A time to reflect

Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us... Hal Borland

Well today marks the last day of 2014 and for me it has been a very good year.  I decided at the beginning of 2014 that I was going to love my life and do some things on my bucket list and that is what I did. Some of the things I checked off my list have been:  Finish college with good grades, get a job in my field, do the ride to conquer cancer, run a marathon and travel.  

Traveling is what brought me to this blog and as well it has started to open my eyes to how life is away from Canada. I find it more relaxing and less stressful for myself but also the people seem to not be as stressed as we are in Canada yet they do not have even 1/4 of what we have.  

We have flat screen TVs, nice pictures and other things in our homes and eat any kind of food we want.  We can go to our local grocery store and even buy food from all over the world but here they have a very limited selection on what they can buy and it is not cheap.  Grabbing a meal on the go is a daily thing for most people in Canada, but here it doesn't happy very often.  For the most part a local makes around $450.00 a month which does not even cover the cost of living.  The houses they live in would be the size of a small one bedroom apartment back home at most and they have whole families living in their houses. Yes just like in Canada their are people with Money that live in bigger houses but I am talking about the average person.  

Another example for how much easier it is for us in Canada, I had some allergy issues and my medication was not helping so I went to the local drug store in Costa Rica to see how much it would cost for allergy pills and was told $3.00 US, I thought wow I will take a few boxes but before I could say anything he continue and said for one pill.  Do the math for a box of 24 it would cost you $72.00.  I am very glad that my allergies pills started working a few days later.

Above all the poverty that I have seen in the 6 days I have been in Central America, I have not come across anyone unhappy.  Everyone seems to be smiling  and going about their day without complaints. No one has been rude to me it has been the complete opposite, they have been very kind. I have heard some great stories from the locals who can speak English and the passion they have when they talk about their Country is amazing.  They are not in search for the better electronics, cars or houses they are happy with what they have.  I only hope that I can take a little of what they have shared with me back to Canada and make it part if my life.  I will not lie and say I will stop buying the things I want because I probably won't but I hope I am more aware of how I spend my money and what I buy with it.  

I hope that everyone takes a look back on this past year and takes the good out of what has happened in their lives and c reflects on that for the future instead of bringing the things they feel went wrong into 2015.  I'm not saying that you need to forget about anything you didn't like about 2014 but try to see a positive in it and learn from it.  If we come into a New year, not even a new year but a new day, with that happened in the past how can we live in the present or see how wonderful our future can be! 

I am not making any New Years resolutions this year, instead I am going to take each day as it comes and be thankful that I am able to do the things I enjoy because not everyone in this world is able to do so.  Even in a Country like Canada there are people who do not have the things I have and get to live the life I do, so as I end 2014 and begin 2015 I am going to be grateful for what I have and be thankful to be spending it with new people and also take a minute  to think of my friends and family back home. It's times like this when you are not just a car ride away from your family that you realize just how much they mean to you.  My family and I may not get along or see eye to eye to all the time but when it comes down to it they are there for me when I need them and I am very grateful to have them in my life.  

I hope everyone has a great New Years.  For those of you who are spending it alone remember you do have people who care about you even if if seems you are alone.  For those of you who have to work, I know it is not fun as I had to work last year on New Years Eve but try to make the best of it and be thankful that you are able to still be here for 2015.  For everyone going out be safe and be smart.  

feliz año Noticias,

Jessi 

Monkeys

We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open... Jawaharlal Nehru

Last night I stayed at a different hostel and stayed in a dorm room.  I wasn't quite sure how I would like this but it wasn't bad at all.  I was a little stuff up so I know I breathed snored but I slept pretty good.  I asked the three guys if I snored or woke them up but they said I was fine.  One guy just said he could tell I was sleeping well. 

The best part was I was able to have two warm showers and I met some new people.  We talked about New Years Eve so if everything works out I think I will be heading to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca tomorrow or Wednesday for New Years Eve.  

I enjoyed staying at a hostel where people sit around and get to know each other, you hear some amazing stories about their life and their travels.  I met one guy who has been traveling for one year yesterday (Dec. 28th) and said he has about 6 months to go.  He is travelling the world and is only 26.  I would love to be able to just pick up and travel for that long. I could but I would have to give up things in my life like school and my job in order to do so.  I think I will just keep to my plan to travel during my breaks.  

