Costa Rica

I'm beginning to wonder whether every time we have a great day a bad day will follow. It seems to be an unfortunate pattern that we're in. After a splendid time at the beach on Bocas del Toro we were due to leave Panama the next day, with limited time we couldn't afford to hang around anywhere longer than absolutely necessary. Unsure of the border crossing we agreed to pay $30 each to transfer from Bocas del Toro to San José in Costa Rica with an end goal of reaching La Fortuna. Annoyingly the journey was fairly straightforward and meant that we could easily have saved our money and done the trip ourselves. We were dropped in a dodgy part of San José and told that no buses would be running to La Fortuna from that station. After a brief conversation with a grumpy woman behind a counter we were pointed to another bus station up the road. Taxi drivers tried their best to take us miles to another bus station at a price but we stuck to our guns and hoped we could make it to our destination in one day. We found the bus station walking through a slightly intimidating area and found a bus taking us closer to La Fortuna but our money was running low and we couldn't find a cash point. Arriving at dark we still couldn't get any cash and when we asked a bus driver if he was going to La Fortuna he completely ignored us. We didn't even get any kind of acknowledgement that he'd heard us so Craig asked again, louder and more exasperated. After a wait we boarded the bus and were actually a few pennies short but were allowed on anyway. Eventually we made it to La Fortuna in the late evening after an arduous days travelling and walked to a hostel where luckily there was space despite our turning up unannounced. Never have we dealt with such unfriendly people on our travels, as polite travellers we were gobsmacked by the level of rudeness we encountered in our first few hours in Costa Rica alone and were happy to fall into our dorm beds for a sleep. 

We awoke in the huge characterless dormitory and set about our days activity. I had chosen La Fortuna to stay in as close by I'd read there is a national park with a trail that follows a solidified lava flow. When we went to enquire we learned that to get to the national park you either needed to take a local bus which went once a day there and once a day back at very odd times or an organised tour which was $50 each. $50 was already well over our daily budget and that didn't include the dorm bed and meals. We decided to save our money and instead enjoy a quiet day in La Fortuna. Arenal Volcano sits watching over the quaint town, imposingly large and one of the worlds most active. We strolled into town photographing the volcano from the wide streets and bought groceries from the local shop. An afternoon was whiled away blissfully on the pretty and plant filled hostel terrace with a delicious lunch. I found time to write in my journal and after weeks of discussion we had both made a decision regarding our Central American itinerary. We had heard wonderful things about Cuba and also about how quickly it is changing. We had been umming and ahhing for a long time about whether to squeeze in a trip to Havana and finally decided to go for it. We booked return flights from Cancún to Havana for a five night stay to experience a taste of Cuban culture. The only thing was that now we had even less time to get to Cancún, as if the time we'd given ourselves originally wasn't already stretched! 

Volcano Arenal From the Boat, Costa Rica

The Church of La Fortuna, Costa Rica  

The next day we decided to move on to Monteverde. As we'd saved a fair chunk of money in La Fortuna we took the 'jeep-boat-jeep' option of getting there to save the huge and uncomfortable journey all through the Costa Rican mountains. We boarded a minibus from our hostel and drove to Arenal Lake where the volcano looked particularly impressive. Backpacks in tow we stepped onto the boat and enjoyed a lovely 30 minute crossing across the water stopping to photograph the volcano and birds. Once docked we climbed up a steep bank which with huge backpacks and daypacks wasn't easy and boarded another minibus to drive along dusty tracks to Monteverde and our hostel. Our hostel was advertised as being a 5 minute walk from town but seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. Our room was a little dingy but at least it was private and we asked about booking a second night so that we could have a full day in the cloud forest. The owner gave the price for a second night which was hugely inflated, evidentially we'd got a good deal when we booked online. Despite there being only about 2 other guests at the hostel he wouldn't budge on the price and so we decided to rush off to the cloud forest and leave the next day. Online the hostel said it offered a 'shuttle service' into town but there had been no mention of that and we were really pushed for time. The road was unsealed, dusty and not flat. I was dripping with sweat and red in the face from being so out of breath. After our mad dash we made it to the bus stop and boarded a local bus to the forest.

