Yay!! Out of San Jose, it took 2 public buses (very safe, very clean, very organised) to get to a boat – and then another hour on the river to get to out hotel in Tortuguero. 

We saw a two toed sloth from the bus! Double yay! The boat ride was magical – lush vegetation, birds galore… It was amazing. 

The main reason we were going there – wildlife wildlife wildlife. I am so loving being here – my soul is being satiated 100%. 

Where am I staying?

Miss Junnie’s is a beautiful hotel, with canal side or ocean side rooms. I think there is a restaurant but I didn’t eat there.  

Before I got too excited I was told that the beach is completely off limits – seriously strong currents. I will just have to wait until I get to the Pacific side to swim. My room was simply furnished and very cute. Check out my view, with my personal hammock.  I did spend quite some time in there. 

Ratings:

• Grubiness factor = medium, the towels and the sheets has a bit of damp so the whiffs were not pleasurable. I did use my own towel and sleeping sheet. 
• Shower = 6/10. Hit and miss with the hot water. 
• Bed = 7/10. I slept well because I was so exhausted from the nature walks and night walks, but the pillows were so lumpy – the worst I’ve had!

What did I eat? 

Breakfasts – plate of fruit in the hotel one morning – $7. This place is expensive in comparison to where  other countries. I had a bar the next day as I was so full from my epic dinner. 

Lunch was at another soda – Casado again – nothing else for me to eat. They didn’t have any avocado or veggie dishes so I got the usual rice, beans, plantain and another mound of cabbage. I’m beginning to see a theme here! 

Rice and beans – can’t go wrong, had to pimp it up with an abysmal chilli sauce. COSTA RICANS DON’T LIKE CHILLIES. BOOHOOHOO. But the plantain – I think it was made a week ago. It was like rubber – I couldn’t even cut it. Vile. 

Lunch the next day was much better, found a bakery and I wanted to try patacones ones – basically smushed and whole plantains fried into fritters, with frijoles and salad. NO AVOCADO!

This meal was tasty – crunchy and smooth, it was flavourful (post salt and chilli sauce)

Lunch was so late one day that dinner before our night walk was a giant smoothie. Fresh Foods is the smoothie place to go to in Tortuguero, and it didn’t disappoint. 

Pineapple, celery, parsley and cucumber – hit the spot. 

Next night? I was craving something different other than beans, rice and plantain. And I was desperately missing my avocado – from having it twice a day to not at all. Cue Wild Ginger. A restaurant run by a Costa Rican man and his American wife/cook. THANK YOU!  

I had a falafel pita wrap – sensational. Full of flavour, crunchy, well dressed salad and avocado!

Every mouthful was delicious. Loved it.

What did I do? 

Wildlife! Tortuguero as a town is literally one street, quirky enough but not much to see and do. 

Miss Junnie’s on one end, and the entrance to the national park on the other – a 12 minute walk away.  I went on a night walk to find frogs and snakes. Result! There was a full moon too – the beach was so beautiful at night. Pics to follow. 

Next day – early morning nature hunt – in a canoe. With me paddling there and back. Well, not just me. We had one guide who was the main paddler and he handed around 4 more. I didn’t mind – it was actually a lot of fun. Saw loads of birds, howler monkeys, basilisk lizards (LOVE them)

I was loving all the wildlife – and decided to go for an afternoon walk in the national park.

We saw toucans, birds, golden orb spiders, monkeys, turtles, whoo! One of the ladies in the group had a leaf brush past her leg and she screamed to high heaven because she thought it was a snake. That lead to 3 other women screaming in support. Highly amusing – wildlife of a human kind. 

I enjoyed Tortugero – the hotel,  the rivers and lakes and the national park – and the weather was excellent too!  Wildlife galore and I want more… Onward.. (Will definitely update post to include more pics – they are all on my big cameras)