Happy New Year 2018!

Here’s hoping there are a few changes from 2017, that people start talking to each other, and that crypto-currency keeps booming.

We started 2018 en route from the Monte Verde cloud forest to Quepos, our ultimate destination in Costa Rica. The roads from Monte Verde down to highway 1, the Pan-American Highway, are not great. We now completely agree with those who recommend 4-wheel drive vehicles in Costa Rica. The roads are rutted, filled with rocks and pot holes, and nearly impassible at times. They call it the “Costa Rican message.”

Even so, we drove in a very comfortable Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, by Mikhail. The surrounding country is beautiful.

Ellen had just asked Mikhail if there were monkeys everywhere, when she shouted “Monkeys!” Sure enough, a troop of Howler monkeys were sitting on a roadside tree.

You can see the black dots in the branches.

Eventually, we did make it to the Pan-American highway which was quite comfortable.

Proof that we made it to the Pan-American highway

As it was a holiday, the roads were two-lane and loaded. The people going back to San Jose had to be suffering at least a 1 – 2 hour delay. The beaches were packed with families enjoying the sea.

A highlight was when we stopped for lunch at the Tarcoles River. It is noted for its crocodiles, although they are common throughout Costa Rica. We have the sense that they are fed, as there were quite a group and they were quite impressive.