The Red Suspension Bridge in Monteverde's Cloud Forest Reserve, Costa Rica

The Waterfall in Monteverde's Cloud Forest Reserve, Costa Rica

We walked along the peaceful trail and as it was a sunny and bright day the sun dappled light through the trees, this did mean that there was no cloud in the cloud forest which put paid to my atmospheric misty photographs that I was planning to take. We only had around two hours to explore so we made the most of our time and followed a set route to a red suspension bridge and then on to a waterfall. The path twisted up and around trees and was laid with concrete slabs to keep the mud at bay. Vines dangled down and roots had burst through the earth creating a tangled web of branches and leaves. The red suspension bridge shook as we crossed but was deserted and allowed us time to peacefully look out over the canopy and the forest floor below. We doubled back and found the path again to the waterfall which made an ideal spot for a picnic. Luckily two hours had been ample time to explore and we wandered back to the entrance office and read information plaques about the local wildlife until the last bus of the day arrived to take us and many staff members back to town.

A Tangled Mess of Flora at the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Costa Rica

Annoyingly the only way to move on to Nicaragua from Monteverde was to take an early bus towards San José, jump off at a petrol station and board a different bus north to the border. We woke before 6am to catch a taxi to the bus station to begin our journey. I don't think we've ever experienced this kind of inconvenience while travelling anywhere. Usually there's always an option geared towards backpackers but Costa Rica seems to be the exception, judging by the amount of American holiday makers we've seen (and heard) I think the country is more of a rich tourist destination aimed towards those with bigger budgets and a willingness to part with money easily. 

With just a few nights spent in Costa Rica we didn't experience all that the country had to offer but were happy to at least have a taste of the volcanic landscape and rich biodiversity. 

 🎥 Central America video: 

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Panama

We arrived in Panama City on 22nd March and already had our goal, to reach Cancún in Mexico for our flight to New York in 40 days by May 1st. Now, we could have flown to a couple of places or even directly to well travelled Mexico but where's the fun in that we thought? By now we'd had a taste of overland travel. In our minds it seemed far easier to take a bus for hours and hours at a time than to fly. All that waiting around in airports, checking baggage and what not, nah. I'd got it into my head that we could visit every single Central American country in our short time, it's a cluster of relatively small countries, how hard could it be I thought. 

Panama City 

And so, our journey began in Panama City and as a treat for starting the 'second part' of our trip we gorged on avocado topped veggie burgers covered in every condiment imaginable and fries at an America style burger place. With an NBA game playing we felt like we were in New York already and enjoyed the fast food in comfortable air conditioning. The next day our first priority was getting a new camera to replace our beloved and much missed stolen Canon. Luckily we knew what we wanted, and just up the metropolitan streets of Panama City was a big technology store. We tested out the Nikon that we'd researched online, Craig managed to persuade me to at least consider something that wasn't a Canon. I found the idea hard at first, I've always been a Canon girl. My first SLR was a second hand 35mm Canon I bought at college, now splattered with purple paint thanks to some 'experimental painting' from my art foundation days. But a Canon was out of reach being much more expensive than any other camera brand. The Nikon looked great and I begrudgingly had to admit seemed to have better features than our Canon. So, with our new camera in hand we decided to take a trip to the Panama Canal which we did have some difficulty finding thanks to the huge bus station. We were pointed here, there and everywhere until we eventually found the correct bus and made our way to the Miraflores section of the canal which is on the Pacific side. We paid the $15 entrance fee and walked to the top viewing balcony where a catamaran was waiting to be let through. How the other half live I thought as I watched the yacht dwellers mill around on their multi-million dollar boat. The water levels drained and rose in perfect order until the gates opened and the catamaran sailed through with ease, up next was a huge cargo ship which looked like a giant in the canal. We wandered through the on-site museum though we couldn't stop for long as our time was running out. The short film about the history of the region and the building of the canal left me with a tear in my eye. When France started construction of the canal in 1881 thousands of workers died, many to yellow fever and malaria. Problems with engineering and the death of workers led to the project being abandoned until the United States took over in 1904 eventually opening the canal for business in 1914. Since then control has been handed over to the Panama government and work to enlarge and improve the canal has been ongoing. On our walk to the main road and bus stop we crossed a bridge and I noticed a sign with a symbol of a crocodile. I looked down at the muddy river bed and sure enough saw a huge wild crocodile snoozing on the riverbank, scaly skin shaded under the bushes. We returned to the bus station which is right next door to one of the biggest shopping centres I've ever seen. As we walked through it the shops seemed to go on infinitely. We found a food court full of American fast food chains and decided to have a baked potato from Wendy's. I miss jacket potatoes from home, with lots of butter, an unhealthy amount of cheddar and of course baked beans. I thought a nice potato from Wendy's would help quell my craving but unfortunately the bright orange goo on top of the tiny chewy potato did not satisfy. Surely American cheese has to be the worst in the world right? We filled up on Cinnabon for dessert which didn't disappoint and caught the metro back to our quiet hostel amongst the city's sky scrapers.

