amazing rat race meets survivor; July 1-9

Saturday-The week vacation was suddenly here. Our half way mark in the semester. 6 of us decided to vacation together without realizing what was in store. Saturday morning we took a 6am bus to Puntarenas. We went to the bank and the boys got some frozen lemonade and we sat and waited for the bus. From here we took a bus to Quepos and then a taxi to Manuel Antonio which was our destination. We were dropped off by the taxi driver at a cheap hotel that ended up not having any rooms so then we walked to Coco Beach for a room. Me and little Kameron decided to hide becuase rooms are per person not per room. Well that did not work so well because when we showed to up to get them and get food the psycho Chinese lady said we were not allowed on the property and so we decided if we weren't even allowed to hang out without having a room there then we should just not stay. She bitched about us sittin on the bed and using the bathroom and wouldn't give them all there money back...she kept 10$ apparently thats what she thought using the bathroom was worth. We kept walking down towards the beach and checking out hotels until we found one that we liked. 10$ per person was the hotel and we decided to get some drinks at a bar and find food asap. Coconuts was our hang out for the day and night. We swam for a little then went back to get ready and go to Coconuts for more coctails. I am not sure the name of the hotel to be honest but we only stayed one night. We slept in 2 rooms one boys- one girls. Our rooms were so sandy when we left.

Sunday-In the morning we took a taxi to Quepos and then our rat race really began. We got on a bus for San Isidro which took all day to get there. These bus rides are interesting becuase they always stop every 10 feet and pick up more people who have to then stand. I dont understand why there are not just bus stops where people go to get on but no, people can be picked up at the side of the road allllll the time. It makes it very hard to fall asleep because its hot, noisy, people smell, and the bus always is stopping. This trip was probably the most memorable because there was a guy with long nails on each finger--we called him crack nails. Then there was a man who was standing by me that kept like thrusting his pelvic region almost into my face, I am not sure what he was doing but I had to turn my head and not look. A lady behind me thought it was a great opportunity to cut her nails and she did and they stuck to my sweaty skin---YUCK! Finally we reached San Isidro and found out there was another bus to Palmar Norte at 7:30 so we went to get a bite to eat since we had not eaten anything but our trail mix we brought and were starving...Pollo Mania it was amazing, I got a chicken sandwich that had bacon and this gooey cheese, yum. Then we headed back to the bus stop and waited; they told us the first bus was full and we would have to take the 8:30 originally but we went early to see anyways. Well we got on thankgod because the place was scary a man in a maroon shirt had a gun on him, so I kept smiling at him so I was not on his bad side, I was so afraid we would get robbed. Well we did get on--as I said--but we didn't have a seat and had to stand for the 3 hour bus ride to Palmar Norte. I sat down in the isle and fell asleep and when the bus took a break at a lil place for food I put my bag up on top in the shelving. After we got off, people warned us not to do that and things would get stolen, so I became paranoid and wanted to get on the bus before everyone else did. I did get on and stood by my bag for the remainder of the trip not letting it out of my sight. We arrived there and found out we would need to take a taxi to Sierpe becasue there was not lodging where we were. So we got in a taxi/truck that took us there and I sat in the back with Cameron and got lots of fresh air, a good view of the heat lightning and a chance to cool off from the bus ride. We got the a place we stayed and it was dark the man honked and a lady came and told us it would be $4/per person . The rooms were nice not anything special and there was a community bathroom. We went to bed pretty fast. Me and Tracee in a room and to be honest I forget now who else was paired up. There were these frogs that at first drove me insane because of the noise they made but finally I got over it and went to sleep.

