop - $1 Taco and $2 burritos can’t complain!!

Wrap place – whole in the wall type place that sold fresh salad wraps

El Colibri- we didn’t make it here as Dave go sick but its meant to be the best!!

Activities:

Book a return trip to the beach through Casa Oro

Isla De Ometepe

When Dave finally emerges at the other side of the dark sickness we put on our packs and make our way to Isla De Ometepe, an amazing island in lake Nicaragua formed by two volcanoes touching the clouds. With Dave still feeling a little green we chose the easy option of a taxi to the dock just past Rivas, half an hour for 30mins. After waiting for an hour the next boat pulls into the dock, fills up before we get a chance to get on and then they start loading an already full boat with cement. As the cement bags pile up the boat dips and we attempt to board. An impatient rude old man, 35 degree heat with no room undercover and a lopsided boat makes us and another couple decide we’ll wait this one out. Turns out the main ferry is air-conditioned,  comfortable and doesn’t contain tons of overloaded cement, I’m sure the other boat made it but I’d be paying the extra buck for the ferry anyday.  Ometepe is a beautiful, unique place in the world with much to do. Yet GAMSAT results, applications and job opportunities meant we had to spend some time sorting out our lives. Intermittent internet absorbed a lot of our short time here aside from a visit to the tranquil Pozo de Oro, crystal clear pools on the isthmus between the two volcanoes.

Chicken buses suck, but with a seat it’s bearable. We wake at 5am for the 5.30am bus and hop on first with pick of the seats. After a detour the wrong way some girls we know suggest we’re at the dock so we stand up, only to lose our seats to another impatient old man and stand like sardines for the next 45mins. A boat, another chicken bus and about $2 later we arrive at the Treehouse -A hostel up in the forest behind Granada. So the story goes - a guy from Texas was told at a young age to go build a treehouse by his mum. He took this seriously and now runs a hostel that is quite literally built into the trees. Although not deterred by his recent machete attack (don’t drink in the wrong bar and say the wrong this in Nica) he was a great guy who loves the isolation and distinctiveness of his hostel. We’re not so sure how long this one will last though as everyday locals come up trying to steal from the often unattended dorm rooms, 100m down the hill. Our friends we’re unlucky enough to lose their bag containing a passport and many other valuables. A cool place to visit and as we brought our own food also a cheap little adventure, if the crazy Texan is still there its worth checking out.

Granada

This was the first of several colonial type towns we would come across in our journey. We were pleasantly surprised by this little town. Lined with cobblestones, old churches and markets it was easy to spend time just wandering the streets. We also got lured into some of the largest purchases of our trip, jewelry and paintings all justified by there uniqueness and “so much cheaper then home” qualities.

Like San Juan Del Sur, we were lucky enough to have our friends in town for part of our stay here, which meant more cevessa’s to enjoy. We even attempted in going to a local club, the choice of music was amazing!! Although by this time the amount of RON consumed meant we really didn’t care what type of music was being played.

Granada also spoiled our taste buds and we treated ourselves to a few meals out, even though these were a little more pricier then San Juan, we couldn’t go past the Cob Wrap at the Garden Café.

We took a day trip out to Laguna De Apoyo organized through our hostel. The crater is filled with crystal clear mineral infused water, making it easy to see the bottom. It was such a tranquil area and we enjoyed kayaking and swimming while trying to avoid the storms that rolled in throughout the day.

Granada summery –

Hostel – Hostel Oasis $18 a private room, kitchen and swimming pool.

Eats: Garden Café – nice café food, great service and pretty cheap.

The buffet opposite the park for $60COB ($2.70) you can get a whole plate of delicious fresh meats, pasta and salad plus a drink!

Transport – small shuttles between Managua and Leon. No need to even go on the hunt they take you right to each shuttle. Chicken bus between Rivas or the tree house, pretty pain free and direct. 

Leon:

We were recommended by some friends to head to Leon for a spot of Volcano Boarding. This sounded like a fun enough reason, so off we headed to our final Nicaraguan destination.

Leon did not have the same charm as Granada did, it was slightly larger, but in ways it felt like there was less going on. I think if Volcano boarding was not on our list to do then we really didn’t need to head here. However, we were lucky enough to catch up with some friends from Whistler/Aussie while we were there. Its always nice to see familiar faces and the perfect excuse to see what the local restaurants have to offer.

The main reason for heading to Leon was to hurtle down the face of an active volcano as fast as possible. So after driving 45mins in the back of a massive truck we arrive at our destination - Cerro Negro (a.k.a black mountain). The 45 minutes hike up in the stinking hot sun carrying a plank of wood, makes us (Juan) question why the hell are we doing this?? However, once we arrive up the top we pleasantly surprised by the breathtaking view. Also we go to check out the different craters and feel the steamy earth beneath our feet. Soon enough we are getting a quick guide how to actually get down without breaking our necks and scraping off the skin on our bodies. We don attractive orange suites and are soon ready to go… The nerves begin to increase as you are sitting on our board but before you know it your on your way. In fact,  once the initial fear had passed it was rather hard to pick up extra speed and found ourselves at the bottom (covered in black dust), wanting to go up and try it again - but faster!! Unfortunetly this is not an option and the re-hiking up isn’t exactly desirable. We are rewarded on the way back with beer and free majitoes.

