La Playa Con Denise

The Nicoya Peninsula, which we explored on our road trip with Shuli, was one of our favorite places, so when Denise came to visit we ventured out from the House of Dreams and took a little road trip of our own to see more of the northern pacific side.  The beaches are beautiful, the green rolling hills accentuate the blue sky and white puffy clouds, and the towns are much smaller and more charming than in some of the other regions.

There has been a lot of deforestation and cattle grazing there, which was sad to see but at the same time allowed for lots of wide open spaces for cloud watching.  And all the pasture land is giving people like Jo and Francois a chance to buy the land, reforest, and give others a chance to help enrich this beautiful country.  I hope that in decades to come, the region of Guanacaste and the northern peninsula will move in the direction of more jungle instead of less.   Seeing all the habitat destruction and mile after mile of cattle lands has definitely motivated me to eat less beef, especially here where you can clearly see the direct effects of your dietary choices.

What are YOU eating for dinner? And WHAT effect is it having on our beautiful Earth?

Denise loves driving just as much as I do, so it was nice to have someone else take over behind the wheel to free up my hands for some out-the-window pictures.   After seeing some pictures of the roads and hearing stories about our road trip with Shuli, Denise thought that renting a mini 4x4 would make for an easier ride.  

The roads through the mountains to Monteverde were even worse than those we'd encountered on our trip with Shuli, so we were very happy to have our little Suzuki Jimmy to carry us through. 

After renting the Jimmy we swung by the House of Dreams to pick up our stuff and take Kirby on a little ride down the road and back again to see what lay beyond the House of Dreams.  Kirby had decided to save some money and have some time to herself to just relax at home, so Denise and I set off to Monteverde on our own.  The sunset was beautiful but came too soon, and we ended up finishing our drive to Monteverde in the dark.  Luckily there were various towns we passed through to make sure we were on the right roads, then at a big fork in the road we encountered a caravan of taxis who pointed us down the more direct route.  Even though there are very few signs, the ask-whoever-is-in-the-street-for-directions method seems to work out pretty well.

By the time we got to Monteverde we were pretty tired and hungry, and Denise had to summon all her patience as we went to a few different hostels so I could pop in to check out the place, ask about rates, and then move on to the next. We finally found a nice hostel with reasonable prices and a cute little balcony with a view of the canyon.  The whole town of Monteverde is built on the side of the mountain, so it turns out that pretty much everywhere has a great view.

Now that our night's lodging had been secured it was time to turn our attention to food.  There was a little soda just up the road and we were the last customers of the night.  We got the place all to ourselves and the chef/owner/waiter joined us for dinner as well.  I ordered a very traditional Costa Rican dish, Olla da Carne, which is a stew-like combination of beef, root vegetables, and platanos.  The vegetables are all served in huge chunks though, so it's more like a wet meal than a stew.  The chef was very excited to tell us all about the process of making it and how healthy it is.  He was also very happy to tell us all about his favorite beaches on the Nicoya Peninsula.  Really, he just seemed happy to talk about whatever.  We kind of got sucked in to a long conversation, which was pretty much one sided, and we politely sat smiling and adding some "si" or "aahhhh"'s to his stories while waiting for the proper time to ask for the check and head off to bed.  It's hard to be subtle sometimes when you don't speak the language fluently, so finally we just had to cut him off and pay our bill.

The next morning we were up early for our zip lining adventure.  It was lots of fun and made us feel like we'd already had a full day's worth of activity before 10am.  

When we left the zip lines the clouds were descendinng onto the mountaintops, so it was good that we were as well.  It was one of the most beautiful drives I've seen and even better that I wasn't the one driving!








After leaving the mountains and before reaching the beach we found ourselves in the relatively big city of Liberia.  We stopped for a lunch break and a half gallon of fresh coconut juice, Denise's favorite tropical beverage, which we ended up finishing by nightfall.


