Costa Rica Is Calling To Me!

I haven't had an international vacation in 10 years...really.  So when my husband started talking about wanting to take a vacation in Costa Rica, my ears began to perk up.  He told me that it was a vacation destination that few people think of and because of that it can be more pleasant and less populated by other tourists.

I thought my husband was a bit crazy when he started talking about retiring there and buying property.  He asked me if I would consider doing that.  I told him that maybe we should just get a vacation under our belt and then we can think about moving there.

Planning a vacation is something totally foreign to me. My sister-in-law helped me with a trip to Germany, but she was in the military and learned to be a world traveler.  I was just a country hick from Montana.

The Internet has cornered the market with online travel agencies but I really want to talk to a person and get the scoop.  I have heard of how people plan trips and when they arrive, their luxurious accommodations turn into a community bathtub in a tent and a port-a-potty.  I want to get the most for my dollar and avoid the pitfalls most tourists make when planning to get away. 

I don't even have a passport and I have heard that it can take up to months to get one.  So it is safe to say that I am planning a vacation in at least a year in advance.  I am a researcher and I like to get all the information in place before I make plans to pay for a trip.  Of course it is Sunday and no travel agency listed phone book is open.

I went to the library yesterday and found books on Costa Rica and I am reading like a fiend.  The only travel guide they had for me to check out on Costa Rica was a 2003 edition. However, most of the restaurants and hotels have web addresses and toll free phone numbers, so I can contact them to get current information if I need to. 

I decided to check into the different types of vacations you can plan.  I came up with Spa Resort vacations, wildlife and national parks, sport vacations, historical, shopping, nightlife, and my personal favorite, the art vacation. 

I will write about these as I find out about them.  To begin with there are 7 areas to explore.
The most logical place to start is San Jose the capital of Costa Rica.
The other areas that follow are; the Northwest, Nicoya Peninsula, Quepos & Central Pacific,
Osa Peninsula & Golfo Dulce, South Caribbean, and Tortuguero/North Caribbean. 

The first thing I have to do is start saving money for a vacation and plan the vacation.  Then I have to get a passport.  Since 911 there have been many changes in international travel.
So I am getting started now.