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Two guys from Tennessee we had been hanging out with since we got to Tamarindo, Curt and Matt, drove down to Costa Rica all the way from the States. They have a large Jeep with a trailer full of all their gear. They were nice enough to offer Elyse and her friends Laura, Karen and Megan, as well as Alec and myself a ride down to Jaco, another beach town further south in the country.

So we packed into the car (tight fit to be sure, but still far more comfortable than the chicken buses) and drove off. The countryside of Costa Rica is absolutely stunning, but was somewhat ruined by dark, stormy weather. We eventually managed to navigate through the weather and awful highway signage and end up at our intended destination only about a half hour later than expected.

Jaco reminded me immediately of Cancun and Playa del Carmen. Everything is in English and there are US stores, restaurants and brands everywhere. Frankly, I think my first impression of Costa Rica is slightly ruined by picking the two most touristy spots in the country for my first two stops.

Luckily, Kurt had spent time here before and knew a few good cheap places. First we went to Hotel DeHaan, where we got decent accomodations for $8 each. Then we walked down to Bubba’s, a tiny taco shack down the road. The grilled fish taco was tasty.

Back at the hotel, we went into the pool and listened to some music. A nice, low key night was necessary after all the shenanigannery from the night before.