I met a few other people who I might be spending New Years with.  One guy is from Switzerland and one is from Vermont and a girl from North Carolina.  It has been great to meet them and hear the stories of their travels and lives. 

Today was a nice day, I went for a longer hike in the Cahuita National Park and saw some very interesting things along my way.  I almost jumped out of my pants when a gecko came very close to running across my foot.  I think I may have scared the people behind me when I screamed.  I also saw some weird looking snails and spiders as well as some white crabs which I thought were spiders.  They ran into a hole before I could take a picture but some English speaking guys who also saw then said they were crabs. 

I saw a sloth

which I almost missed.  I looked up and there he was just hanging out.  It was pretty cool to see this.  At one point he moved his arm and then just let it hang back down.  The life to just hang out in one spot for as long as you want. 

I encountered a few monkeys and had one follow me for a little whole.  

He kept looking at me as if he was intrigued in what I was doing, which was taking a picture and video of him.  I was very intrigued into how he was walking and going about his own busy as if we were not even there.  At one point he came right on the table I was sitting at but jumped away before I could get a picture of him.  I saw a few more little guys on my hike, it really was neat to see monkeys in the wild instead of at a zoo. I had to turn back because I had hit the point where the park was closed off due to the government doing some work on a road.  Their is a part along the path that is not a national park and the government runs it so they will close it off not letting people travel to the part that becomes part of the National park again. There is a park employee turning you away, if you were to go on you could be arrested.  There are police with large guys at the road preventing you from even trying to go past.  I didn't see this but it was what the park guys said I believe every word he said. 

On my travels back I saw some more neat creatures like snails that were a lot larger than what we see back home and they move a little faster as well.

 I also heard the howler of the Monkeys.  It is a pretty sound to hear.  I got some video of it which I posted on my Instagram and Facebook. 

After my hike I took some time to go for a swim in the Sea and relax listening to the waves.  

The days take a lot out of me with all the walking I do that I am in bed pretty early.  I am sure the hour time change has something to do with it as well, it will take some time to get used to everything but until then I am fine with the early bed times.  Being allergic to Costa Rica doesn't help either.  My allergy pills are not helping but I hope they start because I don't know how much longer I can take not being able to breathe.  I also had a scare with some local cuisine.  I am not sure what it was because I explained in Spanish and used a translator on my phone to list the things I couldn't eat but after only a few bites my tongue swelled and my airways started to close.  I didn't finish my meal of course and look my inhaler and tried to relax so I didn't make things worse.  I went to the local market and bought my own food so I will use the kitchens at the hostels to make my meals.  I am going to still try the local cuisine but not eat anything with garlic and hope that there has not been any cross contamination with tree fruit.    

That being said what I have saw and the sounds I hear during the day and at night on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica has been amazing and breathe taking, I can't wait to see what is in store for me when I get to the Pacific Coast.  My trip has only started and I am already in love with the peacefulness and how relaxed everything is.  I can see how people come here and never leave.  

Jessi :) 

Here are a few more pictures 

( I also used my GoPro but I can't post anything from it until I get home.)

Costa Rica

We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time...T. S. Eliot

One thing I learned about myself is if I want to sleep and have a shower I need to not care about my surrounding.  I wasn't sure where I was going to start my journey in Costa Rica so I had not booked anything ahead of time.  I decided last minute to go to Cahuita because I had hear good things.  

The 2 hour bus ride from the border was breath talking but also a little cool.  I actually find the weather to be a little chilly.  There are tie a in the day that it is very hot but at night I find it cool enough I could wear a sweater.  I actually like this weather.  

Once I got to Cahutia and walked around until I found a hostel.  It was not the nices place but the young guy running it actually cleaned the bathroom for me.  I didn't ask him to so this he just starting doing it and said in the best English he could "for you I clean again but for no one else".  It was a little broken but I thanked him.  

My first night I slept great and woke up refreshed even know I was not in the best place.  With my flip flops on (I did not walk around barefoot in this place) I braved the cold shower. It wasn't all that bad because the shower was long so I was able to stand outside the water and put my shampoo and body wash in before going back under the water.  I figure if I am going to be living in hostels for another four weeks I should get used to not having a nice place to sleep and a hot shower.  The hostel I am at tonight has a shower however I have to sleep in a dorm so there are two other people in my room.  I haven't met them yet but I am hoping to put earphones in and sleep well.  Tomorrow I have a private room but no hot water. 

