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  1. #26
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
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    Wilson
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    2,121
    Little Cay:
    Last left off on Utila Jan 7th with Jade Seahorse. On the 8th we went back with the gopro mounted to my son's head because it was so awesome. Also the site of Treehouse Bar which is supposed to be world ranked. We bought $400 worth of groceries, produce, booze at Bush's supermarket and a couple others on the main drag for seven days on a deserted island. This is where we were going: http://www.utilacaysrentals.com/ , to Little Cay. We had some apprehension about safety, being alone on an island in Honduras but that was no problem. Barry, the owner, was on top of things and in a pinch delivered a bottle of good local rum one night. The house has solar panels and limited lighting as well as flushing toilets, a stocked kitchen, and running water from the catchment system. But the negatives were no hot water, everyone got sick while there, critters getting into kitchen at night, birds waking us up at 4:30 every morning, dealing with mosquito nets and stinky old sheets, etc. That stuff got old, particularly for the SO quickly. The island itself and the outside was stunning. Surrounded by pristine reef, pelicans hunting day and night, thousands of hermit crabs coming out every night, glowing fish surrounding the docks at night, green coconuts for the taking, nearby islands to explore, seawall and docks for kids to explore. Our kids absolutely loved it. Best things we did were to rent a kayak at Bush's to bring on the trip, a machete and g3 straps to make a coconut grabber, a solar shower and a mosquito netted hammock. There is charcoal there and a nice grill. Fishing guide picked me up there and found a couple bones but didn't catch any and it wasn't the mecca I was hoping for. The dive shop on Pigeon Cay will pick up there for trips and the ladies dove one day. Would be a great/unique diving hangout if you don't mid dealing with a little adversity and the house was big enough for 10-15 people.

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    One last word about Utila, if you go there, make sure to go to Camila's bakery. It was sublime. Their croissants were better than anything I get at home and she is making from scratch in a tiny kitchen. amazing for breakfast, the ladies loved it so much we almost missed a ferry back to Roatan over it at the tail end of our trip.
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    Day Man. Fighter of the Night Man. Champion of the Sun. Master of Karate and Friendship for Everyone.

  2. #27
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Wilson
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    2,121
    Back to Roatan

    Took the Utila Dream Ferry back to Roatan which was a rocky boat ride. Headed for Oak Ridge Cay at a vrbo next to Reef House dive shop. Highly recommend visiting that place, great vibe and wife liked the dive shop. They were welcoming of our crew for meals as well and the food was yummy. Resident parrot imitated my shrieking son at dinner which was equal parts embarassing and hilarious. Wadable flats and affordable guides as well. Caught my first bonefish, found a great guide, Jovie Bodden. If you notice, the sun is setting in the pic, he worked his ass off to get me that fish. Took some wades on my own and spooked some more bones. Parenting fail, letting my son jump around in the sharp coral of the ocean pool outside. Luckily his cuts are healing by now. It was freaking awesome to have a clean house, clean sheets all that after living on the island. Felt pretty safe there. Kids made some friends and that ruled for everyone involved. Managed to offload 25 pounds of unneeded gear to my cousin and sister who were leaving. we are still carrying too much stuff but improving to the point where we have two big backpacks and two small day packs for the four of us.

    The past three days we have been in the more touristy West Bay staying at Caribe Tesoro. Rooms are just okay but fantastic pool for little kids. The internet is fantastic though and we have been crushing travel plans and vrbo rentals the last several days. Helps that there is a family of 11 next door. They have a kid for every age to play with. Very cool, they are from Fairbanks but homeschool and travel months at a time during the winter. Makes us feel pedestrian! Tomorrow off to San Jose, CR then Monteverde later this week. After 21 days we are getting into the groove a bit
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    Last edited by kokomas; 01-20-2019 at 06:43 PM.
    Day Man. Fighter of the Night Man. Champion of the Sun. Master of Karate and Friendship for Everyone.

