Tag: adventure

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5 Suitcases Are Ready!

The 5 Suitcases Are Lined Up Ready To Be Packed

They have been lined up in my living room for quite a while and soon I have to do a dry run packing to see what will actually fit in them. I got the three hardbacks in a large size to go with my two life-time warranty soft bags. In the meantime I’m still trying to sell furniture and this weekend started packing my art collection. Books and art are what I really want to take. Furniture is so available there and with really nice woods. Though I may decide to stay with furnished apartments and not worry about furniture at all. Simplify! 

On the landing strip in Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica by Charlie
Well, I’ve been including photos of Costa Rica, so I had to find one to go with these suitcases! How about when I don’t want to ride a bus to a national park across the country, I fly in one of these little regional airline planes? This is what I flew to Puerto Jimenez for my trip into Corcovado National Park. One of the newer regional airlines is called “Nature Air” which I like just for the name! 🙂 Most trips like this cost about $40. Not bad if in a hurry! But $5 for the bus is better!

The adventures are soon to begin! And I’m ready!

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Sticker Shock Twice Today! And Carretas!

Sarchi is just 21 km (25 minutes) north of Atenas and where these famous
painted oxcarts (carretas) are made, plus it’s the furniture making capital of Costa Rica
where I will buy furniture if I ever move to an unfurnished apartment.
I made this photo in Sarchi in 2010. Soon I’ll photograph the Atenas Oxcart Parade.

Today was another big step in my process of moving to Costa Rica. I sent the required documents for my Pensionado Residency application to my Costa Rica attorney. He will soon begin the application process so maybe I’ll have my residency by next summer. Today it brought some sticker shock at DHL. First, to send the stack of papers I’ve talked about earlier (Birth Certificate, Police Background Check, Social Security Letter, and U.S. Embassy Registration) by Registered DHL Express Courier, it cost $71. What?! Well, it is a very important package, that must get there safely, not get lost, and I spent almost that on getting the contents. Soooo, I just rationalized my acceptance of it!  🙂

My second sticker shock came when I asked the DHL man how much it would cost to send a 50 lb suitcase to San Jose, Costa Rica (thinking it would be cheaper than excess baggage on the plane). We estimated suitcase measurements and punched it all in his computer at 50 lbs. to find it would cost around $1,400! Wow! And I thought American Airlines excess baggage was expensive! I will check at least one other shipper, but it looks like I will move to Costa Rica with whatever I can get in 5 suitcases. I wanted to simplify my life and this will actually help me do that as I prioritize what is important and what I can live without. This fun adventure continues! And thanks to Robbie for this cool quote:

One way to get the most out of life is to look upon it as an adventure.”— William Feather, American publisher