| I rise on my first day in Manzanillo feeling | | | | recognition. |
| rejuvenated and deeply alive. Slivers of sunlight | | | | Now growing increasingly exasperated, I decide to |
| reflect off the white mosquito netting surrounding | | | | switch gears and inquire about the possibility of |
| my bed, and there is a quiet and peaceful stillness | | | | borrowing a cell phone from a hotel staff |
| in the air. Something has shifted internally for me | | | | member. "Hay una persona aqui con un telefono |
| and the dark blanket of fear has finally lifted. I can | | | | cellular?" I inquire, in a pleading tone. The polite |
| easily sleep another several hours and the idea is | | | | young receptionist replies in rapid fire Spanish and |
| tempting, but my eagerness to explore these | | | | the only phrase I manage to translate is mucho |
| new surroundings in the light of day propels me | | | | arboles; in English this translates to many trees, |
| from bed and into my khaki shorts and brand | | | | and necesitas caminar el calle. Translation: Due to |
| new tevas. I remember that breakfast is only | | | | the many trees surrounding the hotel, you need |
| served until 9AM, so I run towards the open air | | | | to walk to the street to access a cell phone signal. |
| restaurant where I find Jesse smiling brightly, her | | | | Strike three for the ignorant gringo. This is |
| ebony eyes radiating warmth and love. Jesse is in | | | | wonderful in theory, particularly for |
| charge of the restaurant here. She is of Jamaican | | | | honeymooners in love but not so much for the |
| descent, born and raised in a small town near | | | | solitary travel writer. Travel Lesson #3: If you |
| Limon on the southern Caribbean coast. | | | | plan to travel to a remote jungle location on a |
| There is something magnetic about Jesse; she | | | | writing assignment, anticipate absence of cell |
| has a rare gift of genuine warmth that | | | | phone signal. |
| immediately draws people into her spiritual | | | | Now it is close to 4PM, and being so close to the |
| embrace. Jesse speaks English, Patwa, fluent | | | | equator I am aware that I have a little over an |
| Spanish and some conversational French. Her | | | | hour remaining before dusk. I locate my new |
| bright smile and kind demeanor are contagious. A | | | | friends Chantal and Rachel, a delightful mother |
| full breakfast buffet at the Almonds and Corals | | | | daughter duo from France. I am relieved to learn |
| resort includes coffee, orange juice, eggs, fresh | | | | that Chantal and Rachel have a cell phone. Chantal |
| fruit, gallo pinto, , toast, bacon and ham. To my | | | | is preparing to embark on a zip line excursion, and |
| surprise and delight, breakfast and dinner are | | | | Rachel is happy to accompany me on a ten |
| included at Almonds and Corals along with a | | | | minute walk to el calle, far enough away from los |
| special evening cocktail. The service is superb and | | | | arboles, to (hopefully) obtain a cell phone signal. |
| the food is satisfying and plentiful. | | | | Just as we are preparing to leave Rachel's foot is |
| After breakfast I settle myself into one of the | | | | attacked by fire ants and I must return to my |
| plush green sofas in the open air restaurant and | | | | room to retrieve my emergency supply of |
| fire up my laptop computer to begin my daily | | | | Benadryl. Ah, the joy of life in the jungle. PURA |
| writing. What an incredible privilege it is to write | | | | VIDA!!!! I reflect longingly on my peaceful morning |
| surrounded by such natural splendor in the dense, | | | | relaxing in the open air restaurant, gazing out at |
| moist rainforest and soothing sounds of the | | | | the jungle as I sip my delicious Costa Rican |
| jungle. My creative juices flow easily here and my | | | | coffee. Several minutes later, Rachel and I head |
| heart swells with joy and gratitude. Joy at the | | | | towards the main street. On the way we |
| prospect of nearly five weeks to focus on | | | | encounter a young boy holding a very large |
| nothing but my two greatest passions- travel and | | | | rodent in one hand and a marijuana cigarette in |
| writing; gratitude for the opportunity to | | | | the other. Chantal yells down to us from |
| experience such a special gift of freedom and | | | | somewhere high above the treetops. Seconds |
| adventure. | | | | later she goes careening above our heads, |
| Unfortunately, my bliss is only short lived on this | | | | suspended in mid-air strapped inside a harness, |
