We stayed an extra night in Nicaragua because we liked where we were in San Juan Del Sur. Not only that, we wanted to put off the border crossing into Costa Rica. As usual, it was a nerve wracking experience trying to get this stamp, that copy, this signature, pay here, go there and on and on for about an hour or so. On foot is no problem, get the passport stamp, pay a couple dollars and away you go, but importing a vehicle is where the fun begins. This is both to exit one country, then enter the next. Oh, don't even think it is a streamlined process. These unmarked buildings and personell you need signatures, paperwork, stamps or copies from are scattered all over the place. Add in the language barrier and boy, we're havin' big fun now. So, away we go, all checked into Costa Rica with the sun on our face and the wind our hair. Ten miles in country at the third police checkpoint, they tell me I have to go back to the border because I don't have the right paperwork. Boy Howdy! Back I go, fumble around a bit, got all straightened out and head back to the checkpoint with the proper papers all in order. Did I mention it's the rainy season? That's right, the liquid sunshine dropped from the sky by the bucketful. When it rains, it pours... We spent the night in Liberia, Costa Rica so I could send my camera and some other items back. I have to be in Panama by June 13 to catch our boat to Columbia so I don't have time to wait for a local repair and I don't want to drag around the dead weight. There used to be a Mailboxes Etc there with UPS shipping but the store was no longer in operation and nobody knew if they moved or shut down. We put our faith in the Costa Rican Postal System as well as the US Postal System so we shall see if my expensive camera makes it to its destination. That took most of the morning but we got it shipped so as they say, to get one thing done a day is all your can expect when travelling like this. We headed for the coast and found a decent spot for the night in Samara, unfortunately not very far from last nights stop. The front wheel wants to loop around the peninsula then head in towards the center of the country so I figured I'd let it roll where it wants to, I'm just going to follow it for a while. From the Pacific to your computer, see ya.
I wanted to get a final shot of the cliff before we left San Juan Del Sur. I saw a sign for Indian Face but I'm not sure it it refers to this cliff or not.
While I was at it I took another shot of the Jesus statue on the hill overlooking the town.
Leaving San Juan Del Sur I took this picture of the tree covered with cactus but when I saw the image it had this crazy grey shadow to parts of it. I thought it was pretty cool so here it is.
Get your passport stamped here at Immigration. You know, the line of people that just got off of the tour buses. Yes, it is 90*F by now.
Walk over to that place where you get mandatory insurance for $30. Which building is it? That's way over there in the trucking terminal. Get copies and come back. Twice, because you didn't get all of the copies you needed the first time.
Now go to customs (aduana) with all of the paperwork in order and your set. Remember where you got insurance? You should have taken all of your paperwork over there to a different office and got the right paper before you rode ten miles to the third police checkpoint only to be sent back to the border to avoid impoundment.
Like the sign says, Welcome To Costa Rica.
Looking the other direction from the beach in Samara. Goodnight.
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