  3. #28
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    Aug 2007
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    Wilson
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    Quote Originally Posted by WMD View Post
    Lake Titicaca (~12,000 ft) is higher than Cusco (~11,000)/ Machu Picchu (~8,000). Machu Picchu, Cusco, and the Sacred Valley are so awesome they are worth visiting. If you go, fly to Cusco and then go straight to the Sacred Valley, maybe Ollantaytambo to acclimatize. There are awesome ruins there and it is a cool place to hang for a few days. Then go to Machu Picchu and end in Cusco.

    I used to guide treks in Torres del Paine (mid to late 90's) so have spent some time there. Puta Anus is not my favorite place haha, and I wouldn't spend to much time there. I think Torres del Paine is worth visiting as you will see guanacos, rheas (ostrich relatives), condors, and with a weather break great views. The lakes are beautiful and the peaks are stunning if you see them. Even if not it is cool. Hiking is definitely best but you can enjoy it without hiking. Maybe take turns watching the kids while the other hikes to the base of the towers. Take a boat out onto Lago Grey and cruise past icebergs and check out the face of the glacier.

    Wow, why did I think that Machu Picchu was 16000 feet or something crazy. thanks for setting me straight. 11k in Cusco may still be too much but we are likely to go.

    So for southern Chilean Patagonia, is the general idea to fly to Punta Arenas, do three or four excursions and then fly out of the same town? looks like I can rent a car and drive to Puerto Natales. Will take your advice and put Torres del Paine back on the list. Isle de Magdelena, Tierra del Fuego and Cape Horn worth visiting too I assume? Can't wait to see the look on my kids faces when they see all the penguins at the Isle (need to check if its the right time of year...)

    Big travelling fail yesterday, showed up at Roatan airport with a one way ticket to Costa Rica and they needed proof of us exiting Costa Rica in order to board the plane. I had a flight to Lima scoped out and I had to race to book on the crappy airport internet or pay big surcharge at the Avianca desk. Got the internet to work just in time. I learned that we could book a refundable bus ticket out of CR as proof of exit so that would be good to do next time, although we couldn't get that together in time this time.

    Another note, flying Avianca is awesome. So civilized and they give you small meals and cocktails with your ticket

    Just made it to San Jose CR and are going to crush some paperwork from back home today before taking the public bus to Santa Elena / Monteverde tomorrow
    Day Man. Fighter of the Night Man. Champion of the Sun. Master of Karate and Friendship for Everyone.

  4. #29
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Upstate NY
    Posts
    752
    So glad you clued me in to this TR! Go safely my friend.
    If it's too loud, you're too old

  5. #30
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    reston
    Posts
    1

    outlook support

    hiiii

  6. #31
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Inside the Circle
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    4,167
    Yeah, Goniff let me know about this TR just yesterday. Way to make lemonade out of lemons. Your kids will never forget this adventure. Let me know if you need anything done in VT.

  7. #32
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    between campus and church
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    9,924
    I’m here for the pikchurs.

  8. #33
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    Down on Electric Avenue
    Posts
    4,401
    Yo Koko - digging it. Keep it coming...

    JH is sucking, missing nothing here.

  9. #34
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Eagle, Idaho
    Posts
    188
    Hey Koko, just happened on your TR. I'm way impressed! I will definitely stay tuned in. Good luck with the rest of the adventure.

    Sent from my SM-G960U using TGR Forums mobile app

  10. #35
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Albany, NY
    Posts
    848
    Love the pics and TMI! How are you handling nap time? I remember that being one of the most important things for our kids (and our sanity) at that age when we traveled.

  11. #36
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Wilson
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    Quote Originally Posted by Goniff View Post
    Love the pics and TMI! How are you handling nap time? I remember that being one of the most important things for our kids (and our sanity) at that age when we traveled.
    thanks for checking in Vermont, WY and ID peeps! MNIAW thanks for the offer, may take you up on that! Goniff, the nap times are critical, my little one Olive still sleeps from 1-4pm which is glorious but limits our afternoon activities. yday, my wife and son went ziplining while we took a nap! she is very particular, at some point i'll post all the pics of my innovative screen building in our hotel rooms, have been specializing a kit of command strips, eye hooks, rope and clothes hangers. It rules when the place we are staying has a pack and play.
    Day Man. Fighter of the Night Man. Champion of the Sun. Master of Karate and Friendship for Everyone.