Imposing Cargo Ships Pass Through The Panama Canal

The Miraflores Locks of The Panama Canal

Boquete 

With little time to spare we left Panama City the next day and travelled for 10 hours by coach and chicken bus (no chickens present) to Boquete in the highlands. Arriving after 9pm it was dark in the little town and we found our hostel with ease. With luck we had a four bed dorm to ourselves which was lovely. What wasn't lovely was the huge cockroach running around on the floor. I moved to a top bunk and turned off the lights. I could feel my neck and shoulders itching and turned on the light, there right next to me on the wall was previously mentioned cockroach which scared the absolute life out of me. Alongside that the itching had been bed bugs, large enough to see crawling on the pillow. It was the stuff of nightmares. How am I the one who always encounters bed bugs? Do I just have the worst luck when it comes to biting insects? By this time the whole hostel was asleep and we had to wake up one of the owners, luckily she was very understanding and moved us to a dorm next door which was bug-free. By the next morning the whole room had been fumigated and sealed off, and our fee for the night had been waived. We made pancakes for breakfast with the hostel supplied mix and caught a colectivo to the start of the Pipeline Trail which is a couple of kilometres outside the town.

Attempting To Be A Birder in Wildlife Rich Boquete in Panama

We walked through the forest catching sight of pretty birds and admiring huge ancient trees. The walk was easy if a little sweaty thanks to the humidity and was made more fun by rickety wooden bridges over the river which shook as we crossed. At the end of the trail was a waterfall which we sat by, watching people come and go. The return walk was downhill slightly and so even easier than the way up, we squeezed (literally) into an overcrowded colectivo for the quick journey back to Boquete and then had veggie tacos for dinner.

Beautiful Nature in the Highland Region of Boquete in Panama

Crossing Bridges on The Pipeline Trail in Boquete, Panama

Bocas del Toro

Our last stop in Panama was at Bocas del Toro where we would hopefully experience some Panama beach culture. Before we could enjoy sandy beaches we'd have to get there first. As we left our hostel a bus was passing to the next big town of David so we jumped aboard, we then - after some confusion - found a chicken bus to Almirante where were dropped off on the side of a road, a taxi took us to the colourful docks where we boarded a speedboat to Bocas Town on the island of Bocas del Toro. Travel isn't always a picnic but with time and patience you always get to where you want to go, eventually.

