Days 11 and 12.. Cross Country Ramblings
Day 11
Dear god... another 4 am start... and this is a holiday!!
The bus from Puerto Jiminez leaves at 5am so I. wanted to make sure I was there in plenty of time.
I staggered out the door, the groundsman rushed to open the gate for me (Sorry I woke you up early too) and I left La Palapa, with some. sadness it must be said. It had been an oasis of calm... and had I known what was coming, I may have decided to stay put!
(I am writing this a couple days beind schedule)
I got to the bus, no problema, bought a ticket in Spanish (someone tell Theresa!) and boarded for what was going to be an uncomfortable 8 hours.
It was bad enough on the way here, but the bump. on the head, coupled with a very sore stiff neck meant that finding a comfortable position was not easy. Fortunately I had my neck pillow from the plane and that helped somewhat, mainly stopping my bruised head bashing against the seat. I am fairly convinced that as well as mild concussion, I sustained whiplash due to the forces behind my head hitting the wall and throwing it forward again.
So I tried to stay in a comfy position. within the cramped confines of the seats which seemed even closer together than the ones on the way out.
But it had to be done.
We hopped out every time there was a driver break stop, perused the stalls for food on offer and wandered around trying to get feeling back into the limbs.
I tried to sleep but as a general rule find it nigh on impossible so contented myself with staring out the window for much the journey
We passed the palm fields and the exit for La Tarde, my favourite place. We followed the coastline and then turned inland. We crossed the crocodile bridge where people stop to stare at the crocs below and I could see one, fairly large croc, sunning himself on the river bank. We then wound up and over the mountains which gave us a good view of the jungle spreading out below us... so. much greenery.!
The rest of the ride passed slowly, punctuated by stops for the locals to jump on and off as we got nearer San José. We arrived at the bus station and I hopped off, eager to grab my bag and walk back to Hotel Sura.
The taxi men accosted all the passengers asking if they wanted a taxi. Non gracias was my reply.
Are you english (how could they tell😜🤔)
Where are you going? You need a taxi.!
Non gracias... walking!
Dangerous to walk, not good.
Uh huh!
And with that, I shouldered my pack and walked the ten minutes back to the hotel, rang the bell and wandered gratefully into the familiar entrance.
My room wasn't quite ready, so I took a seat on the sofa and started to read my book.
I noticed a cat and patted my lap. The nice looking tabby with big, slightly wild eyes, came up and promptly sat down on my lap, nudging me with his head when I stopped stroking him.
Be careful of that one, the proprieter said, with a swiping motion. Just at that second, I must have stroked somewhere he didn't like, cos he swatted at me with his paw, a claw just catching my hand... hey ho... bitten by a snake, scratched by a cat... all good.
He settled down again and showed no inclination to swipe at me again and I was almost disappointed when they said my room was ready. I didn't want to leave the cat, and he didn't want to leave my lap... but I also wanted a nap... my head hurt and my neck ached and I figured a few hours nap before food was a good plan.
I had decided to take a chance with the tickets to La Pavona tomorrow and get up early in the morning and make my way to. the bus station with plenty of time to spare. I had been waking up at 3 or 4 in the morning anyway so it was no great shakes.
Pizza was being offered and as it saved me. going out to get food it seemed. like the best plan ever.
I didn't last long after food and conked out!
Day 12....
Another early start. Today could be complicated.
To get to Tortuguero, I need to get a bus to Cariari and then another bus to La Pavona and then a boat to Tortuguero. Apparently. they all sync together nicely... we will see.
I thought I knew from internet research that the bus to Cariari left at 0900 but I wasn't leaving anything to chance. It was also from a different bus station than I had used for Puerto Jiminez so was a bit further to walk. I had also heard that it was in a less salubrious part of town.
I set off about 0645 and headed up the hill. and then across. It was pretty easy to get toand although some of the streets. looked a bit run down, even by Central American standards, and there were a few rough sleepers, I never felt in danger.
I got to the bus station and found my way to. the ticket office... I want to go to tortuguero please...
She pointed to the next booth along...
ok. try again. I want to go to tortuguero please (in Spanish, someone please tell Theresa! 😂)
She answered me in English, probably just as well. She told me what I knew about the 2 buses, confirmed I could only buy the ticket to Cariari here and I would get the ticket and the bus from the same bus station that I was dropped off at. Seemed simple.
It was until I. was confronted with a line. of buses in gates with no numbers on, bus drivers shouting destinations, none of which sounded like Cariari and generally entered into utter confusion. One bus driver told me. to wait in a certain place and that the bus left at 9.