  12. #37
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Wilson
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    We had a wonderful time in Monteverde, particularly at the Ecolodge San Luis which was dynamite for families. Three square meals a day with staff and students and more activities than we could check off. Highlights were: night hike in the rain forest, insectorama and cow milking with the kids, and wildlife viewing from our cabin. Cool mountainous nights and drinkable tap water made for easier living. I think we are starting to hit our stride. Heading for Playa Samara tomorrow for 8 days, Spanish lessons, and r&r. Then Peru, SV and Machu Picchu (thanks WMD)

    Brief stop in San Jose, the play grounds were a bit treacherous
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    Father's daughter
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    Took the public bus from San Jose terminal 7-10 to Monteverde. $5 per person for a 4:15 trip, nice. The last hour to Monteverde was on steep narrow gravel mountain roads in first or second gear with tremendous views. photos coming


    Took a taxi to Ecolodge San Luis, a part of the U of Georgia's campus. We had a tremendous time here, tons of guided activities and very interactive for the kids. Definitely recommend.

    Difficult to capture the grandeur of leaf cutting ant highways at night. they look like full game trails
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    Guava tree getting a lot of climbers
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    Cloud forest up over yonder
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    Local creek bed scoured by hurricane flooding two years ago. Tadpoles just starting to return. Usually only get a category 1 hurricane every hundred years here and this was a category 2. Increasingly powerful and more frequent storms a likely sign of climate change.
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    Looking up a successful strangler fig tree
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    Even the common birds are beautiful in Costa Rica (Mott mott)
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    Kids enjoying Insectorama class
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    Hawks wasp, second most painful wasp sting in the world / near major parenting fail as kids were sitting in the library with this near them while they read
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    Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve hummingbird and 600 year old Mahogany tree. Hard to justify cutting these down. Terrible cell phone pic through a spotting scope of the Resplendent Quetzal. Important for critters like these that the other places they visit during the year be protected. The highlight of our trip here and the kids were absolutely horrendous. Just goes to show you have to lower expectations. Too much activity the day before and not enough sleep (note for Machu Picchu). What a guide to find the sought after bird with my miserable kids screaming and whining for an hour!
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    Beautiful views from the cabina. numeros 1, 2, 3 were the only with views, fyi. and animal sightings! the white faced kapuchin and the coati
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    cow milking
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    tour of water and waste processing ending in a tilapia farm (partially justifying purchase of Costa 580g's for the trip). The UGA program is quite creative in their sutainability. This biodigester creates the methane to power their kitchen.
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    seeing where our food comes from
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    Bananas! (almost, they are plantains)
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    more wildlife
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    goodbye with the obligatory sings of progress
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    Day Man. Fighter of the Night Man. Champion of the Sun. Master of Karate and Friendship for Everyone.

  13. #38
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Wyoming
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    Hey, if possible go to Patagonia before Peru! My bad but I wasn't tracking your dates carefully. Jan/ Feb is heart of rainy season in Machu Picchu region of Peru. Best to go a bit later if possible. March should be better. April better yet. Sorry! Feb is doable but you most likely will get rain every day, although not all day. Mudslides and other issues can occur.