The first beach we reached was Playa del Cocos, a long stretch of gray sand lined with coconut trees.  There were lots of boats out in the bay and some tourists browsing around the main street.  We sat for awhile enjoying the breeze and being out of the car for a bit, but we weren't really feeling a pull to stay there so we soon found ourselves back in the car and on to the next beach.

We headed south to Playa Conchita and from there we drove along the coast to Playa Flamingo.  Playa Flamingo was gorgeous, a huge beach of white sand lined with trees and bordered on both sides by jungle reaching out to meet the sea.  The hotels lining the beach were beautiful as well, but way out of our price range.  We drove up a nearby hill to see the view from the top and got to see some of the most beautiful houses and landscaping I've ever seen.  It was like lifestyles of the rich and famous in Costa Rica. 

After peeking down driveways and through thick hedges we rolled along down the coast and back to Playa Conchita where we found a great little mini suite to call home for the next couple days.  Denise once again had to practice her patience as I dragged us all over town looking for the perfect spot, but our searching paid off and we got just what we wanted. A clean, cozy place with a balcony and bathroom for a good price.  The place even had a hot tub, but we found out later that night that it was actually more like a pool that was the size of a hot tub.

After settling into our room we went to the beach to catch the last of the sunset, then headed back to our room to take a mini nap before dinner.  We were so tired from our early morning zip liing and then so many hours of driving that our mini-nap turned into a long sleep, and in the morning we realized that we didn't have to worry about where to go for dinner because it was now time for breakfast.



In the morning we enjoyed some coffee and a couple games of backgammon, along with some pastries.  Not nearly as good as the toastlettes with nutella I'd become accustomed to.  We packed up our beach stuff and made our way back to town for a beachside lunch.  The timing was perfect.  We sat down just as the rain clouds were building up for a huge release, ordered our food as it started to sprinkle, ate while it was pouring rain, and paid the bill when the sun started to peek through the clouds once again.

We'd really liked Playa Flamingo when we were there the day before, so we drove down the beach and found a nice spot to watch the storm clouds dissolve and the waves crash on the sand.  Denise was fascinated with the various holes all over the beach and could hardly believe it when I told her they were all made by crabs.  We dug our way down into several of them without any crab sightings, but finally we succeeded in getting one to show himself.  The rest of our time at the beach she took little walks around to poke into the holes with a long stick in hopes of another sighting.  She was also on a mission to get the perfect picture of a hermit crab, and as you can see, she succeeded.

In between poking and photographing crabs, she sat with me in the sand to gaze out at the sea and sky.  We played a few games of backgammon, watched the crabs walk by, and just enjoyed sharing the beautiful view.  

 It started to look like rain again so we packed up our things and headed back to the rental car.  Once there, I couldn't find the keys. And neither could she.  Luckily, we found them.  But unluckily, they were inside the locked car.   We couldn't believe it, but there they were. And there we were.  Separated by just a pane of glass.  We could see them, but we couldn't get to them! What to do!!???

First things first, we put things in perspective by talking about how grateful we were that it was just the keys that we couldn't get to and not the car! Would have been a very different situation if we'd returned from the beach with no Jimmy in sight.  Next, we formed a plan. We'd walk up to the nearest hotel, ask to use their phone to call... someone? We figured the front desk staff might have some ideas.  

When we got to the hotel we had to kind of plead with the security guard to let us onto the property since we didn't look like the type of guest that would normally be staying somewhere so swanky.  Luckily there was a nice Costa Rican man enjoying a cup of coffee at the beachside hotel restaurant and he took an interest in our situation.  He first called the tourist police and said that if they couldn't help he had some plan B options.  The tourist police were on the scene within seconds, literally.  They must have been just around the block.  A 4x4 full of them.  By the time we were back at the car there were a couple motorcycle cops on the scene as well, so we had 6 Tico Tourist Police on the scene!

