Now we're in America - a rocky start in the land of Ticos

After family time and this time Christmas at home, thanks to Toni who drives us to Munich airport at 6am, we start our journey to Costa Rica.

Check-in and security checks (plus security questions) went smoothly and once we arrived at the gate, it was time to board our first stop in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The flight was smooth and the food was okay (according to Thomas, it was good and plentiful, probably because of the chips that were already served for breakfast 😝).

Upon arrival in Charlotte, we had to go through the security check for entry into America, and even there you could already tell that things are a bit different than in Europe. In the long line, no cell phones or cameras are allowed, but a 5-year-old still managed to bring some good cheer by loudly exclaiming in beautiful Bavarian dialect, "Now we're in America".

After a few questions about our plans in Costa Rica, our stay in Charlotte, and our occupations, our evening in the small town and airport hotel could proceed without any issues.

We ended the evening with an exploration tour of the city and a dinner, and then went to bed relatively early since it was already the middle of the night by German time. The previous night was also relatively short, and we don't want to start our vacation tired 😉

Despite this, we still felt the time difference, so we were already wide awake at 6am and decided to do some exercise before the next flight.

The flight from Charlotte to San José was delayed, but we still arrived safely and relaxed. The luggage was there as planned, and we could make our way to the car rental station. We have never gotten off the plane, collected our luggage, and reached the off-site station so quickly. Hats off!

Taking over the car made us a little uneasy because we have a "normal" car and not a four-wheel drive, and most people here don't have insurance in case of an accident... Oh dear...

So, we ended up with a Toyota Yaris that already shows some signs of wear and tear and suggests that the roads here are a bit wilder 😅

We spent the first night in San José (the capital of Costa Rica) and explored the city center, which overwhelmed us with its noise and the impressions that bombarded us 😂

So let the vacation begin, and on the next day (Sunday), we set off to Quepos (Pacific coast) to explore the area and visit the Manuel Antonio National Park.

Full of hope and adventure, we set off, and just 20 minutes later, it was already over 😂 Toll booth, no cash, and the employees didn't speak English. Didn't we just talk about getting cash because everything can be paid with Visa (spoiled Germans...)

So, we put the car in reverse and parked it in front of the toll booth because we thought the lady signaled that she would call someone....

Well, minutes later, we thought, let's try to convince her with our last Euros... apparently, she realized that we were probably a hopeless case and wanted to let us pass (by the way, the toll was not even 50 cents...). But our car wouldn't start 😂

We tried over and over again to start the car, but it seems that the battery is dead. So we called the car rental company for help, but here comes the next problem - where are we actually 😂 thanks to the toll booth employees, this problem was quickly solved as well.

So, we had to wait for the service and hope that he would bring a new battery.

He didn't have a new battery, but he installed his own battery in our car so that we had a little more security. The only remaining problem was the tachometer that wasn't working, and he explained to us that we should wait because it would eventually "recover".

Well, we can all imagine the skepticism behind this explanation, but actually... after some driving time, the display recovered and eventually started working again 😂. After another stop before the next toll booth and turning around to find cash, we finally made it to Quepos, our first stop in Costa Rica.

The accommodation (Tabulia Tree) is a bit closer to Manuel Antonio but within walking distance to Quepos, so we spent the rest of the day and evening exploring the surroundings, enjoying cocktail happy hour, and having dinner at the nearby restaurant. We already experienced the heat and humidity that will probably accompany us for the next 2 weeks. It's a good thing that it was still quite cloudy; I can hardly imagine how much we would sweat under a clear blue sky. And yes, we can immediately confirm Christin's tip with the travel hairdryer. The clothes stay wet.

The next day (Monday) was supposed to be the trip to Manuel Antonio National Park, but at breakfast, we realized that we picked the only day when the park is closed - well - there are always alternatives, so we decided to drive along the coast to another national park that looks like a whale fin 😊

Once we arrived, we first looked for a guarded parking lot (a tip from the travel guide) and were amazed at the ankle cuffs at the operator's place. We had never seen anything like it before 😀

There, we walked along the beach for several hours, enjoying the view, serenity, and the sand under our feet (and finally, we were sweating again 😅). Thank goodness it was still quite cloudy, so it wasn't even hotter - those are the kinds of problems, I must say...

On the way back, we had a bowl that we shared at a cute café by a river, which immediately convinced us. Let's keep it up!

To endure the heat a bit and relax for a while, we decided to lie by the pool in our accommodation to calm down.

And then it suddenly happens - a herd of capuchin monkeys attacks all pool-goers and steals bananas from the barkeeper 😂 suddenly, there's action, and no one can contain their laughter. Everyone quickly secured their belongings and took out their phones to capture the moment. Amazing! You can only get so close to nature while traveling.

After the attack and a refreshing shower, we enjoyed our dinner at the harbor of Quepos, overlooking the sea and the yachts.

The last day of the year finally brought us to Manuel Antonio National Park. Full of curiosity about the animals and nature, we took the bus all the way to the end (for less than $1 for both of us) to start our visit with many onlookers.

The park is the most famous one in Costa Rica, and of course, we want to see one thing in particular - a sloth 🦥

We decided against a guided tour because it is said to be the park where you can explore the wildlife yourself the best. We spent about 4 hours on an exploration tour and found all sorts of monkeys (always in herds and like a raid), Halloween crabs, a frog, and other creepy crawlies. Additionally, there was a lot of sweat, wonderful beaches, and viewpoints, so there was something for everyone.

Just as we were on the way back from the park, both of us already looking a bit tired, the big moment finally came - a sloth 🦥.

Hanging along the tree and of course, with lots of cameras pointed at it.

The movements in slow motion (you almost get tired just watching) but occasionally glancing at all the onlookers, so we could see the smile on its face.

That's because sloths have 8 chest vertebrae, which is why the species we saw can turn their heads 180 degrees and always smile.

They immediately won us over!

So that we arrive at our next destination (Monteverde - the Cloud Forest) while it's still light, we set off at noon on time. Furthermore, we were still not completely sure about the road conditions at the end of the route because we read everywhere that we should have a four-wheel drive - which we certainly don't have 😂

But as it happens, there are also moments when we are lucky, and the road was actually paved 2 weeks ago! Unbelievable! The route was still exhausting because it was steep and winding, but we're glad that we're here and starting the new year here.

With great views and already some New Year greetings from home!