Bigelow – David and Karen Journey

Denver, CO – January 15 – 18, 2013

San Jose, CR – January 8 – 15, 2013

Less than a week left. We are in an apartment for this week. American tv, kitchen, barBque and more. It is on a hill over looking San Jose. Yesterday went to see a movie. Great Internet is allowing us to plan future trips. We have some more planning to do for Africa. Then Alaska and Antarctica and South America. We are also working on Europe options. We sit down looking at a map and calendar and drop pins. We are now into 2014 planning as Karen calls it dream and scheme. One of the things that are different on this trip is that we do not have a house to worry about and without the costs of the house we splurge more. Settling down in a condo, house or apartment for several days at a time allows unpacking and true living in a foreign country. We have met many ex-pats who have lived here for several years. Many of them professionals who say that they needed to get their money out of the US. Several years ago was the best time to buy here, prices have gone up since. We think it is best to rent. Thinking that we may come back sometime and rent a condo for a month or two in an ex pat community. Luxury Condo rents for $2,000 per month. In places you can rent them for $500.

Car rental, although expensive, and the required insurance doubles the rate, gives you freedom of movement and sure way in getting lost. It’s all part of the journey.

Trying to compress a lot into the 2 days in Denver without causing stress. One appointment is going to travel doc to get malaria med for South Africa.

We will be back to Denver on March 11 for about two months enough time to have shoulder surgery and recovery. Mid to early May we will drive to Bellingham WA to get the RV ready for Alaska. Our plans are to drive up and take the ferry back. Plans are for 4 months in Alaska and then work our way down the coast and end up in San Diego by mid October. January 2014 is Antartica.

Another thing that worked out well is to take our cell phones with us and buy SIM cards in each country for making local calls. It is a must especially when you are renting a car and need to make local calls when lost. Most rental car companies rent cell phones but the cost of one day is the price of a SIM card about $5 for mucho minutes. It also gives us local phone number to receive calls.

La Leona Lodge, CR – December 30 – January 2, 2013

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If I knew life by candle lite would be this much fun I would be less nervous. This lodge abuts Coronado National park, the most ecologically diverse park on earth I think because it has never been developed, this is primary rainforest and is huge. The family who owns the lodge has 100 hectares, and a 20 tent camp. The pathways around the grounds are lit by candles, the bathroom has its own hanging lantern. The shower is outside behind your tent, and the (only cold) water comes out of a coconut! We were there for New Years Eve, the family had a bon fire on the beach. We found the tracks of a sea turtle which had laid it’s eggs only an hour or two before, and the stars, they were magnificent!

It is so close to nature, we had a up close and personal experience. I mentioned the bathroom was behind the tent and a step down — ground level. One early morning Dave in the bathroom and asked “What does a scorpion look like”? After a quick peek it looked like something we needed help with, and I ran to the front desk. Staff members, started with E NE Minnie Mo to determine who was coming back with me. Armed with large tongs from the kitchen and a plastic bag, we head back into the bathroom. We find David, armed with his camera and a flashlight trying to get our new roommate to smile. The staff took away our little friend, and I chose not to shower until the sun was fully shining on all those dark corners.

I will admit it takes a day or so to slow down, the what are we going to do now question, is often answered with sit on the front porch and listen to the powerful waves on the ocean, or read a book, talk with our new found friends, or take a nap…… For five days.
This was a wonderful place, and I confess, the dining room was supported by batteries and generators, so we could charge iPads and cameras.

Isla Contadora, Panama – December 22-26, 2012

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Contadora is an island approximately 30 miles off Panama City. It is the get away community for the richest of people. The Shah of Iran had his house here, Jimmy Carter, the Donald (as in Trump), Panamanian Ambassador and vice president, Oprah, now . . . Karen and David. Well, ok, maybe just a room. This has also been home to 39 seasons of Survivor. 3 American, but also the other countries of the world send people to deal with the elements and each other. Our host is the mayor of the island and we heard story after story. One island for filming day to day tribal stuff, a second island set up for the challenges. His job is to help producers find “stuff” and our little house is where the producers come and go.

The island has maybe 30 monster mansions really incredible places with staffs who sweep the beaches and sweep leaves off the grass and the roads. There are very few cars, just golf carts or small gas powered mules, but each road is perfectly paved, striped and cared for meticulously.

There is one small hotel and a couple of bed and breakfasts. Very very quiet over all, mostly family time for those people, we didn’t see anyone famous to our eyes, but the families we did see looked normal and friendly. The beaches were lovely and warm, snorkeling at each and every one, and was just a perfect get away. Now if we had a few million we were not planning to use.