They didn't have any kind of kit or caboodle, they just put their minds to it and used what was available to them.  Each of them took a turn trying to just open the door handle. Luckily we'd already tried that or we would have felt even more ridiculous than we already did!  Then a few of them tried to pry the door open with their bare hands, also to no avail.  They started searching the nearby bushes for bits of trash that they could use and came up with a few sticks and a piece of wire.  They whittled the sticks to a point to cram them into the doorframe and open it up a bit, made a loop on the end of the wire, then slid it into the small opening they'd created with the sticks and popped the lock!  They were so nice and friendly the whole time and even let me take a photo of all of them with Denise!  Just another wonderful encounter with the Costa Rican Tourist Police!

We hopped into the car and drove down the block to the hotel restaurant to thank them for letting us in and helping us out.  We'd also had a second to check out the menu there and noticed some creme brulee, so we decided to treat ourselves to a sunset snack and celebrate the fact that our Jimmy had made it through the day safely, was securely locked up and in our sight, and we had the keys with us!




The Costa Rican man was very friendly and seemed happy to have some company.  Soon Denise and I found ourselves in another one-sided conversation, listening to him talk about his troubles with the Costa Rican beauracracy.  The more he talked the more we realized that we were sitting next to a very rich Costa Rican man.  He was part owner of the hotel, owned a large ranch nearby, and travelled all over the US and the world as a big-game hunter.  He told us that he had hundreds of trophies at home commemorating his skill.  A University from the US is paying him to reforest part of his ranch instead of continuing the damaging practice of raising cattle.  Not only does it destroy habitat directly, the cattle churning up the mud and muck causes massive amounts of sediments to flow into the rivers and streams, as well as eroding the hillsides.  Did you see the photo I put in earlier with the cows asking you what YOU were eating for dinner?  Well... 


After enjoying the sunset we went back to our mini-suite to shower up and get ready for dinner out at Outback Jack's.  We'd seen the signs on the way into town declaring the restaurant as "The 8th Wonder of the World" and " The Other Reason for Visiting Costa Rica" so we had to see it for ourselves.  Since it was the low season we were pretty much the only people there and the place didn't seem to be very 8th-wonderish, but the food was delicious and we enjoyed listening to the waves break just outside the restaurant. 

In the morning we were up early to have our last cup of coffee on the balcony, pack up all our stuff, and make our way back to the House of Dreams.  It had been a wonderful road trip and I'm so happy that I got to share more of Costa Rica with Denise, but it's true that there is no place like home.  Especially when home is the House of Dreams and you're living in it with people that you love so much!

BEHOLD!! A story SO GREAT and SO EPIC we couldn't even think of a title... (Part Two)

We last left our heroines in the middle of a dirt road in Costa Rica with a construction worker speaking of la bomba rapidly in Spanish. Not understanding what he was saying at first, Katie and Kirby asked him to repeat and slow down so they could use their Spanish skills to decipher what he was trying to tell them. Turns out the girls little Yaris wasn’t as unstoppable as they thought because the poor little guy had a flat tire!  The girls were shocked by the news and turned around promptly to head back into town and get the tire fixed before causing any damage to the car. The news was a little distressing and the girls fretted over how much a flat tire was going to cost in Costa Rica. Not knowing if la bomba was what the the Costaricans called a flat tire or if La Bomba was what they called the workshop where they fixed tires. After asking around a bit in town and maybe sounding a bit ridiculous telling people they had a bomba, the girls found la bomba, which turned out to be the workshop where a kindly gentleman fixed up their tire in no time for the low price of $8! 

Back on the road again the girls were once again faced with the choice of where to lay their lovely heads for the night. Having been slowed down by the Bomba incident the girls were nowhere near Nosara and the sun was rapidly descending. Since they were headed back the way they had come to avoid closed roads they were pretty close to where their peninsula adventure had started at Playa Naranjo. Making their way carefully back, the girls spot a beautiful gated resort called Hotel Oasis. 

