I actually quite want to talk about where I`m at now, but only have twenty minutes before I am meeting up with folks, so couldnt possibly catch you few readers, including E-cita, up to date in that time. However, I will say Ive experienced something of a 180-degree turn. At least for awhile.

Lets skip Fortuna and the ride home for now, and fast forward to Oso Peninsula.

I decided to take a flight instead of the 9-hour rutted road drive from San Jose, and am not regreting the decision despite the expense. It was well worth it, and a sweet little ride in a small 16-seater plane with enormous windows... enough so that I could see most of the landscape below as we passed, although there were intermitant clouds.

By the way, I should note that I know I have many spelling errors in these entries, but have been dashing them off with a strange keyboard, so dont feel too guilty about that.

I flew into Puerto Jimenez, which is on the southern pacific side of C.R., on a peninsula next to a large bay called Golfo Dulce, which is warm and spotted with mangroves and river estuaries, and on the other side, the Pacific Ocean proper. Most of the land along the Pacific Coast is part of the large national park, Corcovado, which is known as the most intense and one of the most diverse (biologically) national park in C.R. I chose it under the advise of a friend who had lived here for 7 months, who said it was the place to go if I wanted pristine wilderness.

Ive been a bit worried about the hike in... its about 20 kilometers, and since I will stay at the ranger station for 5 days, ordering only one very expensive meal per day, I have to carry in 5 dinner-lunches, not to mention all my own camping gear. I keep getting conflicting reports re: what basics they have there, and have been told that I might not even need to carry in my tent, but can instead rent one, but we will see. I did find out that if my back is not super-good, I can fly in... pricey and wimpy, but perhaps an acceptable alternative. On the other hand, I really want to hike in, and my back has been so much better its like night and day. They question is whether the feeling better is mostly due to the pills... but I have only been taking them at night, and not during the day at all, so it could be that the better sleeping at night is just helping in general, although I might just be stubborn and need to be reasonable and take a flight out.

Anyhow, Im ahead of myself again... into my daydreams and plans rather than what is.

Puerto Jimenez is a sweet little muddy town, both a fishing town and a tourist town, and I have the impression that high season for everything starts next month, so everything is just poised on the brink and gearing up right now. Its still the tail end of the rainy season, so its been raining every day, but its warmer, so I am usually too hot rather than too cold, which I think helps with my bones. There have been some nice spots between the rains however, and I even had to put on sunscreen yesterday (and probably today, though it is cloudy).

I had reserved a spot to stay called Cabinas Iguana Iguana, but when I got there, the gate was solidly closed, and when I entered, I couldnt find anyone around until I noticed a man on a mattress in the middle of the bar, snoring away under a fan (it was 1pm). I snuck around and checked out the rooms, which were dank, and decided that between the sleeping man, the silence, the puddles, and the dankness, I better locate another spot. And so I did.

I am now in a cute hostel... paying a bit extra for my own room. Its still pretty cheap, and is run by an adorable older woman named Berta, who ruthlessly charges forward with her spanish regardless of whether her customers understand her or not. I have been very amused watching others who speak nothing... glad that I at least understand about 60% of what she is saying. Ive had to translate for her, but Berta acts just like they understood her in the first place, of course! She is well worth staying at the hostel. Aside from this, it is clean and comfortable.

Ah. Out of time... and I havent even mentioned the other people I have met. Tonight perhaps?