Feeling Right at Home

Just got back from the Isla San Lucas Wildlife Reserve, where they are turning an old prison into a Preserve/Museum. The place was full of Howler monkeys and the ghosts of violent prisoners. The weird noise from the Howlers made the whole place very spooky.

I did feel right at home though with a welcome from the local Pelicans.

Took my new big lens and got some great shots of them fishing.

Rush rush rush

One hour after I'd taken my driving test, I was driving a team in to the Costa Rica wilds.
Good job I'd passed.

Early Mornings

One of the big troubles with Raleigh is that you have to get up very early. Not my time of day. But it does mean I get to see the early morning mist. Maybe I'll make a photographer yet.

I had to get up at 5:30AM to take my driving test.

Wot I Lurnt in Jungul Kamp

Don't kneel in an Ant nest when pitching a tent. Oh, yes and move the tent away too.

Don't worry it looks worse than it is.

My New Toy Has Arrived

The camera I ordered in February has only just arrived. 36 Juicy Mega Pixels.
Shame I've gone already.

Driving Course

Here's Ross, teaching me (us) how to drive a Land Rover (Again!)

Where was it again Dave?

Not sure where Costa Rica is? ....

And the centre of the Raleigh World is Turrialba.

The Raleigh Blog

A less self-centered view of the Expedition can be found at http://raleighcostarica.blogspot.com/ http://raleighcostarica.blogspot.com/. Some of the pictures are probably still mine.

Bye Bye Toyota

Back to the land of Land Rover.

I'm gonna have trouble buying a Toyota again after this.

Raleigh People

Arriving so late I'd not been able to get into the designated hostel. I tried again the next day and got in to the Hostal Torumba! Checked in and then went to lunch with the Raleighists already there.

We chose the restaurant based on the number of mugs hanging from the ceiling.

Never Change Planes in the US

Over the years of travelling to from the US, I've always had problems changing problems in the US. Invariably a storms comes in and ruins things.

It turns out that at Dallas-Fort Worth airport they can't handle thunderstorms (which come in regularly). When the lightning is close the airport staff can't even be in the ramps onto the plane as they're not lightning proof.

The airport was closed for 4 hours. Then there was a long enough gap to get us on the plane, but it came back in again, so we couldn't reverse out of the parking space.

I arrived in San Jose, Costa Rica just before midnight and the Hostel that Raleigh had booked us into wouldn't let me in. So I had to stay in the neared Best Western. It did mean I got a really good nights sleep, after a very bad day.

On My Way

Doesn't seem like the right direction though. I thought the Jungle was supposed to look greener than this.

Actually this is the desert area of New Mexico.

Just in Case

I took Robert and Tricia out for dinner to thank them for looking after my car.
Grabbed a decent dessert at the end just in case the Raleigh food isn't quite the same.