  14. #39
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Wilson
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    Quote Originally Posted by WMD View Post
    Hey, if possible go to Patagonia before Peru! My bad but I wasn't tracking your dates carefully. Jan/ Feb is heart of rainy season in Machu Picchu region of Peru. Best to go a bit later if possible. March should be better. April better yet. Sorry! Feb is doable but you most likely will get rain every day, although not all day. Mudslides and other issues can occur.
    Thanks for the heads up. We have another problem or two with our itinerary as well. First we noticed that Chile required yellow fever vaccines if you travel from some problem areas (including in Peru). Our kids didn't have it but we figured that one out yesterday, getting the vaccine for them and then going to the ministry of health to get their vaccination papers certified. Today though we learned that apparently we need an apostilled birth certificate for our children in order to leave Chile. A big hassle to arrange this remotely, I didn't even know what apostilled was until ten minutes ago. Apparently for using US documents abroad you go to the issuing state's state department and get the docs "apostilled" or verified. Glad we don't have expensive airfare booked there yet. Back to the drawing board I guess, gonna be an interesting day or two in the kokomas household. Maybe directly to Argentinian Patagonia from Peru...

    sounds kinda obvious but i'm learning how important it is to research entry and exit requirements before booking travel to a country...US state department helps

    Apart from the difficulty of planning while on the run, spirits have been very very high in Samara, CR. Everything you could need within 3 blocks and not very expensive. Casa del Mar is a good mid level place to stay, as is casita ruiz on Airbnb. I can feel myself shedding some unwanted anxiety and meanness here. Spanish school has been helpful at Intercultura and i'm confronting the fear of speaking poorly/failing in public

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    Day Man. Fighter of the Night Man. Champion of the Sun. Master of Karate and Friendship for Everyone.

  15. #40
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
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    2,274
    Nice work! You prob already know but expedition portal has quite extensive resources when it comes to central/south American border crossings.

  16. #41
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
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    Less flat
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    3,764
    [QUOTE=kokomas;5574916]Difficult to capture the grandeur of leaf cutting ant highways at night. they look like full game trails
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    Youse are officially entrenched in this trek



    Ogling your TR from jump off. So cool to see you getting after it, nuclear fam-way.

    At least you took the cufflinks off and the collar stays out. Oozing uptight social sobriety in 10,9,8,7......

    Head on a swivel when/where appropriate of course - thanx for the ride
    ​I am not in your hurry

  17. #42
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    Nov 2006
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    Wyoming
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    Sounds like you've hit a couple of speed bumps but are rolling with it just fine. "Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans."

    Go to Argentina!! The kids will love (probably?) the glaciers near El Calafate and the region around Glacier National Park. The park is best seen by hiking but the whole area is cool.

  18. #43
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    Aug 2007
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    Wilson
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    Quote Originally Posted by lifelinksplit View Post
    Nice work! You prob already know but expedition portal has quite extensive resources when it comes to central/south American border crossings.
    expeditionportal is new to me, thanks looks like a great resource.
    Day Man. Fighter of the Night Man. Champion of the Sun. Master of Karate and Friendship for Everyone.

  19. #44
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    Aug 2007
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    Wilson
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    Quote Originally Posted by WMD View Post
    Sounds like you've hit a couple of speed bumps but are rolling with it just fine. "Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans."

    Go to Argentina!! The kids will love (probably?) the glaciers near El Calafate and the region around Glacier National Park. The park is best seen by hiking but the whole area is cool.

    so we chose to stay the course with Peru and MP. Will take our chances with the weather Feb 15-22. Then planning on flying to Buenos Aires, found a real cheap flight on delta miles if I can sweet talk my wife into a redeye with the kiddos.

    we don't want to cart the kids to too many places or drive 10 hours a day but we have both dreamed of visiting Patagonia for a while. would Ushuaia, Peninsula Valdes, and El Calafate be complementary places to visit or repetitive? flyable between? do I have the list wrong?

    anyone know how worried I should be about this hantavirus outbreak? Seems localized to a small town of very unfortunate people, that we aren't planning on visiting.

    After some touring, we are really interested in finding a cool town in Patagonia to settle down in for March and April. good food, good autumn climate, authentic, near good trout fishing. Any suggestions? San Martin de los Andes looks interesting maybe? I'm hearing good things about the fishing

    thanks a million as always
    Day Man. Fighter of the Night Man. Champion of the Sun. Master of Karate and Friendship for Everyone.

