Well Costa Rica, we are pretty happy to get the hell out of here. Costa Rica is an amazingly beautiful country with ecological riches beyond compare if you are able to see behind the gate and around the ticket booth. It is the shining gilded trash can of westernization in Central America and encompasses most of the qualities that we hated from home while lacking the charm of the other Central American countries we have been to. It could be our own jaded view coming from a glorious time in Nicaragua, and I am sure a fantastic time can be had in CR but it just wasn´t there for us.

There were high points for sure: we fell in love with the (free) beach in Uvita, hiked through the jungles around Arenal Volcano without the trappings of a guide, met many fantastic people, and had an overall great time in La Fortuna. We think that Costa Rica is just not for us, but that certainly doesn´t mean it´s not for you!

On a side note, while we did get robbed in CR this can happen anywhere and we do not in anyway cast CR in a different light because of it. Our general dislike of the country stems from all our other experiences here collectively.

Favorite moments:

• Cheap bus rides
• Beautiful Countryside
• Hiking in the jungle
• The beaches at Uvita
• Hitchhiking
• Baldi Hot Springs

Not so great:

• The food
• Crazy inflated tourist prices for everything
• Dealing with the Brazilian embassy
• Getting robbed
• Taking a long walk across the border

Total Money Spent Per Person: $495

Average Per Day Costs Per Person:

• Lodging: $8.50
• Food: $9.50
• Transportation: $1.75
• Misc: $2.75 (Beer, Trips to the store, Park entrance, Guide Fees, etc.)

Total Average Per Day, Per Person: $22.50

Number of Days: 22