Hola familia, ¡buenas dias! Hoy es tan fria pero muy bonita, ¿no?
As we've been preparing to pack, or just thinking about all that we might need, I thought I would supply my input on what to and what not to pack.
When you pack, keep in mind that it is going to be very very humid, that means you are going to be sweating and not drying very fast. The air is moist almost always, you're clothes get soaked from walking down a sunny street! So remember, go synthetic! That means grab your polys and your blends because cotton will get wet, heavy, uncomfortable, and boy oh boy will it smell! Any underarmour stuff is usually good, maybe not the full on base body layer tops, but they make regular t-shirts too. A lot of REI shirts will be good, they make a most of their hiking shirts and travel shirts with blends of poly. Synthetics will help keep your body cool since they dry faster and will feel better on your skin.
So: less cotton, more synthetic.
Bring a long sleeve top and PANTS that you can hike in. It's important to cover up when we walk in the jungle because things like to catch a ride on you and having a layer of protection from insects, spiders and the like is essential. Make sure your clothes are still light weight and synthetic.
How much should you bring? That is totally up to you and the size of your bag. Ideally, we're talking medium sized roller or duffle. You really only need one, but since the rents are flying first class they get two checked bags free while I get none, they will be taking my bag, what is your flight's policy? Make sure you know if you are paying to check your bag! It costs dinero! Make sure that you bring a bag we can easily carry and stack! We're only using the bags to and from the airport and in our small trips after Dominical so make it easier on yourself and bring a bag with handles and such, rollers are wise for heavy bags because when we come back through customs from CR to US we have to lug our bag a ways, but you
really don't
need rollers in CR.
As I said before, it will be humid, and hot, and you will sweat, all the time, a lot! Bring enough clothes so that you can change them probably once or twice a day, we have a washer I believe so you don't need to bring 50 changes of clothes, but select items that will keep you cool (synthetic), that go with everything, that protect from the sun (shoulder coverage, UPF rating), and that we can wash many times. Bring a weeks worth of regular clothes, maybe a little less, and then add your nice clothes.
For nice clothes, for Christmas and going out to the Disco, I recommend some kind of dress short for guys, khakis or dressy LOOKING short, it could be a nice looking swim trunk lol but make sure what you bring can get sweaty and then rebound because you don't want to be the drowned kitty sitting in a puddle of sweat at the disco, not cool. Shirts: button ups are nice looking, just make sure it isn't heavy cotton as most tend to be (fyi linen is cotton!), you can wear a shirt too, no body really cares about fashion. Just be comfortable and good looking. Girls, same thing but include a dress or skirt or two and a cute top.
Bring multiple bathing suits, they don't dry fast and unless you want to keep putting on wet suits, bring at least two. Make sure that you bring a really durable, hold all in, won't fall down suit if you're going to try surfing or just go out in the waves at all, saggy boardshorts are NOT good!!! Bring something reliable so you can just focus on surfing and swiming and not pulling up your bottoms or girls: rearranging the rack, bad news and no fun.
Shoes: bring a pair of flips to wear around our house and the pool and maybe into town. Bring your Keens or Chocos, anything that will stay on your feet and still keep them cool and protected. Bring hikers! Your hikers will hopefully be ones that can get wet, submerged in a river, trudged through mud, and still dry fast! GorTex is a no go in CR. Water gets in, can't get out and it's like your feet are in a hot tub, they will not be happy with you. Tennis shoes or running shoes will be ok, make sure whatever you bring is pretty thick, thick enough so that a snake or ants couldn't bite through. You will wear your hiker for more than hiking, anytime there is grass deeper than an inch or two, don't wear sandals there. With your hikers, you may choose to wear socks, make sure they are thin hiking socks with enough padding to prevent blisters and thin enough to keep you cool, or you may choose to go barefoot, that is totally fine, just bring some baby powder to puff into them to keep your feet drier and from chaffing and smelling. Also, watershoes, they can be your hikers or your sandals, just have something to wear in water or wet conditions. Don't forget some shoes to wear to disco, Keens or flips would be good, girls a cute pair of flats or sandals that you know will be comfortable even if they are wet and you are bouncing around in them.
This may seem like a lot to remember, but it's all for your comfort and benefit!
THE most important thing to remember to pack... sun protection. This means a hat that has a brim to protect your face and neck, this means a costco size amount of sunscreen, with HIGH spf (*cough* uncle rick *cough*) DO NOT bring tanner! The sun will be so extreme that if you wear tanner instead of sunblock, you will be miserably covered in blisters for a week! That could happen even wearing sunblock! Everyone remember to help others remember to reapply EVERY time they come out of the water! And if needed, pull them out of the water to reapply. You will get sunburned, no doubt every one of us will be toasty during the trip, but please make an effort to constantly apply sunblock in the morning when you put on clothes, when you are lounging by the pool, before you go out into town, when you are in the car (use the lotion not the spray then) but keep putting it putting it putting it on! Because we are always applying it, make sure you shower at least once a day, always rinse after swimming in the ocean or pool and reapply when you are clean again! You don't have to apply it at night lol, but every other time! Make sure you bring a higher spf made for you face, you should wear it whenever the sun is out and reapply it often so keep it with you in the car or a bag. Sun protection also means sunglasses! They are important for protecting your eyes and also for helping you see, bring more than one pair! Another thing to remember, bring a top that can cover you if you get sunburnt, it needs to cover your shoulders and arms. This top can also be used as your evening cover up because it does get cooler and I recommend bringing a cardigan or a light sweatshirt to put on.
Please bring some kind of deoderant or anti-persperant. Anything to keep you smelling fresh even when you aren't and keep your underarms, under other places, and your feet feeling good and not chaffing. Bring a stick if you preffer for underarms but make sure bring or buy some baby pow/talc pow when we first get there. You will want it. Everyone please make an effort to keep yourself clean, good smelling, and undiseased! It will make you and everyone around you happier!
We may have the opportunity to go snorkeling, bring a mask and snorkel if you would like to go. Not sure if we will need fins but leave them out as they take up a ton of room, or put them in if you have that room, your choice. We can buy beach towels down there and leave them there, they will get funky smelling and you won't want to keep them. I'm bringing my quick dry towel (like a shamwow) to take if we go swimming on a hike or at Jeff's house (they have a waterfall and pool that is awesome)
Bring some kind of backpack or bag to carry your stuff in handsfree when we walk places, I also recommend that the bag is big enough to stick your stuff in minus the towel but small enough that we can be comfortable in the car and not stepping on each others things.
Remember your camera, binoculars, electronics, flashlight or headlamp, and any other extras you want to bring they make the trip more fun! I highly recommend bringing these things in waterproof containers or at least plastic bags, there are many opportunities to drop a camera in water and just the humidity will effect it.
Don't forget to cancel or hold services like mail or newspaper. You can probably do it online. Also, let your credit card company know about your travel plans, debit card too if you bring it. Skagit will shut down your account if you use it in Costa Rica, especially if they don't know it's you. Bring a credit card. If you go to a hospital, first thing they do is scan the card, no card, maybe no treatment.
WOOHOO trip time baby! REMEMBER: synthetics, sun protection, comfort.