  20. #45
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    Nov 2006
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    Quote Originally Posted by kokomas View Post
    we don't want to cart the kids to too many places or drive 10 hours a day but we have both dreamed of visiting Patagonia for a while. would Ushuaia, Peninsula Valdes, and El Calafate be complementary places to visit or repetitive? flyable between? do I have the list wrong?

    anyone know how worried I should be about this hantavirus outbreak? Seems localized to a small town of very unfortunate people, that we aren't planning on visiting.

    After some touring, we are really interested in finding a cool town in Patagonia to settle down in for March and April. good food, good autumn climate, authentic, near good trout fishing. Any suggestions? San Martin de los Andes looks interesting maybe? I'm hearing good things about the fishing

    thanks a million as always
    I've spent a lot more time in Chile than Argentina and haven't been to Puerto Madryn/ Peninsula Valdes, but have always wanted to check it out. It should be great. I also haven't been to Ushuaia (except for the tarmac at the airport without de-planing), but talked to someone in my office who has been there. She said it is great with lots to do, although she mostly mentioned hiking, biking, kayaking, etc. She doesn't have kids. . . All I've done from Calafate is view the Perito Moreno Glacier near there, which is very cool and worth seeing. We used Calafate as a rest spot and break between touring Torres del Paine and seeing Fitzroy and Cerro Torre (the mountains on the Patagonia clothing labels) in Glacier National Park in El Chalten.

    I haven't heard anything from Argentina tour operators about the hantavirus outbreak, so I don't think the problem is widespread. It seems to mostly be in that one unfortunate town, so as you say just steer clear of there.

    I also haven't spent time in northern Patagonia in Argentina, but I've always wanted to check out San Martin, and have thought about moving my family there for a few months some year to ski a bit. Another place to maybe check out is Caviahue, small town with a ski resort that I've been told by a Chilean tour operator is quite cool. Don't know much more than that.

    Sorry, best I've got although I'm sure others have better info for you. I can't wait to hear about everywhere you go!

  21. #46
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    Jan 2008
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    Paper St. Soap Co.
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    I was in Ushuaia on the way to/from Antarctica. A few things the kids might like:
    Wild horses at Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego
    the old prison that is now a museum

    Food is really good, had dinner at a place called La Estancia.

    The national park north of town has some hikes, but might be too hard for little ones.

    I didn't do it but I think there are boat tours to penguin colonies from town.

  22. #47
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    Dec 2008
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    Nashville TN
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    San Martin one of my favorite places ever. Phenom scenery, big enough town to have some infrastructure, good restaurants, etc., but small enough to walk the whole town in one day. Lots and lots of good fishing within an hour (although I'm not sure about gringo access--I was with a local guide). I highly recommend. The only downside is that I would be willing to bet it is more expensive than many places in Argentina because it is awesome and there is limited dirt there with a lake on one side and mountains on another. However, looks like the peso is still cheap (I was there 3 years ago), so maybe you can make it work. Junin de los Andes is not nearly as attractive, but a short trip away, so that could be worth investigating if SM is too pricey.

  23. #48
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    Aug 2007
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    Wilson
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr. Mike View Post
    San Martin one of my favorite places ever. Phenom scenery, big enough town to have some infrastructure, good restaurants, etc., but small enough to walk the whole town in one day. Lots and lots of good fishing within an hour (although I'm not sure about gringo access--I was with a local guide). I highly recommend. The only downside is that I would be willing to bet it is more expensive than many places in Argentina because it is awesome and there is limited dirt there with a lake on one side and mountains on another. However, looks like the peso is still cheap (I was there 3 years ago), so maybe you can make it work. Junin de los Andes is not nearly as attractive, but a short trip away, so that could be worth investigating if SM is too pricey.
    Thanks for the rec!
    Day Man. Fighter of the Night Man. Champion of the Sun. Master of Karate and Friendship for Everyone.