My first day in Costa Rica I went to the water and sat around watching the ways and called it an early night because I didn't sleep much on the bus the night before. 

Today I did a lot of walking.  The national park of Cahuita is where white beach is so I walked it and went for a swim.  On my walk I saw a monkey, I have always wanted to see one in its surrounding and I did right in front of me.  It looked scary but I am sure it was just because we were in his home.  

After a nice swim and some relaxing on the beach I went to the other side of town to see black beach.  I decided to just keep walking as I saw a sign for the Tree if life sanctuary and thought it would be a nice thing to see.  I didn't realize the walk would take so long because the sign said 2km but what I didn't know is every sign along the way said 2km away so it ended up being over an hour walk and when I got there it was closed.  I am going to try to get there on Tuesday since it is not opened on Mondays, that is if I am still in town.   

Along my walk I saw a local soccer game going on so I stopped and watched it for a little whole.

 You can't actually sit on the field, the locals line up along a fence and in the middle of the road.  

I took some time to talk along black beach but I didn't go for a swim, I am going to do that tomorrow as I am a little tried today.  The waves really pull you back and make you work a lot.  I also drank some water which didn't taste every good.  I'm not a salt fan so drink salt water was not fun. 

I am starting to get a tan which is nice, hopefully I have a good one by the time I get home. 

Well not much exciting has happened so fare in my trip.  I have met a few people and might have some plans for New Years but will know better tomorrow or the next day.  

Hope everyone is enjoying back home!  I do not miss home yet but it's only been a week.  

jessi 

Some more pics 

Good Bye Panama

Dance. Smile. Giggle. Marvel. TRUST. HOPE. LOVE. WISH. BELIEVE. Most of all, enjoy every moment of the journey, and appreciate where you are at this moment instead of always focusing on how far you have to go... Mandy Hale

Yesterday, I had what I think is going to be the last good shower I have for the next month and I made it an extra long one.  I think the first thing I will do when I get back to Canada is have an hour long shower or maybe a week long one.  

Once I was ready and checked out of the hotel, I decided to take the Metro Bus but didn't have the correct change.  A metro worker named Rogelio

helped me explain to a sheet vendor what I needed.  I couldn't buy anything from him because all he had for sale was meat and fruit.  I do not eat meat and I was not taking a chance of eating fruit and having an allergy reaction in downtown Panama. 

Once I finally had my metro card I went to the Albrook Mall.  

This mall is the largest mall in all of Central America and I thought for sure I was going to get lost but I didn't.

I did however spend about 3 hours running around trying to figure out my the SIM card I bought for my phone that was not working.  In the end a very nice guy at Clario (a cell phone company in Central America) helped me out.  The great thing was he spoke English and understood what I was trying to say.  He did however let me try to explain what the problem was in Spanish for about 3 minutes before be started talking to me in English, this made for a good laugh.  

I will add after leaving I went to the washroom and some how after putting my backpack on and leaving the washroom I got my dress stuck in my underware.  I only came to know this information when a very kind lady came up to me and tried to explain to me that my dress was stuck.  She actually pulled it down because she didn't know the words to tell me that it was stuck.  I think she was more embarrassed the me.  The worst part of the whole thing is, I had to have been walking around like that for at least 35 minutes and no one told me.   I did get a few comments in Spanish and whistles but I just ignored them not knowing my butt was opened for the world to see.  In the end I would say about 1000 people or more say my bare bottom. The largest mall in Central America on Boxing Day got to see a Canadian bottom and I am sure it was not a pretty site.  I do thank the nice lady that told me and I am sorry that she had to actually pull my dress down to tell me.  She couldn't even speak she was so red.  She kept calling me niña bonita over and over again, which I know means pretty girl in Spanish.  In my whole stay in Panama I do not think I met a rude person even with me not knowing very much Spanish for the most part everyone tried to understand me as I did them. 

After all this I decided to take the bus to go and see the canal, the only problem was I didn't know where my stop was.  I knew I had to take the Ciudad sel saber stop to get to the  Miraflores Lock however it wasn't called that at the stop. The bus driver who knew what stop I was looking for couldn't tell me because the police hand come on and I guess  they are not suppose to talk to people when they are driving. That is what he explained when we got back to the mall.  If you are ever in Panama City and want to walk the 600m from the bus stop, get off at the bus terminal stop before the bus heads back to the mall or you will end up like me and just going back to the mall and being too late to get on the deck. You will know the thermal because it is the only one you stop at besides the mall one. 

