Coming from a multi-cultural
family, I guess that’s not too surprising.
But for the early part of my
life, our family was primarily contained in Colorado.
With Dad still
working through years 10-20(?)
I was instantly reminded
of Lassen Volcanic National Park in California, only Poas is even more
grand.
After
meeting up with Tai, we headed up north to the Monte Verde Cloud
Forest.
We found some unfortunate lavandaria to wash her clothes for
her, but to no avail.
Most had to be thrown out.
But after that was
settled it was decided that when you’re in Costa Rica, you zip line.
Yep Mom, you zip line.
caught a small flight from San Jose to the Osa Peninsula.
Yep, that was the air strip.
After a
remarkably smooth landing, we traversed by Jeep across rivers and death
potholes to a pebbly beach.
What is there not
to do on the Osa Peninsula?
Early morning bird watching hikes?
Hiking around the park looking for Tapirs?
Going out with a
dolphin researcher and swimming with wild dolphins?
Relaxing in
hammocks while watching lightening storms off the coast?
Did you
see that sloth up there in the trees?
There’s a very
poisonous snake there.
Got a bad cut?
Get an ant to bite around the cut
then pitch its head off.
About 30 miles off the
coast we encountered a pod of about 300 dolphins.
Horizon to horizon
was spotted with dolphins leaping into the air and surfing with the
boat.
Of
course that sea sickness would stop me from eating my pita peanut
butter and jelly sandwich for lunch.
But as my other blogs will tell, it wouldn’t be our last time
to Costa Rica.
South Africa
In
2000, Durban was the host of the International AIDS Conference.
And a note to the not-so-wise.
.. Do not eat a street vendor British hot dog with sauteed onions
before boarding a 13 hour flight.
And check to ensure your puke bag
is in the seat back in front of you.
Flight attendants do not like a 14
year old handing them a puke filled blanket.
Landing in
Johannesburg at some odd hour has made some odd memories for me.
Did we
really get KFC there?
I was going to get to see Simba, Timon, and the
hyenas!
And a note for camping in South
Africa in July… nights are cold.
This is their winter after all.
Bring a warm sweater.
From the beautiful
architecture, amazing service, and its LOCATION, it was paradise.
if Kruger hadn’t fully amazed us yet there was still Cape Town to go
to.
are called Jack Ass Penguins and for good reason.
They beigh like
donkeys and just as loud too.
On the drive back I saw my first wild
ostrich.
Little did I know that later that night I would be eating
ostrich.
A yummy dark meat.
This time the flight
went without a puking incident.
Good thing this all happened before airlines
started charging for luggage.
But the rental car company sets us up
with a tiny Renault Clio.
Mom has good
friends who live in Cologne, working for the Sports College in town.
A
sports college, now this was a new idea for me.
We were able to see in
on their gymnastics practices and strange performing art performances.
wood velodrome, and of course, the
chocolate museum.
After just a few
days we had to drive the little Clio back to France and back into
Paris.
This when I discovered that my mother could string together
series of curses that would make a prison blush.
In
between the spokes is a webbing of smaller roads.
Remember, this is all before the glorious age
of GPS in rental cars… Good thing we got
that insurance on that Clio.
We stayed with some friends in Bern, who
were able to inform us on some fun Swiss laws.
For example, if you live
in an apartment building, you cannot flush the toilets after 10pm.
And
at stop lights, they go green, yellow, red, yellow, green.
This is
because they require you to turn your car off at stop lights.
The
yellow before the green is your chance to start your car again.
There
was something else odd about the grocery store, but I can’t seem to
remember that one.
Our friends joined us to view the Tour as it
passed through the mountains.
Going to see the tour is such a different
experience than you would ever think on TV.
In 2000, Lance Armstrong was on his way to winning his second Tour De France.
I can happily say I saw him ride.
On the way to Italy, it was necessary to stop off in the beautiful Swiss alps.
Mandatory stops were the Eiger and the Jungfrau.
brought the tiny Clio down into the beautiful Lago Maggiore.
I think Mom
lived off those cookies from Italy to France.
But not before stopping off to
see the majestic atterhonrn.
Oh, but to drive back into Paris and then to the maze of Charles De
Gaulle.
We
flew out of Paris on July 25, 2000.
Before we checked in, we tried to
see if there was any availability on more direct flights home.
And a good thing too.
