How I became Chikitipo in land creaiting wind
10-12.01.2018 Arenal 88,9km /// 1298,88km
Finally I’m in Aranal lake covered by volcano with same name. I didn’t wanted to hike there and even less will I had after I knew ticket prize. 15$ for foreigners and only 2$ for Costa Ricans. Always tourists are paying more that was really too much!
It doesn’t matter what You can see there. Most important is that they accept American Express š And it’s same in almost every city in Costa Rica
I went on other side of dam where on tiny jetty first I met employee of National Park who argue about poacher with harpoon and later family with grill, enough near for whole army and… few harpoonsĀ šĀ They invited me like a king! I didn’t ate so much near since long long time. And later they used harpoon and all coast was covered with fishesĀ š
In night I couldn’t sleep because of some gorillas. They made so much noise that was really difficult to catch even second of dream. And I couldn’t shout of them, throw slipper or call for police and argue about noisy neighbours. I could only cross fingers to be invisible for them and that they will not come for glass of sugar.
I was really disappointed about round around lake. I thought that road is leading much closer to coast or that from asphalt much often is possible to see lake. Asphalt which was going up and down so unless my muscles weren’t bored. That fully I met on road two interesting couple on bikes. First are travelling 4 weeks around Costa Rica with two kids – 8months and 3 years old. And second one was couple of Austrian who are going from Ushuaia to Alaska.
Eleanor, owner of shop who I met on road. He’s so calm and warm person! With smile can cure every wound. He helped me with milk, cookies and even I didn’t wanted, gave me a little bit of cash. Pure kidness š
13-16.01.2018 Liberia 89,4km ///Ā 1388,28km
Crem de la crem of that mountain waited for me at the end. Hill Producing Wind. I named that huge hill with wind farm on top. Winds of mills are grind very fast wind and produce electricity but also very deep and after some time disturbing noise. And that incredible strong wind! I thought that gonna take whole bus stop where I camped that night. That wind didn’t stopped during whole next day when through me from one side of road to anotherĀ šĀ Few times drivers stopped next to me and asked if I want to go with them. But me, strongly fighting with wind, constipated to not fall, I shouted over wind that I want to walkĀ š
Somewhere on bumpy road I lost t-shirt. I wrote about that, because itās another thing which in unplanned way put out some weight from my trolley. And Iām really angry about that hastiness. I walked really fast through Canas, another classic city. In Costa Rica You are not sure that You will find in real road which is on map, but You can be sure that on main square are sockets š
Canas, besides mentioned Charging Points, have nothing special to offer. Oh maybe enormous play fields! Thatās incredible that in really small cities and villages are so big churches or football fields.
Next on road so straight and flat that itās possible to iron there shirts, I pushed my trolley to Bagaces. From first steeps on square I found fumes of alcohol and many drinkers and other strange types waiting for apocalypse. Was weekend and I didnāt wanted to find place in memory of those villagers as white street fighter who fighted with local guys, so I aksed for place in church. That was really good choice! I found there not only roof over head and toilet, but also information that in another city live polish priest! So like on wings, lashed with wind like with whip, I rolled to Liberia.
Liberia is huge, but besides waves of heat, waves of wind, waves of gringos and waves of water from sprinklers with incredible power, there is nothing special to see. Itās really good point to explore beaches. And maybe I wanted to do that but lack of cash changed my plans. So next two days I spend in hone of Ernesto, my host from Couchsurfing.
I walked also to missionary about who I heard before, but that wasnāt so easy to find his address. I walked from one church to another and even asked in bishopās secretary, and finally I found priest Maciej. That was really good, but short meeting. Heās work in Christian library so that was really good possibility to talk a little bit about books and generally about work of polish missionary in Central America.
At the end Maciej done something what almost pushed me down. When we said goodbye, he ran out of his office with box of pineapple andā¦ a lot of dollars! I didnāt wanted to take them! Fruits sure, but that was a lot of cash! āTake them and please buy something to eatā he said and like basketball player threw money on box with fruit. I count it and that was 16$!!! I stand there few minutes more and I fought how lucky Iām to meet that kind of people.
In Liberia I received information from my firend that since 1 of January there is new law in border with Nicaragua and now to cross it is necessary first send information to some ministry! Thankfully I had good internet and I could do that, but still ministry have 7 days to reply, soā¦ we gonna see what they gonna do with my request.
17-21.01.2018 La Cruz 60,1km /// 1448,38km
Road to La Cruz I made in two quick steps. First on flat but windy steps and later in a little bit much hilly land. At night I camped on land of National Park. Yeeeeah I chose really smart place because 200m from Rangerās office so guard shouldnāt walked to much to through me away or give me fee. I made also fire to prepare food, so if he could have problems to localize my camp, he could just follow huge smoke. Yes, I was really smart. But I donāt really know why, maybe they didnāt care about anything or didnāt saw me, but nobody disturb me that night (even mosquitos)
What is happening with his hands? š®
Is so windy that even signs want to touch ground
In La Cruz in total I spend two days waiting for my permission. I had almost everything to be happy ā socket, Internet and even shower which I found on other side of Culture Center š Almost because I didnāt had cash to buy anything to eat :/ Thankfully I met guy on bicycle who helped me with sandwich. In other way I could try cross border immediately š
I was almost without cash and than… I found this! So much happiness in one coin š
That time I found place to sleep beside Cultural Center. I found there also shower! If someone gonna ask where I wash myself š
Guy from Argentina who helped me with sandwich! Thanks a lot!
Still I didnāt had permission, but what is worst also I was out of cash… I need try to pass border. If they will not want to let me in I wanted to pass border illegal and wait on other side for permission, and than come back and take stamp in passport. I met also once again Argentinian who came back from there. He couldnāt pass because didnāt had vaccination for yellow fever. Well it seems that will be difficult to enter to Nicaragua.
I prepared in paint ticket for bus. Sometimes they want to see ticket to continue journey. And what? I forget to download it on my cellphone š Thankfully queue of trucks to border had 3 or maybe 5 km so I had a lot of time to ask drivers if they have some. And one gave me it as a gift! So much happiness!
Finally I reached border. Paid 8$ (5$ for exit, 2$ for scanning and control my backpack, but nobody done that and 1$ just because) and I left Costa Rica. Damn, that was really good country! Now walk to part of Nicaragua. I stand on looong queue to window. Step by step closer to freedom. I paid another 12$ for enter, gave passport andā¦ thatās it! I was in Nicaragua! Nobody asked me for vaccination, permission or other things! Thatās proof that a lot (or maybe everything) is depends from officer.
Now just pass scanner. My trolley couldnāt enter so I just put my backpack and walked beside with trolley. What a absurd! I could have there hundreds kilograms of cocaine and trotyl and nobody care about that!
But I also. Now was time for Nicaragua!
No man’s land. Few meters and one stamp to be in Nicaragua
Victory!