By 0830 I was starting to get concerned as no one was shouting to board for Cariari and they seemed to have a long boarding process. I asked again.
It's this bus... he said pointing in one direction... but it's that line, pointing in the complete opposite direction, towards a bus which had another destination on....
So confused.!
Some lady took pity on my obvious confusion and confirmed that this was the line for the bus to Cariari... so I joined that...
only to find that the bus that had originally been pointed at now opened its doors and the people in my line were confused now... is it that one?? The lady who had been helpful to me, confused herself now, went to check and confirmed that that was the bus to Cariari, which by now had a totally different line of punters jostling... add us to the mix and it was like Marks and Sparks on a sale day!
I shoved my rucksack in the hold, after checking yet again with the driver that we were headed to Cariari. Then I climbed aboard and settled in for another 2 hour journey.
I spent most of this checking on google maps that we were headed the right way as I still wasn't 100% certain that I was on the right bus.
I was also comparing the different types of houses here and seeing how they differed from Puerto Jiminez... these seemed to be smaller and more squished in, though there were several that stood out as a cut above the rest with a portico and tiled floor underneath with chairs to sit in whilst protected from the rain. Some of them looked idyllic!
The bus pulled into Cariari... I jumped off, grabbed my bag and made for the ticket office which was unmanned and so I looked around, confused about where to buy my ticket for the next leg.
I needn't have worried. I was now firmly on the tourist trail and a travel consultant came up to ask me where I was headed. As soon as I said Tortuguero, he ushered me to the place to wait, told me I would buy the ticket to the bus and the boat when on the bus and said the bus would be there shortly. I checked I wasn't accidently signing up. for some kind of tour but it appears that they usher tourists along from this point to ensure they make it to Tortuguero. There weren't many obvious tourists. A few germans and a french couple.
The second bus to La Pavona took only half an hour and then we were directed off the bus and towards the slipway by a representitive of the hotel we had booked with. In my case this hotel was only for 1 night and then I was moving to another. The hotel person tried to sell me a turtle tour, which I have already booked and then asked how long I was with them. When I said one night, she got disinterested and left! Fair enough.
The boat came and we all clambered aboard, sans life jackets (no health and safety bumpf here), and set off down the river.
I was sitting near a local lad with Trisomy 21. He was excellent at spotting crocs and within 5 minutes pointed out 2 for me. I gave him a big grin and a fist pump. He then spotted an iguana waay before anyone else saw one... he had a great eye for the reptiles!
So Crocs and an Iguana within 5 minutes... things are looking good....
Until we hit the shore of Tortuguero and it was like I'd been hit by the tourist trail madness. The hotel rep grabbed me and took me via the tourist info place (trying to sell me more tours) before then kindly showing me the way to my hotel for one night. This hotel was on the side and next to the turtle beach and getting there involved a series of alleyways... past souvenir shops and restaurants and tour operators... it was like Puerto Jiminez on speed. I didn't like it. First impressions were damming... too many people, too much noise and bustle... too much rubbish!
I got to my hotel and was shown to my cabin and read the rules of the beach... not allowed on the beach before 6am and after 6pm to protect the nesting turtles. You are only. allowed on the beach with a guide and you are given a time. slot and a beach mile marker. I have already booked a tour for later in the week but do not know my time slot yet.
Then I wandered down the beach and tried to orient myself. My head hurt a bit and my neck was playing up. and I found it all a bit overwhelming. I wanted to escape the people!
The beach had less people on further down and I achieved a measure of isolation.
A bit further down a trail, that the night hike guy told me about, I found the Turtle Sea Conservancy museum. Fairly dull museum to be fair but the money I paid as entrance fee went towards helping them with their work. I also bought a couple souvenirs here to add to the donated money. It's worth looking up these guys and maybe adopting a turtle from them or donating a small bit of money. They do an astounding job of protecting and tracking turtles around South America and have contributed to increasing numbers of turtles swimming free in the wild!
I walked around the town for a bit, stopping to look at some of the tours.
One of them was a night tour but in a private part of the National park (apparently) so I boomed him for tomorrow night. He can provide me with boots! He also informed me that most of the night walks just go down the free trail which leads up to the airport. Great, I will just take a torch down there myself then! I might buy some boots though, just in case!
I went to bed early, exhausted by the travelling and with a head that was still suffering the after effects of being smashed against a wall.
Tomorrow hopefully I will acclimatise to this place better!
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