Displaying items by tag: travel central america

When moving to Central America for nine months, you need to make certain sacrifices. It begins when you pack – forced to squint into that humid future while sucking on a Jamba Juice is a difficult task. Then, once you arrive, you are forced into even tougher decisions. You know, the ones that may or may not haunt you for your entire trip, and even affect your life afterward. Knowing this to be the case, I did some soul searching our first week in Costa Rica and finally decided what had to be done. I approached my wife hesitantly, unsure about how to drop such a bomb on her.

So, let me get this straight. We take the number 5 bus to the end of the route, switch to the number 14, and then get off near the fountain. Then we walk uphill until we get to a path in the cornfield. At every crossroads in the cornfield, turn left until we find the building site? Do I have that right?

We had our first glimpse of Tikal on the TV reality show, Survivor – Guatemala. Seeing it in real life is so much more amazing! It is Guatemala’s most famous cultural and nature preserve. Many call it one of the most spiritually powerful spots on earth. Its towering temples loom out of the thick jungle canopy and are reminiscent of stoic sentinels. Like all unexplained mysteries, it is fascinating and so irresistible

As a traveler, I find myself schizophrenic. I’m unbearably optimistic in the planning stage, and utterly certain the night before departure I shouldn’t be going and of course have forgotten to plan and/or pack something utterly essential to the success of the trip. My wife is a meticulous and organized packer, who actually uses detailed checklists to ensure we have everything we might possibly need, without over-packing.

As I stepped off the airplane and walked into the small, busy airport in San Jose, Costa Rica, the feeling of panic that I had thus far been able to ignore, hit me like a cheap blow to my gut. Every thought I had, every fearful and worrisome notion that filled my head could be summarized in one all consuming question. What the hell was I doing there?

Ever thought about living in another country and immersing yourself in an entirely new culture?  i-to-i provides meaningful volunteer travel programs and is an excellent way for eager travelers to explore the world.

Panacea de Montana, a yoga retreat in the northwest of Costa Rica on the Pacific coast, was a fabulous place to forget about the Boston winter. My husband and I felt like we were staying with friends at a luxurious outdoor camp. Three gloriously gentle and aware individuals run it, each bringing something different to our visit. Debbie, Mary, and Peter have created a no-fuss, no-pressure yoga retreat in a restful rural setting and are great at accommodating guest requests.  I was so relaxed by the end of this retreat that just breathing felt like deep meditation.