Monday- we woke up and went to find out about the boat to take us to Drake. They said it would be around $35 dollars and that was the only way to get there. The boat didn't leave till around 11:30 so we went to eat breakfast at a place called Vegas and wait for the boat. The girls didn't eat because we had trail mix but I did get a milk which was warm and gross...A man told us he would take us in his own boat whenever we wanted for the same price, so we took him up on it. It was a beautiful ride, it was just natural stream scapes the entire way. We got to a place with just lots of tree branches that was called a mangrove- it was like nothing I have ever seen before...so beautiful, I do not know how a boat any bigger than the one we were in would have gotten through. We kept going until we got into the ocean and then into Drake Bay...Bahia Drake. We were dropped off at a place that was known for fishing tours and several amenities but it was something like $50/person a nite. Forget that we kept walking and found a tent camp called Vista Bahia Drake, we got two tents that each had a queen bed. It was around $10 a night. The tents were on a wood deck and they had hamocks hung outside the tents. It was perfect for us. We went to the store to get beverages but the place was tiny so we decided to buy a bottle of liquor at the bar. We went to the bar, got some drinks and played pool until the rain stopped. We are used to rain since being in Monteverde for a month. We waited it out and then decided to go back and swim. The water was warm but thinking back on it dirty as hell--there was all this debris floating after the rain and it was brown in color. This dog that we met after we got off the boat followed us all day and even on the beach he sat there waiting and gaurding our stuff. We went back, got dressed and went for Lunner- lunch/dinner our one meal of the day. We went to the store to find ice and soda and then went back to hang out for the nite. I drank some rum and coke even though I don't drink soda....and got sick later. As Tracee would call it - puke and rally. We did get to play never have I ever....I like playing bonding games and encourage it whenever I get a chance. We found out that Kameron did infact have a girlfriend from this game and that everyone but me peed in the ocean today. Earlier in the night right when we all got back and started playing cards there were these bugs that were like mayflies...basically ants with huge wings and they were all over. Cameron, Heather and I went in Heather, Cameron and Craigs tent to wait for the bugs to disappear and quit bothering us....but it proved difficult to see us drink during 'never have I ever' so they kept nagging until we came out. We played by candlelight. That was one good thing about Kameron and his bag of shit he toted around alllllll vacay...Seriously he had a soccerball, candles, canned pineapple....in this plastic bag that he took everywhere. We finished off two fifths of rum between Craig, Heather, Tracee, Kameron and I...Cameron drank his beers *imperial of course*. They rest of the night is a blur, I slept in a tent with Kameron and Tracee and slept bitch....Heather, Cameron and Craig shared a tent but Cameron ended up sleeping out in the hammock in the end---jungle boy. We did get new nicknames....Tracee was Rachel, Heather was Monica and I became Phoebe

Tuesday-We woke up and met Emanuel our boat guy...owner of the tent camp we stayed at. We had made plans Monday upon arrival for him to take us fishing and to Serena in Corcovado National Park, he even made reservations for us. So we head off on our journey into the unknown. The three girls all got sick on the boat. I am truely a Neeley getting sea sick. We felt like shit everytime we got up from laying across the seats. It was torture because when the boys started to fish we slowed way down and thats what made us sick. Cameron and Craig did catch a Mahi Mahi...it was on Craig's hook but somehow it was connected to Cameron's too. Anyways they caught us a fish that would prove valuable later on....We finally got there and got off the boat on this slab of rock that was enormous covering a large area in the water and on the beach...it was slippery as well. We decided to go swimming when we got on land and the water felt glorious. Cameron and Heather chilled up by the edge of the water and he gutted the fish and cleaned it. We arrived at 12:30 at Serena Lodge and paid for the room...tried to make reservations for food for that night but they said it couldn't be done, we had planned on staying the next night and asked for food the next night at least and they said they couldn't, we asked if there was food to buy...NOPE. Luckily the girls had our trailmix and the boys caught the fish! We went to the rooms and it was dark because there is no power until its dark and the rooms smell and the beds just have a foam cover, no blankets or sheets. There are bugs in the room and it smells so bad I just want to gag after everything we'd been through already in the day. I am still weak from puking and dry heaving and the thought of sleeping here grosses me out. I realize I have fire ants all over my bags...then I try to get rid of them and they get on me and I am burning and screaming and not very happy....I decide to air out my bag outside to get them away....Cameron goes to find coconuts and a place for a fire, Kameron and Craig go for a swim, and the girls decide to take a walk. Before we go for our walk though we run into Crocodile Mike and we decide we want to leave that night!! This place was nasty and we didn't even want to spend one night-let alone two. We would have to ask the boys....on our walk we didn't see any wildlife like we hoped...and on the way back it started to storm. We are walking through the trails in the forest and all of a sudden we hear branches starting to fall all around us....RUN! and we did...for a little at least, then we walked back. We got to the 'runway' and walked towards the lodge and they said theres Archie and I thought he was ahead in a hammock but nope he was behind us I guess so I waved at some stranger..ooops. I checked on my fire ant status and kept moving my bag to get rid of more... Well we talked to the boys and they agreed to leave that night. We would HIKE to Carate, we planned to leave at 12am but the park rangers wouldn't allow us....so we decide on 4am. We found some guys that let us use their stove to cook our fish becuase the kitchen wouldn't let us and its illegal to have a fire on the beach. Kameron cooked the fish muy deliciouso...with coconut juice and garlic pepper he had in his bag of shit....We also met some new freinds-geovany and james- that were traveling in Crocodile Mike's company. They were from New York and later in the night Mike drew us a map for our journey. We really were on a rat race...We were in the Osa Peninsula by Monday and we only left Saturday morning. Our July 4th didn't include fire works but it did include puke and rallys. We all went to bed early Kameron hogged his mosquito net to himself, Heather and Tracee were in one, Craig slept on the top bunk...and I bunked with Cameron because he had a poncho liner....and as my family would call it ARMY BLANKET...*Kim you have to remember this because you have the best memory..remember playing cards on Fourth of July on the Army Blanket always in Springfield at icecream socials as well as Peoria*