Driving in, the girls were pretty sure that this amazing place was out of their price range. However, a lovely neighbor visiting the resort to take a dip in their pool greeted them and assisted them in making a deal with the resorts keeper. Since it was off season the place was completely empty. The girls were able to negotiate a great price to set their tent up on the luscious beach front lawn and even gained access to the hotel kitchen! Very exciting, considering the past few meals had been mainly made up of cereal or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Thrilled with their new digs the girls didn’t know what to do first! Swim in the huge bright blue pool? Set up camp? Grocery shop? Always ready to make the perfect plan and discuss all possible options, Katie, Kirby, and Shuli were quickly able to asses the situation and decide on the best course of action. 

First things first! They set up camp making sure they would be nice and cozy picking the perfect spot to pop their tent. Unable to resist the beckoning call of the ocean at their front door, Katie and Shuli enjoyed a sunset swim in the sea. Afterward, the girls hopped into the warm waters of the hotel pool. The pool was huge and a photo shoot soon ensued yet again with the trusty Lumix! As the light faded on the water the girls heard the rumble of their tummies growing louder and after a quick change slipped back into their Yaris and headed for the nearest market. Now that they had access to a kitchen a plethora  of culinary options opened up for them, however the three were still balling on a budget. After much debating the three agreed upon a feast of macaroni and cheese for dinner along with all the fixings for a grand breakfast and of course some rice and beans to carry along for lunch the next day. 

Eating more macaroni than their bellies could handle the girls soon found their eyelids growing heavy. Crawling into the comfort of their tent after a long day of exciting adventure, the girls drifted off into dreamland enjoying the softness of the grass underneath them and the ocean breeze. 

Waking at sunrise with birds chirping loudly and the bright sun pouring in through the netting of their tent, three lovely sets of eyes flutter open. The day is perfect and the three are excited at the endless possibilities of what lay before them. Kirby, an aspiring chef who is already quite talented in the kitchen, whips the group up a quick and satisfying breakfast of eggs, toast, and coffee. Feeling light and energized, the girls transition into workout mode. Lucky for Katie and Kirby, Shuli is a certified yoga instructor and she proceeds to lead a rejuvenating class in the serenest of settings. The girls gracefully move through the poses along with Shuli’s soothing voice, letting the splendor of the trees, flowers, sun, and water add their own inspirational touches to their practice. 

Taking the road a bit easier this time the girls once again enjoyed the sounds of Costa Rica’s finest radio stations which boast a great selection from the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s. The radio turned out to provide the perfect soundtrack to the girls road trip. Used to the bumpy, dusty and sometimes muddy roads by now, Katie tactfully wove her way around all the twists and turns while singing along to the radio hits, even avoiding this typical Costa Rican cart and oxen!

They made it to the beach at Samara and took a little break to walk around and see what the little town had to offer. Hearing the town in Nosara was really beautiful as well and not too far away the girls decided to venture on in hopes of camping in a new and unchartered territory. As the girls were met with several forks in the road they made their best guesses as to which way to follow towards Nosara. Ending up at a dead end where a river was running through the road and the mud was thick and sludgy, the girls decided they must have gone the wrong way. 

The girls carefully turned around and headed back towards town and along the way they met a man riding his bike down the dirt road. He offered up directions and advice on how to get to Nosara. Unfortunately, the river crossing was the usual way to get there during the dry season but due to all the recent rain the road was still blocked and closed and if the girls wished to get to Nosara they would have to go around. With new directions the girls were determined to get to Nosara before nightfall and headed off the way the nice man had suggested. Meeting some real rough patches of road, the girls slowly realized they may not make it to Nosara before the sunset. Coming to a smart unanimous decision, the girls decided to cut their losses and head back to Samara so they would have time to enjoy the beach there and find a new place to set up camp. 

