While Janine and the pets hold down the fort on Rua Hatu at anchor in Puerto Jimenez, Golfo Dulce Costa Rica, I headed out on a cross country, cross continent journey to visit my family in California for Thanksgiving. This was also a re-supply mission and involved returning with over 100 lbs of goodies.
The Long Way Home
When considering all the days at sea and the thousands of nautical miles we have sailed to get to our present anchorage, it would seem that modern world travel should be fast and efficient whenever we backtrack to visit the places from our past. But this journey from Puerto Jimenez to Sacramento, California, and back involved nearly two full days of travel each direction, onboard a total of 6 flights and 3 bus rides.
The bus system in Costa Rica is entirely privately owned and unfortunately there is no single source of information on when and where each route goes. Best to ask the locals for their advice on the best bus to get you where you need to go. Luckily I found a bus from Puerto Jimenez to San Jose for 7,655 Colones (about $13 USD). Departing at 5AM, I began the journey just as the sun rose, giving me a glimpse of the inland regions along the southern coast.
After roughly 6.5 hours on the road, I arrived in Barrio de Mexico in San Jose with plenty of time to get to the airport in Alajuela. After a short walk, I boarded another bus towards Heredia/Alajuela for 1,800 colones (about $3 USD). Despite being quite crowded, the lines at the security checkpoint moved very fast and I found myself ready to board my flight with 2 hours to spare.
The budget carrier Spirit Airlines took me the rest of the way without any delays but with plenty of layovers built in to my schedule. After over 36 hours underway, I arrived in Sacramento and was greeted by my parents.
The Family
The first great part of my trip; visiting family! It had been a long time since I saw my parents, aunts and uncles and the neighborhood I grew up in.
The Food
Next, seeing as how Thanksgiving is a food holiday, we all enjoyed many great meals made by my mom! The broiled salmon filets were amazing and the homemade pizza dough was superb!
The Fun
I also had the wonderful opportunity to partake in my dad’s favorite hobby, flying powered paragliding! Check out his YouTube channel for more flying (and Banjo tunes).
The Fauna
Lastly, the neighborhood is teeming with both wild and domestic animals, so I got plenty of quality time with the cats, squirrels and even some turkeys.
The neighborhood cats have all learned the sound of a broom sweeping; *swish swish*
After two weeks of fun, I made the return trip to Costa Rica without issue, though this time I was 100 lbs heavier (and not just from the Thanksgiving feast) and the whole trip lasted over 48 hours door to boat. But with two large duffels filled with boat parts, supplies and snacks we are almost ready for our next big adventure into South America in 2023!