The Laid Back Caribbean Vibes of Bocas del Toro in Panama

Colourful Boats Docked at Bocas Town in Panama

The calm waters were interrupted by our boat, creating spray and waves aplenty. We arrived on the island and walked to our homestay which was out the way of the busy tourist packed strip. The following day we were unsure what to do. Our plan had been to visit a local beach called Red Frog but while researching we learned that there had been several reports of muggings at gun point there and most frighteningly the mysterious death of a female tourist in February, just one month ago. We took a walk to the boat dock to see what other options were available and found a boat tour leaving in 10 minutes to a dolphin rich area and beach. We had to dash around to take cash out and retrieve our swimming things before the boat left but we managed it. We spotted dolphins out at sea and starfish right by mangroves before arriving on the island paradise of uninhabited Cayo Zapatilla. The sand was white and sugary with an island centre dense with palm trees. We wandered along the beach until the clear warm water became too irresistible and we dived in. Our afternoon breezed by in a mix of swimming, splashing, frisbee and sandy beach picnic and was sheer paradise. Reluctantly we jumped back on the boat and sped through the mangroves stopping to see wild sloths hanging from branches. Once back in Bocas Town we ate dinner at Om Café an Indian restaurant on the decks edge, our table looked over gently lapping water as the sun set. Our beautiful Indian meal topped off a fantastic time in Panama; a country that we didn't expect to love this much. The variety of cosmopolitan skyscraper strewn Panama City, quiet and nature filled Boquete and perfect sandy paradise of Zapatilla meant that Panama might just be one of our favourite countries.

The White Sandy Beach of Cayo Zapatilla in Panama

Jumping for Joy on Cayo Zapatilla in Panama

 🎥 Central America video:

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30 Before 30

In March I turned 29. No big deal I thought, it's OK to be 29 with no career, no house, no car and no savings. Totally OK *panicked face*. I chose to spend my twenties doing things a little different to the norm. I decided to travel, to see the world and to experience things outside of my comfort zone. As my twenties winds down I don't regret a thing. Sure, I'd love to have my own home by now, and a career I'm passionate about but the truth is I struggled fitting in working hard to save money and travelling (as well as university twice) into the past decade so I don't reasonably think I could have also bought a house and made a career too.

In an attempt to feel less panicked about getting older and with my second backpacking adventure coming to a close I decided that it's time to think about the next step and the things that I want to achieve before I turn 30. I read a blog post in 2015 by Emily Quinton of Makelight, in it Emily wrote a list of her 40 things to achieve before she turned 40 later that year. It got me thinking about my own goals or things I wanted to tick off the list by my next birthday milestone. 

A little while ago I started to actually write my list after thinking about it for a long time. There are some very big things on there and some tiny things. Some for the sheer joy of experiencing something new, or a thing I've done and always wanted to do again. Some to further my knowledge and further my travels. Some to help me move forward with my life and help with my creative practice as an artist. 

* Backpack South America ✔️

* Visit India ✔️

* Move in with Craig

* Exhibit in London (again)

* Make a zine

* Climb a mountain

* Visit the Scottish Highlands

* Go walking on the Isle of Wight

* Complete a sketchbook

* Make pottery

* Weekend in Cambridge ✔️

* Weekend in Tallinn, Estonia or another Baltic Country

* Buy a bicycle with a basket

* Host a Garden Party

* Read three classic* books (2/3) *modern classic acceptable! 

* See three classic movies (1/3)

* Camp in the Wild ✔️

* Afternoon tea at The Ritz/Sketch in London ✔️

* See Monet's Waterlilies in Paris

* Complete a '100 day project' ✔️

* Make a large scale painting/drawing

* Go on an artist residency

* Professionally frame my drawings

* Establish an online store ✔️

* Grow chillies for Craig

* Bake a cake

* Forest of Dean holiday ✔️

* Horse ride again ✔️

* Renovate my mums garden

* Become a runner

Some, like that last one are doubtful but I'm hopeful I can at least give it a go. I'm one of those people who absolutely loves any kind of list so the thought of being able to tick something off will give me the kick I need to get off my bum. I'm hopeful that by giving myself fun goals I can ease into a new decade without feeling too pressured or anxious by the things I haven't yet achieved. As my 30th is next March I've kept some things off the list like buying a house and finding a dream job as I know I'll never fulfil those goals by 30. But, theres always a 40 before 40 to write!

Thank you Emily for inspiring me and for helping me to be brave by putting my little and large goals out into the world.

Do you have a list of things to achieve in your life or by a certain age? Are you someone who has a bucket list? I'd love to know what some of your goals are, big or little, silly or serious. Let me know in the comments below. 

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