Costa Rica July 2021 - Day 11 (Travel day)

July 16, 2021

(Teri) We knew today would be a long day when it started at 4 am. 

The US requires a negative covid test no earlier than 72 hours before entering the country and we had to have the test done no more than 4 hours before our flight left Costa Rica.

We left Hotel Bougainvillea at 5am for a 9:30 flight to Houston.  Our driver knew that the covid testing area was not at the airport and drove us right to the testing area.  He explained that a free shuttle would take us to the airport when we were ready. 

First thing we had to do was wash our hands.

We each filled out paperwork.  The costs of the test was $60 each which we had pre-paid.

We went right back to where the testing was done.  The woman giving the test was very nice.  We’ve been tested before but this was the first time I had had the swab up the nose.  It is not pleasant!!

We sat out in the waiting area for about 45 minutes before getting an e-mail with the results.  We could have gone ahead to the airport right after getting the test, instead of waiting, but we didn’t want to have to come back to the testing area if there were any problems.

What happens if you get a positive result?  We had to buy travel insurance (about $250) that would cover expenses such as medical coverage or extended hotel stays.

It wasn’t long before the shuttle came by and took us to the airport.

We finally got a decent meal on the plane. 

Breakfast

Our flight left San Jose on time and we arrived in Houston, retrieved our luggage and made our way through customs.  We then had to check in our luggage again before getting on our last plane to San Antonio.

We didn’t see the hotel shuttle when we landed in San Antonio so Mark ordered us an UBER.  He immediately got an e-mail saying it would be there in about 5 minutes!  We’re really starting to like UBER!

Our driver dropped us off right behind our car at the hotel at 5:30pm.  We were not able to get a room for this evening so we drove the 1 1/2 hours back home.

Final thoughts: (Teri) It was a great trip but I don’t think I would want to go back in the rainy season again.  We saw 171 bird species (a lot fewer than previous trips) with 17 life birds (birds we had never seen before).   

Final Thoughts: (Mark) 

Costa Rica Focus – Seemed to be a very good agency, and the ability to communicate with them via WhatsApp was very helpful in a few cases. Would use them again without question.

Monteverde Area – Overall was a disappointment. Obviously a very popular vacation destination with a ton of adventure type activities. The birding was slow in Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve mainly due to the density of the forest and limited sightlines. It seems to be a popular destination not only for birders but also for general tourists. Curi Cancha was better due to the variety of habitats. We are not really sure if there are a lot of other birding locations in the area, but with the exception of the Three-wattled Bellbird (which was amazing) we feel that Savegre is much better for high-elevation birds and variety of habitat.

Arenal Volcano Observatory – The observatory was great, once we got into a Smithsonian Terrace room.  The first room was small and cramped. More local visitors, families, etc. as it was summer.  Don’t buy the meal package as we didn’t eat the appetizer/main course/dessert every time.  Just pay as you go.

However, the rainy season was really rainy, and it definitely impacted our activities. The bird walk with Nestor was good.  The Caño Negro tour was much better logistically as a private tour, but our guide was not knowledgeable with regards to the birds. Also, the wet season meant the river was higher and very muddy, so not as good for shoreline birds.  Overall, we felt like we saw less than in 2017.

Laguna del Lagarto – First of all, the last 20 km of road getting in were awful and took almost an hour. We just got pounded going in, and then leaving again.  Certainly the best photo setup that we’ve ever experienced.  Not crowded at all while we were there.  This was the most basic lodge that we’ve stayed in in Costa Rica, and things were run more loosely with regard to time and schedule than other places.  Again, the rainy season had a significant impact.  And the warm/hot, very humid weather was just a constant drain on us while we were there. We slept well due to a good fan in the room, but it was super muggy the entire time. The boat trip that we took really wasn’t a good wildlife trip, but mainly a trip to the last town before Nicaragua.

Go to the warmest, muggiest place FIRST while you still have good energy!! Cooler is better at the end.

We took a power strip and it was a life-saver given the number of camera batteries, Kindles, cell phones, etc. that needed to be charged.  But a power strip with “sideways” outlets would be better as most of the chargers cover two or more outlets on a linear strip.

The special high-power USB charger with 4 ports was great as we could charge both Kindles and the phone off of it. Having two battery chargers for the Canon helped in at least one location.

Bring a washcloth?  Neither Laguna del Lagarto or Hotel Bougainvillea provided washcloths. Not sure why but maybe throw one in the luggage next time.

Who won the bet? 

Souvenirs

Hope you enjoyed our 2021 Costa Rica trip.