| first day in Costa Rica. It seems I have forgotten | | | | releasing a high pitched shriek in the process. I'm |
| two important travel lessons. First, when traveling | | | | not in Kansas anymore, I think to myself, and |
| through a foreign country, things rarely proceed | | | | then burst into a fit of hysterical laughter. |
| as planned. Second, when visiting a remote jungle | | | | We arrive at the main street and Rachel's phone |
| location in a third world country, the concept of | | | | chirps intermittently, alerting us to a dying battery. |
| time (or lack thereof) differs considerably. Simple | | | | Rachel holds her phone up towards the sky and |
| tasks that you might expect to perform in | | | | gazes at me apologetically, as there is still no |
| several minutes or less, like placing a telephone call | | | | signal and the battery is about to die. Dusk is |
| or sending an email, can in fact require a full day | | | | rapidly descending upon us and the mosquitoes |
| or longer to perform, due to a myriad of reasons | | | | are coming out in full force. Feeling defeated, I |
| such as weak telephone signals, language barriers | | | | return to the hotel and head towards my room in |
| and inexplicable power outages. | | | | need of a hot shower. Here I encounter an |
| The things I love the most about such an exotic | | | | American woman traveling with her teenage son. |
| and remote destination are the very same things | | | | They are painfully bored at the hotel, and they |
| I detest. Of course, I do not expect to travel to | | | | cannot imagine spending another day in the midst |
| the same beat here, but the logistical obstacles I | | | | of a rainforest jungle with little to amuse them |
| face on this first day seemed to border on the | | | | aside from a group of howler monkeys. They are |
| absurd, resulting in part from my own lack of | | | | headed back to San Jose, and upon listening to |
| careful logistical planning and in part due to events | | | | my story, she nods sympathetically and hands |
| outside my realm of control. | | | | me her pre-paid international calling card. |
| I am traveling through this country on a writing | | | | I race back to my room feeling as if I were just |
| mission. My goal is to share the spiritual lessons of | | | | handed the Olympic medal for endurance. I read |
| my journey with as many folks as possible; | | | | the tiny digits on the back of the card and follow |
| through my Mercury columns, website blog, and | | | | the instructions which indicate to first dial 199, and |
| the book I intend to write. I arrived here with a | | | | then enter the special code number. It takes me |
| full arsenal of modern technology including a new | | | | approximately 45 seconds to discover that the |
| laptop computer, Skype capability, blue tooth, and | | | | telephone in my room does not accept |
| digital camera. I planned to post a daily blog to my | | | | international calling cards, only personal credit |
| website depicting my travel adventures, | | | | cards. I am beyond incensed as I return to the |
| accompanied by striking photography. I intended | | | | reception desk to inquire about the nearest phone |
| to maintain meticulous control over this project. | | | | that will accept my international pre-paid calling |
| Suffice to say, I forgot to research whether | | | | card. The receptionist points to a dilapidated |
| Almonds and Corals offers Wi-Fi access or cell | | | | looking pay phone hiding behind a patch of foliage |
| phone signals (negative on both counts) and I | | | | in the hotel parking lot. I proceed to the phone |
| thought the hotel receptionist was just being | | | | and place my hand on the rusty receiver, when I |
| gracious by allowing me unlimited internet access | | | | notice swarms of fire ants taking up residence |
| via the single computer located behind the | | | | beneath my feet. Each ant appears to be carrying |
| reception desk. When I received la cuenta (the bill) | | | | a tiny green object on its back. Morbidly amused, |
| for my computer time and my face conveyed a | | | | I try to decipher whether the tiny object belongs |
| mixture of shock and disbelief, the receptionist | | | | to the animal, mineral or plant family. Wachovia |
| smiled and pointed to the tiny sign hanging above | | | | sends me into an automated system where I am |
| her desk. This was the sign that I somehow | | | | placed on hold, classical music blaring in my ear. I |
| missed, the one that outlined the charges for | | | | blurt out a string of obscenities as I dance the fire |
