10th September- The road to dreams

La Fortuna to Siquirres

Thank god I packed last night! Woke with 10 mins before my shuttle bus was due to collect me.

Feeling dazed I handed in my key at reception and sat for a few minutes before I spotted the driver walking down the path to get me.

 phew!

I travelled to Siquirres with a lovely couple from California . It was Steve’s birthday. Costa Rica was his birthday treat. We waited a while at the bus station in Gaupiles for change overs, and met another American couple on their way to Puerto Viejo.

Siquirres to cano blanco
I was a little uncertain as I was dropped off at a restaurant at the side of the road outside Siquirres. Helpfully, the shuttle bus driver asked the owner of the restaurant to call a taxi for me. I waited maybe around 10 minutes and the taxi driver took me to the bank – where I was to get enough money to last me my time in Parismina, as there are no ATMs in Parismina and last night i'd realised my bank was refusing to let me take out any money. I was very happy that my quick cry for help text  last night worked!  
I jumped back into the taxi and off to the bus station.

Oh my! I’m so happy I could cry! (written on the bus)

I’m bumping along on the bus to Cano Blanco, the only 'gringo' on the bus and the only 'gringo' at the bus station in Siquirres. 

I'm very pleased with myself, I got by with speaking some Spanish. I asked where to buy tickets, bought the tickets, ordered and ate lunch, asked where to buy phonecards, bought phone cards, asked where the bus queue was, asked people in the queue if it was the correct queue, smiled at a friendly girl and said ‘hola’ to her little boy. The most spanish i've spoken in one day since i got here

I love how bumpy this road is! I don’t want to stop feeling like this. I can’t believe I’m here and only 5 days into my trip! TURTLES HERE I COME! OH MY GOD I’M HERE! I just overcame some of my biggest fears, I DID IT, I DID IT, I DID IT! :)

Cano Blanco to Parismina

I heard a man on the bus him telling someone that he was on his way to Parismina. So when i got off the bus I said 'Hola', and we waited at the side of the river for the boat. 

Haltingly we started saying a few things to each other in spanish/english, asking where each other were from, why we were going to parismina etc, the boat was a little late in arriving but when it did he was very kind and told me which one it was and when to get on. 

3 of us wobbled onto the boat, the driver and money collector doing what they needed to. I wedged my rucksack in front of me, trying to keep the weight from rocking the boat. I sat feeling a little stunned but buzzing that I was almost there. Only 10 minutes to go!

Soon we were zipping along the river when the rain started, getting wet, quickly remedied by the money collector rolling down the plastic sides of the boat.

When i arrived it was just like the photos on the website, but looking at the directions I had no idea where I was meant to be going. I asked a few people, 2 girls from Holland and then a local couple who kindly handed my lostness on to a local high school girl. 

She walked me to the project hut where Randy, the co-ordinator met me with a welcoming smile, lots of information to read about the project and some forms to fill in. 
I had a wander around the village with Randy, where he pointed out the major sites in this 500 people village, before going back to get my bag and getting settled into my new home.

 

I live in the little orange house

4 hours later…
'Parismina is gorgeous! Right now I am lying on my bed in Jean's house, my house mother. Very loud reggaeton music is playing at the pulperia (corner shop) next door. I'm about to have a wee snooze before my first patrol.'

First patrol 8-12pm

Really didn’t feel hard at all, unfortunately no turtles but some really great conversations with one of the other volunteers. Real conversations about people, nature, death, science, the oceans, living life to its fullest, fears, religion, families. It was what I had been longing for, a real conversation. Backpacking in the hostels hadn’t really given me that in the last 5 days.

Richie asked me, 'so what is it about turtles?' 

Well, it’s like I can see their souls, like they have all the secrets, they have wisdom, that they see that we might have wisdom too but aren't using it quite like we could be.

The stars were so clear. I was looking up as we sat in watch for a while, waiting for the turtles to come ashore. I saw falling stars, I saw a few constellations I knew as we are still in the northern hemisphere, but there were millions more twinkling. The Milky Way was visible. I was in awe! I had to pinch myself and I smiled so much that my smile muscles hurt.

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