I did make it to the canal by cab.  My cab drivers name was Ijanico Vigil.

 I had my own little tour of Panama and was given the history of the city and the canal.  He also have me a full history of himself which was nice because I knew I was safe in his taxi.  

He has a great passion for what he does and for his family.  He showed me his cards and everything.  If you are ever in Panama and want a personal tour guide his number is 011+507 61200987 and he is also in my friends list on Facebook. 

The drive to the canal was very nice

however once I saw the canal I was not in awe.  It really is just a larger scale of the on in Niagara.  I do recommend you going to see it if you are in Panama City but if you are going some where else in Panama you don't have to make a special trip to see the Canal.  Well that is if you live in the Niagara region.  You have to look through a fence

unless you make it to the observation deck in time to see from the top.  You could pay $15.00 to go on the deck and not even see a ship, it's like back home in Niagara the ships are on a schedule so they are not always using the canal.  I was able to see a shop however when I went.   I didn't make it in time to pay to go on the deck but I would have just to read about the history, that is if I had of gotten off at the right stop. 

After my day running around the mall and getting to see some of Panama City I got on a bus to David.  Nothing exciting about this bus trip as it was dark out.  I did met a guy traveling to see his Grandmother but we couldn't understand each other which was pretty interesting because he kept asking me questions in Spanish and I would answer in English and either one of us knew if we understood what the other was saying.  It was just the nod and smile game. 

Once I got to David I needed to use the washroom and charge my phone, both of which I had to pay to use. The one thing about Panama I found is that you have to pay to use things.  At the bus station you had to pay to use the public restroom and in any store you go there are signs that say $0.50 for Banos (washroom).  Also you do not flush your toilet paper down the toilet, there are garage cans and signs asking you not to.  I found this gross and I will admit I forgot each time and flushed it.  

I decided to sleep on the bench and let my phone charge instead of getting on the next bus to Changuinola because I knew they ran every 30 minutes.  I was going to go to Bose Del Toro but was far too tired and just went right to Changuinola so I could go to Costa Rica.  Thinking about it now if I had of had a better sleep I would have gone to the Island but I'm not sad I didn't go.  

Once I got to Changuinola I went to a McDonalds because it was the only place I didn't have to leave my bag at a bag check.  I ordered an egg mcmuffin, which I did not like but I needed to use the washroom and charge my phone.  There was no toilet paper so thankfully I had my bag and had tissue with me.  There was also no running water to wash my hands but again I was smart and had bottled water with me.  I was able to wash my face and brush my teeth using my own bottled water and change my cloths.  It's weird the things we take for granted in Canada like being able to freshen up after a long drive at a gas station or a service centre. 

After I eat about 4 bites of my mcmuffin I went and ventured around the town, it wasn't anything excited so I decided to head to the border crossing.  

I wanted to walk it but ended up taking a can after finding out it was going to be about a 6 hour walk.  

Part of the reason I didn't want to go to the Island was because I wanted to walk the bridge crossing into Costa Rica.

This is the oldest crossing from Panama to Costa Rica and you can tell when you walk it.  It was a rainy day and the wood was wet and slippery.  

There doesn't look to be any kind if repairs to the bridge and in parts I actually thought I was going to fall right threw the wood and the holes.  Still I am glad I did it because it was a nice experience.  

The whole thing was pretty smooth the only pointer I would tell you if you are going to travel between the countries in Central America is make sure you have the papers filled out before you go to enter.  If you do not you will be sent to the back of the line.  I had no clue I needed to fill something out as there are no signs telling you to until you get to the window and the guy says where is you paper?  At this crossing you are literally standing outside in a line with nothing around you but a dirt road and a fence blocking you from the trees.  They really do not even have any patrol checking to make sure you can cross as it is wide opened.  I am not sure if they would even know if someone didn't go through immigration or not.  Either way I made it to Costa Rica. I will write later about Costa Rica.  My first day wasn't too eventfully. 

Jessi 

Thank you Panama for making the start of my trip a good one.  I have taken great memories from your people and your beautiful Country.  I hope to return one day! 

Some more pictures...