Costa Rica Trip
Day #1 - Thursday, January 8th
It’s been a minute since my last international trip. I’m currently on a flight from Denver, CO to Liberia, Costa Rica. It’s 3:30pm (Central Standard time in the US - same time zone as the country of Costa Rica) on Thursday, January 8, 2026. We have roughly 1-1/2 hours before landing on this flight. I just finished watching the movie F1 - really good movie by the way. I’m feeling inspired - so I thought I’d write for a little while.
My buddy Greg and I are starting an 11-day, 3-country adventure today. We’ll be going to the countries of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Mexico. The vast majority of the trip will be spent in Costa Rica - with a couple side tours to Nicaragua to get us going and Mexico to finish it off. I’m meeting Greg when I land - as he’s flying direct from his home in Raleigh, NC.
This will be my very first trip to Central America. I’ve traveled to several countries in South America - but never to any of the 7 countries that make up Central America: Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Belize.
Costa Rica has long been a country on my list- as it’s often highlighted in the “Best Places to Visit in the World”. Many people I know have already vacationed here. Costa Rica and Nicaragua will be countries #65 and #66 on my journey to visit 100 countries in the world.
This trip is a bit unusual for us - as we have a shell plan layout- but the meat/potatoes of the journey will be largely spontaneous. We have a 7-day adventure in Costa Rica with a company called G-Adventures. They’ll be providing lodging, transportation, meals, and a guide. We get to choose our daily activities. The goal is for lots of thrill-seeking experiences ——like cliff-rappelling, zip-lining, forest canopy hikes, white water rafting, etc.
Today has been a crazy journey to this point. I got an Uber ride to the airport at 6:30am. The Uber driver tells me he had just ran over something that fell out of the back of a pick-up truck - but “everything seems fine with the car”. Well - as soon as we got on I-25 - the car was shaking and pulling side-to-side. The guy reduced the speeds and things were much better. So - we proceeded to the airport not exceeding 50mph. The driver says as I’m getting out of the car: “Yeah - it was touch and go for a while there”. 1 obstacle dodged. Next, I’m sitting at the gate waiting to board, when a women sitting across from me effectively passed out (or it so appeared). Next thing I know - there’s 7 emergency personnel tending to this women. Feet in the air and an IV started right there on the floor. She gained consciousness and appeared to be doing much better as I boarded the flight.
I’m always a little on edge at the start of a trip - hoping I didn’t miss anything and getting back into the travel mindset. Well - these 2 events this morning - didn’t really help me so much.
It’s OK - doing a little better now. We’re almost ready to land - and I’m starting to feel that excitement, that feeling of getting out of my comfort zone, ready to see new places, meet new people, and have some unique adventures. This is the feeling that makes me want to travel - that feeling of “Being Alive”. Stay tuned - let’s make some things happen!!
LATER
8:50pm. Made it to Liberia, Costa Rica. No issues getting through customs. My flight had been delayed - so I grabbed a taxi and met Greg at the hotel. Hotel Boyeros is our home for the next 2 nights - right in the central part of town. Costa Rica only has about 5 million people in the whole country - so this city is fairly small in the grand scale of things.
I checked in and then we went out to dinner. Mariajuana - a place recommended by the hotel. Dinner was great - beef/chicken empanadas, tortilla soup, and a couple local brews.
Back in the hotel room. We have a day tour to Nicaragua tomorrow. We have to meet at the pickup spot across the street at 5:45am. Time for some shut eye.
Good night from Liberia, Costs Rica!