Next stop El Tunco El Salvador

Leon Summary:

Hostel – We stayed at Lazybones and El Colibri $18 for privates. In hindsight we should have stayed at Bigfoot Hostel which we did Volcano boarding, slightly cheaper and just seemed better over all.

Activities: Volcano Boarding through Bigfoot Hostel $28 (including parks fee)

Food: No major highlights – look for cheap local food restaurants (comedor's) $2.50 will get you a full plate of chicken, beans, rice salad and a drink. 

Sloths, monkeys and toucans in Costa Rica

We shot through Costa Rica and a surprisingly fast pace as we decided we couldn’t really afford to be there. So we chose two main spots and after realizing we couldn’t  afford to eat we may as well spend more time in countries we could. We both don’t feel any regret in doing this and loved the parts that we did see. If we had the time and the money, Costa Rica is an amazing country where you could spend a lot of time. The rainforests are mind blowingly amazing and we got to see some of the coolest animals around.

As mentioned in the previous blog, it was easy to get to Costa Rica from Bocos Del Toro. For $25 we got a boat, shuttle combo that delivered us right to the door of our hostel in Puerto Veijo. It's an easy boarder crossing between the countries and quite a novelty crossing countries by walking over a rickety old bridge! We were not 100% sure how sturdy this bridge actually was and how an earth semi trailers get across!!

 Puerto Viejo is the largest tourist destination in Costa Rica's small Caribbean coast and during the surf season, this cool laid back town is apparently pumping. We arrived just at the start of the dead season and it certainly was quiet, not that we were complaining. We were lucky enough to score a dorm room in the best hostel we have been to. Pagalu and if you are in the area it is a must to stay. The owners just thought of everything you need as a backpacker and the rooms were beautiful too.

We found Puerto Veijo stunning! Lined with coconut trees, crystal clear water, a rather rasta vibe, there was nothing there for us not to like. One of the things we enjoyed the most, was hiring bikes and exploring what this island had to offer. We also heard that the snorkeling was superb. However, the highlight fir us this time was not lazing around the beaches BUT fulfilling Juan’s life long goal of seeing sloths!! Ex pats of Costa Rica are working hard to re-educate its people about animal and rainforest preservation and the sloth sanctuary is doing exactly this.

After a rather hassle free bus ride towards Limon Dave and I jumped off in what looked like the middle of no where to find this alleged sloth sanctuary that we had been told to visit by friends. Much to my delight we got to spend 2.5 hours learning about and getting very close to sloth’s. Dave and I also got to have an exclusive lunch with Buttercup the sloth who decided to wake up and play around us as we chowed down on our poverty pack lunch. It was such a wonderful experience that we decided to visit the jaguar rescue centre the next day. The highlight of the well-informed tour being the half hour we got to spend playing with monkeys. They found Dave's hair rather tasty!!

Once deciding it was time to move on we caught a 4 hour bus to San Jose the capital of Costa Rica. With no desire to stay longer then a night we grabbed a hostel a few hours sleep and then headed for the Manuel Antonio bus stop the next morning. After catching two taxis to the correct bus stop (the bus stops had changed yet apparently this wasn't important information to pass I to the general public) we made it with enough time to explore the colorful fruit and vegetable markets. This felt like the only cheap food option we came across during our stay in Costa Rica.

4 sweaty hours later we arrive at the small town of Manuel Antonio which is boarded by lush tropical rainforest and national park that we njoyed exploring.

After two days here we weighed up the pros and cons of staying in a country we couldn't afford and decided to cut our losses and catch the 4.30 am bus (which we made by the skin of our teeth) to our next country Nicaragua.

Costa rica breakdown

Accommodation

Pagalu - Puerto Veijo $11 a night best hostel yet!

Transport: hire bikes for the day in small towns for $5

Bus rides between places ranged between $4-10 for 4hrs of travel very easy and safe.

Food: no food highlights except for amazing fruit market in San Jose spent $ 3 and got easy $25 worth of fruit and vegies

Activity: sloth sanctuary $25 (includes half hour boat tour) and jaguar sanctuary $14 and includes 2 hour tour. Both these places rely on your money from the entry fee to ensure that they can continue to run. There main aim is to ensure that all the animals can be sent back the wild if they can. At the Jaguar Sanctuary each afternoon a majority of the animals get taken back the wild with the workers and have the choice to stay over night in their natural habitat.