Starting to get serious

Ok, so it's April 1 and time to start getting serious about this trip to Costa Rica. I have been looking forward to this trip for quite a while. Since Jessica and I will be renting a Jimmy to get around and discover everything we can about this country, I sent away for a waterproof map from Amazon. It arrived yesterday, along with Fodor's Costa Rica travel book. From what I've read, the road conditions and markings are not the best. No signs and potholes make for challenging driving. It's strongly suggested that a 4WD is the way to go when driving to remote areas. And a GPS might be a good idea to have handy. We'll be landing in Liberia and driving to Tamarindo, on the Pacific side. Word has it that the Nicoya Peninsula is a popular destination for the sun-and-fun crowd, but still has a yet-to-be-discovered feel. If surfing lessons is what Jessica has planned, Tamarindo is the place to go.

Jessica has a long list of "to-do's" while on this trip. Going to start researching and figuring out km distance from one area to another to see what's possible. Most definitely want to see Volcano Arenal. Costa Rica has five active volcanoes and this is the most active. Monteverde Cloud Forest promises to be packed with plant and animal species. It's one of the world's most famous protected areas. Gotta remember to pack binoculars. Suspension bridges and zip line tours, here we come!