  24. #49
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    Aug 2007
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    We picked up a rental car in Samara, swung by San Jose for a night to meet my mom at the airport and then drove to Dominical, CR. Awesome place in a different way than Samara. Much more surf here, quieter town but higher gringo to Tico ratio. Sunsets are just killer and the surfers are pretty damn good. Saw a dude pull a 360 the other day, couldn't believe it. Was nice to have some family along to help with the kiddos and allow for some adult time with my wife. Way better for excursions and wildlife than Samara, but a car is necessary here whereas there it was not.

    The great thing is my wife and I are pulling in the same direction now. Samara really helped me out, I just kept saying dude if you can't relax here you can't relax anywhere. Anyway, enough of that.

    Highlights: my son can now swim, visiting Corcovado National Park by boat tour, working internet, my wife's scuba trip to Cano Island, dinner in Ojochal

    Lowlight: My daughter dropping a baby ruth in the swimming pool. Doodee!

    The epitome of Dominical
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    Alturas animal rehab center was a great visit. Causes of animal deaths: automobiles, electric power lines, illegal pet trade. Funny story on this guy in the picture, he is a wild, adolescent who found the monkey cage holding three lady whiteface kapuchins. They feed him and groom him through the cage they are in (because they are now unsuitable for the wild unfortunately). Dude has been scamming free meals for a year now. Didn't like us coming around neither.
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    Marino Balenas National Park
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    Representing
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    WMD said it, Osa Peninsula is awesome. We chose not to travel there but got to do a day tour with two hikes in Corcovado NP via boat from Uvita. Guide was a good dude. I asked him how climate change may be affecting the area. He noted that water has encroached 50 meters further up the beach over the last several decades, displacing a number of local Costa Ricans.
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    My wife said the diving at Cano Island was special for all the marine life and huge schools of fish
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    Hacienda Baru is a very influential lodge for restoring/protecting habitat and originally ensuring that further down the coast the Osa Peninsula was not developed. Owners took over a plantation and allowed the forest to regrow. The first picture of us eating termites. I love the expression on my son's face, hoping the termite bites his sister. Second is of a troop of capuchins that cruised by us, scared by something, perhaps a big snake
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    Ojochal is known for its restaurants. Exotica was solid and the desserts were insane. Also happy to get my hands on a tumbler of Jack for 6 usd.
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    Good night! Next stop Peru, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu hopefully
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    Day Man. Fighter of the Night Man. Champion of the Sun. Master of Karate and Friendship for Everyone.

  25. #50
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Mammoth Lakes
    Posts
    3,638
    Wow, what a cool adventure for the fam. As the father of 3 I can imagine the challenges of traveling down there with kids. Thanks for sharing!

    So I was a guide at Ecolodge San Luis 20+ years ago!?!? So cool to hear its still there! Would love to see more picts of it! I'm guessing it isn't still run by an older American couple who were biologists? Shit they were older (60's) in '97 when I was there so I doubt it. I think it was Barbara and Malcolm. They founded the place I'm guessing in the late 80's/early 90's. I used to take the visiting students to play soccer with the locals, ride the milk truck to Monteverde, and get them on the buses/ferries throughout CR, while hauling my surfboard! Ahh, great memories, thanks for bringing them back!

    We then went from Panama to Belize by bus for a few months so your trip is a huge blast from the past! Learned how to dive on Utila, surfed in Dominical, backpacked around and through Corcovado (never been so hot and miserable in our tent). Also studied abroad in Santiago so was lucky enough to visit Machu Pichu, Cusco, and Patagonia.

    My beta is all 20+ years ago, but I loved Parque Nacional Los Glaciares in Argentina near Calafate. Calafate itself was sorta a dumpy town on a dirt road and the gate way to the park, but the camping, hiking, and backpacking in the park was amazing. I enjoyed it more than Torres del Paine and it more than Tierra del Fuego. There is something cool about Ushuaia, and being on Tierra del Fuego, but I much enjoyed the hiking and camping in the national parks.

    Please keep the picts coming and since this is TGR, where are the bikini picts of the wife
    He who has the most fun wins!

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