Days 78-80 - Tamarindo, Costa Rica

TAMARINDO (20/03/09 - 22/03/09)

In Nosara we were told that our bus would be passing the end of our road at 5.45am. We left at 5.05 just to make sure are were just approaching the corner at about 5.20 when we saw the bus. Trying to run on the crumbling dirt road with our heavy bags Adam took a tumble and gashed his leg, but we did catch the s. Little did we know this was just the start of a nightmare journey. Without going into too much detail we took 3 buses over 8 hours and not one of the buses left from anywhere near where the previous had stopped, combined with the fact the no one could provide us with any useful information as to the whereabouts of our next bus other than a vague wave of the hand in the rough direction. Anyway we eventually arrived in the extremely Americanised (or should we say Americanized) beach town of Tamarindo.

The whole town has been developed for the American market, apart from the dirt roads you could be in Florida. They have even painted the taxis to look like New York taxis. There is good reason why most Costa Ricans refer to it as "Tamagringo".

All over town are construction sites building new hotels and condos, as well as protest signs by the local population against over development.

You have to watch out fro some of the locals - they are vultures!

However despite the Disneyland fell of the town a short walk will still take you to some amazing natural beaches.

Walking for half an hour up the beach away from town we came to a natural barrier - a river estuary with no bridge. With a bag containing our cameras, clothes, money and towel what were we going to do?

The solution! Bag balanced on head Adam waded carefully through. There was only one very brief point in the middle when the water went over his head, but the bag stayed dry. (In case there are any pedants out there who are wondering how the picture was taken if the camera was in the bag, this was the rerun at Liz´s request).

Our efforts were rewarded with a quiet stretch of beach to ourselves where we could enjoy the sea in peace.