As the girls headed back into town, content with the choice they had made a familiar bumpy, uneven feeling came over the car. At first the three thought it was just all the mud stuck to the tires but sure enough it was another Bomba! This time the girls were not worried but they were hungry. Slowly pulling out the spare tire the girls were ready to change this one themselves but they were met with a minor complication, an incomplete jack set! What were they to do? Well, at least one problem could be solved. The girls first pulled out their left over rice and beans and had a little brain fuel to help them ease their hunger and come up with a plan. Lucky for them a plan was not necessary. A few minutes later a nice couple from Massachusetts pulled up alongside and asked if they needed help. Although the girls were fully capable of changing their own tire, the chivalrous man from the US popped the flat off and had the new one on in no time. After thank you’s and you’re welcomes were exchanged the girls were once again on the road back into town. 

The search for the perfect camping spot began as the sun was setting. Due to the bomba incident the girls didn’t have time to go to the beach that day but they still had fun plans ahead of them because that night was to be a night of celebration. While the girls asked around town for the best and cheapest place to camp in town, Katie and Kirby devised a plan to celebrate the birth of their dear friend Shuli. With Shuli’s birthday just a few days away, Katie and Kirby used their last road trip night with Shuli to throw her a surprise party. Sending Shuli the negotiator off to ask about camping spots, Kirby snuck into the grocery store and purchased the essentials for any good birthday party - 3 beers for 3 friends, a sugary cake, and candles. 

Once Shuli made it back to the car with the info on Holas the best camping spot in town the girls piled back in the car in search of their camping spot.  Having trouble finding the place the girls ask for directions several times and soon discover that the camping place is not called Holas but called Alohas. Same name different language! Finding the campground the girls are met by the owner who offers a great camp spot at a great price complete with roof covering in case of rain and a plug-in source so the girls could enjoy a slide show of their adventures.

The tent is set up with ease and the girls settle in with their surprise beers to look at all the wonderful pictures that have been captured by the brilliant photographers, each seeing the trip through their own eyes, at their own angles. Katie sneaks off to light the candles in Shuli’s cake and when she heads back over they all sing and Shuli is elated with the thoughtful gesture made by her dear friends. Enjoying cake, laughs, and photos the girls reminisce over their wonderful road trip experience. Although their journey is coming to an end the next day and Shuli must head back to the big city, they smile and revel in the fact that no matter what, they will always share the stories and memories of the epic journey in their little white Yaris. 

Awaking the next morning with the sun the girls reluctantly pack up and head out, grabbing some quick coffees on their way out of town. Making their way back towards Katie and Kirby’s new home in La Fortuna, the girls hope to have time to stop along the way and enjoy a last meal at the end of their journey. They end up stopping at the same place they stopped at on their way out of town and the three are excited to sit at the cute table and chair set they had spotted days earlier. Ordering the cheapest yet hopefully satisfying item suggested by the plump cocinera, the girls sip their coffee, take in the view and wait for their fried plantains and cheese, a Costarican specialty and very delicious. The girls savor every bite and soak in the last few minutes of their relaxation before the reality of rental car returns and bus times take over. 

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After a detailed car wash to rid the rental car of the muddy evidence of the girls fantastic adventure it is time to say good bye to their Yaris. Pulling into the Alamo office the girls breathe a sigh of relief having made it back all in one piece with all their belongings. They feel extremely blessed to have shared such a magical time together on the roads of Costa Rica. Although this trip and this story have now come to an end, the spirit of adventure lives on in all three girls and sometime soon there will be a new daring and exciting expedition into the great unknown...

BEHOLD!! A story SO GREAT and SO EPIC we couldn't even think of a title... (Part One)

Once upon a time there were three girls ready for an adventure, three stunningly gorgeous girls. Katie the main driver and main photographer,  Kirby the navigator in the backseat and shell collector extraordinaire, and Shuli our fearless negotiator and yogini master. The best way to start any adventure is to choose a mode of travel. Would it be horse? Bike? Cart and oxen? No, not this time. This time the three brave, beautiful, young girls decided upon a car. Not just any car but a fabulous low budget Toyota Yaris conveniently picked up at their local Alamo-Rent-A-Car. Once the car was stuffed with all the necessary luggage, snacks, and sleeping gear they were on their way. 

