• Mexico

    Thank God for Sergio

    January 23, 2020 /

    After two days in transit, a 3 am start on Monday and a very scenic flight over huge mountain ranges (who knew?) from Mexico City to Puerto Vallarta, we were just a taxi ride from our home for two weeks in Bucerias. After reading warnings about timeshare scams at airports and KNOWING there's no such thing as a free lunch (in this case ... breakfast) ...

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  • Costa Rica

    Rio Celeste Waterfalls

    January 13, 2020 /

    We were up at dawn (almost) on Saturday morning for a 2.5hr drive to Tenorio Volcano National Park to hike to the Rio Celeste Waterfall. The pool at the base of the waterfall as well as the river have aluminosilicate particles in the water which helps to create an optical phenomenon called Mie Scattering (Google it) ...

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  • Costa Rica

    Monkeys & Mangroves

    January 12, 2020 /

    On my walk into "town" on Friday - came across these Howler Monkeys ... not very good footage of monkeys as they were high up in trees. Videos are more to give you an idea of the noise they make (somewhat startling when you're taking a short cut through shoulder-height grass). Hard to believe that such a racket can come from such small monkeys.

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  • Costa Rica

    Arriving in Tamarindo

    January 7, 2020 /

    Arrived in Tamarindo, Costa Rica at our second Airbnb on Sunday. Travelling from the airport at Liberia to the coast, I commented to Jarrah that the vegetation looked very similar to the eastern Transvaal in South Africa (where the game parks are). So not too much of a surprise to learn that there is an African Safari Adventure park here with giraffe, oryx, wildebees and ostrich! No mention of the Big 5 though :)

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  • Panama

    Pipeline Trail

    December 30, 2019 /

    Went on another hike on Sunday - on the "Pipeline Trail". Not as scenic/photogenic as the previous hike but this time we were in the search of the highly elusive Resplendent Quetzal (Bird), Howler Monkeys and Sloths.

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  • Panama

    Christmas Eve

    December 25, 2019 /

    If you don't want to hear/see about food ... skip this one! Decided to treat ourselves seeing as we are in a "strange" country and all alone (hope you feel sorry for us??), so made a last minute booking at The Rock Restaurant. And whilst MUCH more pricey than I'd ordinarily spend - it was well worth it.

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  • Panama

    Ciclovia Cintra Costera

    December 22, 2019 /

    Well!! What a day we've had!! First up - headed out on foot to find the bike hire shop (went through some interesting parts of town). Once there - became celebrities (again! - ho-hum). Young man working there asked where we were from (of course we said Australia) and asked if he could take a pic for their instagram - sure! See his instagram post below.

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