Costa Rica - Day 1

4:30am comes way too early - I think I said that last year. And that one of the only reasons I’m willing to be up this early is to leave on vacation!!

Sarah and Anthony posted a pic of the girls when they got in the car in our WhatsApp group “Costa Rica Bitches!”

We love Costa Rica. The only place in the world I’ll likely ever be 6 times and still plan to come back in both March (Caribbean side for the first time) and December (back to Playa Flamingo) next year. 

The Corey’s were able to score Avery a seat with them in the business class section - bonus!

Jim and Maria were right behind them and then Jay and the girls and I were right behind business class in the bulkhead. 

We had a fairly bumpy flight this time and Sophie got a little stomach ache for the last hour or so but she was a trooper. At one point Paige finally moved to sit in the empty seat beside Jay (Avery’s vacant bulkhead seat) so she could get away. Lol.   The girls wanted to sit with me because I don’t watch movies, I read a book. Several times they’ve fainted on an airplane, I think because they’re already tired, a little nervous and then they see something on Jays screen or iPad and it’s all over!

I looked at the car we rented a couple of days ago (to check to see if rates were lower), a Mitsubishi Montero or similar a 5+2 seater. And then looked at the interior photos and realized there is NO room behind the back row when the seats are up. So then chatted with Maria about paring down what we are bringing to one shared check bag and a small carry on each (back pack for us). We did it, but she wasn’t happy. Lol. 

I got my sunscreen, bug spray, 4 towels, speaker and two Stanley’s in my half!

We got the car from Avis easily, I had brought the letter from my credit card company that said I have insurance on my card so could minimize the damage on the insurance, but it was still $312 added to my $412 rental for the mandatory insurance, additional driver and roadside assist ($2/day). 

The Corey’s drove behind in their car and we ended up sending one of our girls with them so that we could have the seat down and fit all the luggage. I didn’t know Sarah also wanted from Avis so that made it easy. 

As we were driving a guy pulled out in front of us in a pick up waving an orange flag out the window and a herd of cattle followed him into the road. I said “quick get a picture, Ive always wanted this to happen!”  Really what I want is like on the movies where in Scotland you are stuck in the middle of a herd of sheep, as opposed to giant bulls with horns.  I hadn’t taken the window and tire protection :)

That’s the Corey’s car behind us. 




We stopped at not one but two grocery stores on the way home to get enough for us to have a snack today before dinner and breakfast and snacks tomorrow before we head to Tamarindo for lunch and our big shop (meat).   You’re allowed 7 bottles per person at Duty Free this year at the airport! Whoo hoo!  So I got 4 bottles of tequila and 2 bottles of Ron Zacapa and Maria and Jim got 4 bottles of tequila and a bottle of wine. We should be good for the first week!

We arrived at The Palms, where we’re staying this year in Unit 14 and the Corey’s are in Unit 22. 

It’s a really nice spot on Flamingo Beach “our beach”. 

Our unit has 2 bedrooms, Jim and Maria get the Master this year, we flip flop. The girls are in with us in the second bedroom there is a loft over the closet which is perfect for them. 

After a light lunch the girls hopped in the pool and ocean for a swim!

While I made sours! I brought 2 giant Stanley thermos’ for sours this year. So I made a pitcher in each and then left the tequila in the freezer and squeezed all 58 limes we bought and poured the extra lime juice into two empty tequila bottles and made a pitcher of simple syrup so that everything is cold when it goes INTO the Stanley (instead of doing its job and keeping everything the temperature it went in, in this case room temperature, lol). 

While we were in the grocery store I had called La Sodita Italiana to see if we can make dinner reservations for 7:30pm.  The thought process was that we don’t have Dad as a DD this year and this is one of the furthest restaurants for dinner so if we go today, because we just arrived, I won’t care that I could only have one drink - but they CLOSED!!  But they opened a new restaurant called La Forketta on the way to Potrero, beside Perlas, same staff, same menu, everything so we made the res there (same phone number so it was easy to figure this out!).  We ended up calling and going over at 6:45pm instead because everyone was hungry and tired. 

Maria and I shared a mixed salad, so amazing. 

And then the Milenese veal with pasta on the side and lasagna. We could have shared one entree. The portions are always big here and we forget. 

Bruschetta isn’t on the menu but we asked and they made it for us. Maria remembered it was good from last year. 

8:30pm. Bedtime!