Although they had no strapping male to accompany them along their journey, what they did have was a map. Not just any map, but a map that would guide them to the beach of colored rocks in Montezuma on the Nicoya Peninsula. 

Their journey started out just like any other road trip. Good music pumping through the speakers, yummy snacks being passed around, and laughs being shared. Although the car had a peculiar smell from past renters possibly having a car full of wet dogs who maybe rolled around in a mold patch, the girls enjoyed the freedom of the open road and let the wind blow through their hair and air out the car. 

They had a little checklist that provided many handy tips on how to stay safe on the foreign roads. One of the tips included not driving at night so although the girls were excited to be on their way, they had gotten a later start than planned and needed to find a place to stay for the night as the sun was setting. Shuli had the bright idea of asking a bar along the road if there was a good place to pop out their tent and sleep near by. The family that owned the bar was so nice and accommodating they offered the floor right there to the side of their bar! Since the day was rapidly coming to a close and the girls were very sleepy, the concrete floor under the shelter of the bars roof didn’t look so bad. They even had bathrooms and a shower available for them to use. While Shuli quickly regretted this choice of rest area, Katie and Kirby popped out the tent and found a nice patch of concrete close to the lovely lagoon in the back of the bar. After quick cold showers the girls were ready to settle in for the night. Poor Shuli ended up not having the best nights sleep for a variety of reasons. Partly because of the crack in the concrete underneath her very thin sleeping bag, also because she had a sneaking suspicion that the bar guests may be peeking through the roof of the tent to catch a glimpse of the Gringas sleeping, but mostly the fear of a crocodile slipping up from the lagoon and taking a bite out of the tent is what kept Shuli awake most of the night while Katie and Kirby slept like little angels beside her. 

The girls tent in the bar! 

After surviving their night in the bar and laughing about what a good story it would be to tell to their friends later, the girls packed up their gear, climbed back into their Yaris and hit the road. A quick breakfast of corn flakes in a field was the first order of business and then they were off. With all possibilities open to them they decided to take the long way around the Nicoya Peninsula to enjoy all the sights along the way. Little did they know.... the roads of Costa Rica had other plans for them! The drive started out just fine, smooth clear roads, no obstacles in sight. It wasn’t until passing the dock at Playa Naranjo did the flat asphalt road turn into a bumpy dirt road. The girls were excited at the untamed beauty that awaited them down these fantastic adventure roads. 

The view at Playa Naranjo Dock

Nothing could stop our fearless driver Katie. She plowed on, avoiding pot holes, dodging rocks, and hugging turns. Once she was tired and wanted a break, Shuli took over and it was good timing for our tank driver to be behind the wheel. The hundreds of hours she spent in the Israeli Army as a student and then an instructor of maneuvering large scale combat vehicles were the perfect preparation for what lay before the girls. A puddle the size of a lake spread fully across the road with its depths unknown. Go around it? No, they must go through it! Kirby put on her boots and investigated the depth of the enormous puddle in order to report back a plan of action to the driving Captains. After much consideration and a few deep breaths the girls forged through, creating a big splash and lots of laughs as they celebrated their victory of making it through the puddle of doom. 

Once through the puddle, nothing could stop the girls! They were on their way towards the beach and a few bumps and puddles could not get in their way! The drive was truly breathtaking with rolling mountains, billowing clouds, and countryside passing by. Passing through towns as they went the girls were so speedy on their adventure they soon caught up to a long line of cars stuck following behind a slow tractor. As the road widened cars began to pass each other left and right. It was every man for himself along this dirt road and the girls powered through like desert renegades, weaving their way through the free-for-all leaving the others in the dust. 