| internet access. Strike one for the ignorant gringo, | | | | ant jig, alternating from one foot to the other as |
| I thought to myself, and reached for my rapidly | | | | the cluster of ants approach my teva clad feet. |
| shrinking wallet. Travel lesson#1: If you plan to | | | | I recall my lesson about surrender from the prior |
| travel to a remote jungle location on a writing | | | | night. My first night in Manzanillo I lay alone in the |
| assignment, carefully research Wi-Fi capability. | | | | darkness, enveloped in blackness deeper than |
| The next dilemma unfolds when I attempt to | | | | Jesse's soulful eyes. I could barely detect the faint |
| place a telephone call to the states and the | | | | outline of the mosquito netting billowing wildly |
| international operator informs me that my visa | | | | around me in the balmy breeze as I listened to |
| debit card is rejected. Strike two for the ignorant | | | | the sound of the driving tropical rain beating |
| gringo. The hotel telephone system only accepts | | | | against the thatched roof of my bungalow tent |
| credit cards for placing international calls, even to | | | | and howler monkeys calling out in the distance. |
| toll free numbers like Wachovia customer service. | | | | Lying there on the brink of terror, I made a |
| When I attempt to place a collect call to my bank | | | | choice to surrender to the inevitable. Beyond the |
| from my hotel room, the operator informs me in | | | | fear, I found a new appreciation for the incredible |
| broken English that I cannot place a collect call to | | | | laws of nature and the harmonious balance of the |
| a toll free number. I return to the reception desk | | | | jungle- a three dimensional illustration of the circle |
| and request permission to use the computer to | | | | of life. Today, as I struggle to re-gain my sense |
| search for a regular contact number for my bank. | | | | of control over the world of doing, I nearly forget |
| The dial-up connection at the hotel operates at | | | | this valuable lesson. |
| snails pace but I finally locate the number and | | | | Standing there pressing the rusty receiver against |
| attempt to place a collect call to my bank from | | | | my ear, I recall the phrase Hakuna Matata from |
| the phone at the reception desk. Again, I am | | | | the Lion King, which in essence, means no worries. |
| informed by the operator in broken English that I | | | | A fire ant reaches my big toe. I find myself |
| must use a credit card. Travel Lesson #2: Notify | | | | wondering why it is so important for me to reach |
| bank prior to leaving the country in order to | | | | my bank today anyway. I have cash in my wallet, |
| prevent a security block on your debit card. | | | | I am not faced with imminent danger, I am safe |
| I inquire at the reception desk about purchasing | | | | and I am not starving. I reflect on the phrase |
| an international calling card with pre-paid minutes. I | | | | Hakuna Matata. I remember the jungle and the |
| am informed that the hotel does not sell | | | | circle of life. I take a deep breath. This is to be |
| international calling cards. The nearest option is the | | | | my mantra here in Costa Rica, as I travel alone |
| town of Puerto Viejo, located 15 minutes from | | | | through the ring of fire- Hakuna Makata; no |
| the hotel. I do not have a car, and I am too | | | | worries. I guess I have a lot more to learn about |
| stubborn to take a taxi to the neighboring town | | | | the gift of surrender. |
| to purchase an international calling card. Surely | | | | Last night as I lay alone in the darkness listening |
| there must be an easier way to notify my bank | | | | to the beat of the rain and the eerie sound of |
| that it is in fact me attempting to use the card in | | | | howler monkeys calling out in the distance, I |
| Central America, and not a Columbian drug lord. I | | | | experienced my introductory lesson on fear |
| embark on a frantic search for a person with a | | | | surfing. Fear surfing is my new term for pushing |
| cell phone. With no good results, I return to the | | | | through the fear and looking beyond, to discover |
| reception area to inquire about how I might reach | | | | what lies on the other side. I return to my room |
| a toll free number in the United States. The | | | | for a hot shower and head straight for the open |
| receptionist stares at me blankly. "Toll free | | | | air restaurant, where I prepare to spend my |
| number," I repeat in broken Spanish. "Uno, ocho, | | | | second night in the jungle. |
| zero, zero?" I continue, praying for a glimmer of | | | | |