Now the trip to Costa Rica seems like it may happen!

Looks like I will be going this trip alone, but that may be best any way. I can go where I need to go, without having to include someone else's opinion. Since my friend decided this was some place she could not see to go, I have been working extra hard to figure out where I was going to go and where to stay. I have had some very good input from the Yahoo Group, Costa Rica Living (CRL). I am amazed at the helpfulness that so many have been in my search. I am going to stay between San Ramon to the west of San Jose, to the south east, a town call Orosi. I think this will give me a wide enough variety of places to make a choice for my starting point, at least. I will choose a town, and hope to be able to move there shortly after my trip. I will rent and if the town does not meet my needs, I will move to another. It will be much easier early on, before I get too much stuff, making it more difficult to move to a different place. I am looking at several options for my overnight stays. The B&B's seem like my best bet, and the owners are so helpful. There may be a possibility that I will able to house site for a couple while they are on vacation. That would be my best option, and then I have more funds to hire a private driver to see the towns I would like to see. So....for now, I will hold off making reservations until I find a definite invitation to house site, or not. Having 2 weeks to look around, and get a feel of the area will be such a trill for me. I feel my research has given me such a great head start. I remember going to Italy for 3 years in the mid 70's, with no idea what to expect or what we would face for housing, shopping, or day care for my pre-schooler. I felt through each incident, one at a time, enjoyed my stay, and was sad to leave when our tour was over. In some ways, it truly was an adventure, but my trip to CR, will be the high light of this year for me. Well, one of the high lights, along with my new grand daughter born Aug. 21, and the family reunion I had with my siblings in Montana, June 2006. This trip will give me the true adventure I desire in my life at this point. Retiring last year was not suppose to be a huge change in my life, but ended up being that when I decided to open my own business instead of accepting a job with a contractor at my old job. I don't have any regrets, just think it is time to find a new way to live and enjoy my life. Things will go much faster now, as the date is only 2 months away and I will be in CR. Can't wait......

August 15, 2006

Sometimes it seems as though time flies by, and other times it goes so slowly. I am more anxious to visit Costa Rica as time passes. My brother and his wife have decided not to go, so it will just be my life long friend and I traveling. I want to visit as many places that I can during this trip, so I have a good idea what CR is like. I am enjoying the emails I have received from people living in CR. Everyone has been most helpful, answering my questions and giving me information which will be most useful as we travel. It is frightening, to some degree, stepping out of my comfort zone to try a new adventure. Having lived in Italy, many years ago, I am not as frightened about going to another country. I will miss family and friends, but know that I will make new friends and become close as family with some of them. What a great place for my family and friends to have to go for a vacation to visit me also. I am practicing Spanish, and hope to be able to at least know what to ask for when I need help.

April 10, 2006 Costa Rica again.

I have been doing more research and reading blogs others have written about Costa Rica. I am somewhat disappointed that there are not more expats with blogs. Mostly I see vacation blogs, which are about the sites they visited and how sick they are after drinking too much. If you are an expat in CR, and read this, please write to me and let me know your take. There is one blog which has many sites and a lot of info about CR, Crazy Jungle, and I have read most of his links and info. I would like to connect with someone who is there so that when I visit in November I will have some expats to look up.
My friends all have been wishing me the best when I do move there, but I can't help but feel like they think I have left my senses. I know I will be fine, and am very capable of making new friends and enjoying myself just the same there. I have 2 small dogs, and will bring them when I make the move. They are my faithful companions, and give me great pleasure playing with them.
I am considering hiring a taxi instead of renting a car when I want to see the towns outside of San Jose' in the Central Valley. Do you have any experience with either the rentals or the taxis when touring? Let me know if you have.

March 2006, The Planning Begins

This is the planning stage of this journey. On Feb 22, 2006, I heard a broadcast on NPR, Retiring Abroad.
http://www.onpointradio.org/shows/2006/02/20060222_b_main.asp

I took an early retirement in April of 2005, and really learned what work is. I opened my own business. It has been 24/7 since. After hearing the broadcast, I could see leaving this all behind one day, hopefully not too far in the future. I may even be able to convince my brother, Darrell, and his wife, Kelly, to do the same thing. Seems I can't get the thought of moving to Costa Rica out of my mind. I have searched the web and read numerous blogs, and have purchased 7 or more books, at this point. Now it is time to start planning a trip. Darrell, Kelly, and I are planning to take a trip to CR in Nov 2006. Oh, did I mention I had 4 semesters of Spanish in college, 20+ years ago, and have a course with CDs on order to give myself a refresher. I think I am getting serious about this, wouldn't you say? I wanted to record the process, so a blog seems a good way to do that.