Stopping for a little break from the hot stinky car the girls pulled off at a nice looking open restaurant right by a bridge with a lovely river flowing underneath. The restaurant owner was very happy to see the girls and offered for them to use the facilities and informed them that the river was great for dipping in to cool off. The girls refreshed themselves in the river water and when they came back up to the restaurant to change the nice owner had fresh coconut pipas waiting for them to enjoy free of charge. Feeling invigorated from their hydrating stop the girls were back on the road again in no time!

The girls finally made it to their first destination, the beach at Montezuma. They found a great place to camp right on the beach and wasted no time breaking out the tent once more and setting up a cozy camp for three. While the campground seemed quite safe, the girls were still a little unsure since they were alone and had a rental car and some valuables. Always ready to find out the info, Katie ventured over to a couple of guys chilling on the beach to ask them about the security situation at the campground. These guys proceeded to say that they worked at the campground and that it would be $5 each for them to keep an eye on our stuff. Kirby called their bluff however, thinking it a bit suspicious that the random guys on the beach actually worked at the campground. Luckily, the girls did not fork over any of their dough and remained safe in their tent through the night. It was the first time the girls had encountered any sort of meanness or  sneakiness among the Costaricans. It was a good wake up call and a worthy lesson in learning that not every person can be trusted. 

The next day the girls awoke to many birds flying around their tent, squawking and welcoming the sun. They headed to a nearby cafe to enjoy some coffee and breakfast at a bargain price of course! Many animals came to greet the girls at the cafe including a opossum, an iguana, and more birds. Turns out the little cafe was the critters top choice for breakfast as well since the kitchen offered up some yummy treats for all. 

 After their tummies were full and their skin was sun-blocked they headed out to find the beach with the colored stones. Many people spoke of a beach in Montezuma where a river meets the sea and many colored stones and shells can be found along the river bed. The girls hiked for a bit along the water letting the ocean mist kiss their cheeks. As the trail opened up to the beach the girls were so excited to hop into the water they quickly flew out of their clothes and went straight into the warm waves. Many times along their journey Shuli had expressed how unbelievable their experience was, questioning, “Is this real life?”. And yes. Yes it was. A beautiful perfect day. Perfect waves. Hot sand. And the best part of all a cool fresh water river to wash the sticky salty waves away when the three were done swimming. 

Kirby and Shuli soon turned their attention to the amazing rocks and shells mixed in the sand, forming collections of the most beautiful ones. Slowly their rock collecting turned competitive, each boasting that they had found the best shell or most uniquely colored rock. The two reached a truce deciding that since they each had their own eye and style for picking rocks that both were excellent collectors. Katie enjoyed taking in the scenery and setting up the perfect shot for a photo shoot. The Montezuma beach was the perfect setting. The girls leapt and jumped for joy at the natural beauty that surrounded them and Katie’s trusty Lumix snapped away taking the best possible pictures. 

Once their beach day was coming to a close it was time to return to camp and pack up all the gear and get back on the road. Although some of their plans had been thwarted by rain and bad road conditions along the peninsula, the girls had come up with a new plan to go back around the way they had come and get to the beaches of Nosara. Back on the road again the radio was pumping tunes and the girls were beat bopping along until they met a slowing in traffic due to some construction. When approached by the kindly gentleman holding the Stop sign, he began to speak fast Spanish, speaking of “la bomba”.

Not knowing what la bomba was the girls smiled and nodded, but slowly the three girls began to feel uneasy. The construction worker continued to gesture at the car and call his fellow workers over and speak in fast Spanish. Although Katie and Kirby were quite proficient in their Spanish speaking abilities they were unable to understand what the worker was trying to say to them. The nervousness in the car began to rise as the girls discussed what was happening. Should the girls roll up their windows? Does the worker wish them harm? Has their luck finally run out? What will become of our three heroines??