I was encouraged to post about my trip to Costa Rica...so here you have it.

Last week my brothers and I went to Costa, and dad came along at the last minute (which was really fantastic).
We went to surf...and to avoid shoveling snow for a bit.
The waves were excellent and perfect for me: just head high, always clean, and long periods between them.
I was stung by a jellyfish--which is funny because I got back and read on another post about using urine to hep relieve the sting. Someone told me the same thing, after the fact, and after I had used vinegar on suggestion. It was very strange...I didn't know what happened. I had just wiped out, and felt this electric burning sting alll across my arm, shoulder to wrist. I've never broken anything, so I thought that was it not knowing what that feels like. But when I looked at my arm, I had all these raised red welts wrapped around me. I wasn't as scared as perhaps I ought to have been. In fact, I caught a few more waves before exiting the water. perhaps over zealous of me.

There were a good amount of fresh local fruits to choose from, but they went fast a the mini mercado. I ate LOTS of papaya, as it was cheaper than apples are here. Also, a watermelon off the back of a tico's truck. pineapple, noni (yuck/boring), passionfruit, green oranges, something like passionfruit only orange and tangier inside.

The best part of the trip was gathering fresh young coconuts (and some mature) with my youngest brother, tearing off the husks on the rocks at the water, and devouring the insides after long surf sessions. Now, for the future, replace my brother with a veg/raw brilliant athlete (man) and I will trade in the rest of my life.

what else...
howler monkeys, iguanas, a dead/washed up leatherback turtle, coati, red & violet land crabs, and plenty of stray dogs.

I was able to detox from the two weeks in my mother's kitchen pretty effortlessly. I had also been fairly inactive (compared to usual), getting out for some activity only every other day, and not lifting any weights. Granted, cross-country skiing, pond-hockey, winter hiking, and running around my farm town, are my most coveted kinds of activity. Regardless, I had gained five pounds, was bloated, oily, anxious, and lethargic at about 75% raw.
On the travel down there, I decided to eat super light and drink lots of water. I had only a couple bananas, and a plate of lettuce when we got there. The next day, I was up at dawn, waxing my board and ready to paddle out. It only seemed to take 2 or 3 days to get back to my regular fitness/energy level, eating all the fruit I could between surfing and exploring.

that's it. maybe this thread will turn into a journal for me...though I hadn't intended so. and thanks for the encouragement to post the story. I was hesitant because I didn't want to brag about my fun.

measure twice, cut once.

"In Watermelon Sugar the deeds were done and done again as my life is done in watermelon sugar." ~r.brautigan

I make paintings

Thanks for sharing. I did'nt think of it as braging at all. It did make me want to go somewhere sunney and with lots of fruit. Its cold out here in washington. I wish you had pictures of the things you saw and the fruit. I really miss watermellon

It's nice to hear these stories, they inspire me to make my own plans.

Costa Rica is an intersting place, thanks for sharing your adventure.

Shaine, thanks for sharing your travels with us. I can't wait to get to Costa Rica, it's been a dream of mine for over 3 years now. Glad all was well with the jellyfish sting...how many people out there can say they hugged a jellyfish, eh? I've seen videos of people tearing open cocos in the tropics. That rrrrripping noise the husk makes sounds sooooooooo satisfying! Think it'd be possible to learn how to surf in Costa? I lived in Santa Cruz, CA for a couple of years but believe it or not never once tried surfing...

hey shaine

cool!! dug reading about your experiences
and all that fresh fruit exotica .. sounds like paradise
i know two people who went to costa rica

i wanna go there too
sounds like a beautiful place

keep catching those waves