Wednesday-This morning started out early early early..it was still dark out. We walked in pairs. Tracee and Craig, Heather and I and Cam and Kam becuase not everyone had flashlights. The sun rose about 5 am and was really pretty and soon after we found our first landmark!!! Palm trees on a bluff. We take a break for pictures and drink some coconut water. We continue our hike and later come upon fresh bananas that Archie hacks down with his machete. We eat our trail mix that we have been toting the whole weak and the other girls dump some out to lighten their load. We saw so many spider monkeys on our hike. We kept swithcing from beach to trails because the trail would end or the beach would be too rocky and no room to walk. We had to cross this one river before high tide that was our mission and we succeeded. People made fun of my backpack and called it the keychain because I had my nalgene, towel, illini bag, and sarong hanging from it. We saw white faced monkeys and lots of scarlet macaws, pelicans, and hawks as well. We finally reach the station at 11 and I am dying, my feet kill because the boots had water in them and I had no socks on so I was swishing around in them and hiking for hours....from 4:30 to 11 we hiked and then we stopped for a short swim before we hike one more hour to Carate. The swim was nice but the water was insanely strong. I went in and couldn't stay out because I was so tired but when I tried to come back I was pushed out and kept hitting the rock bottom...I thought I would die but I got in okay. Kameron did not and cut his arms on the rock pretty horribly. So we continue our hike but I am reluctant....my feet do not want to put on the boots at all but I put two pairs of socks for cushion. I walk so slowly that everyone else is far ahead. Cameron waits for me and eventually must feel pretty bad for me because he takes my backpack and carries it and stays back with me. I feel horrible and like a baby..I can carry my own bag it's not the problem my toe nails were what killed with every step. After what seemed like an eternity we made it to Carate and the rest are ahead already getting a cab. We take a picture to mark our arrival. However, there is nothing in Carate but a store and it's closed so we decide to take a ride to Puerto Jimenez which we find out is 2 hours in cab...no water is left and there is no store to get drinks..Well lets go theres no reason to stay. There is a bar on the way and they stop to get drinks..I do not get out because I am in toooooo much pain to walk. It feels like our arrival to Puerto Jimenez is another day in itself so I might quit here.....PUERTO JIMENEZ AND THE DENGUE FEVER.......TO BE CONTINUED

So far we have gone 4 days and have been countless towns all over the country...not only have we not spent more than a night anywhere...we sometimes passed through places all together.