Life without the starter, and how Karma found itself a new one

The starter of Karma was dead more than two weeks, but it didn’t bother us too much. Still it did affect our life quite a bit. The criteria for camping places changed, as well as for restaurants and other stops. You started liking hills and hating narrow holes.

Fortunately people thought it was fun to push start the old Karma, so we got easily help when we were in the civilization. We thought it was better to fix the starter before the shipping to Columbia so the stevedores don’t have to toe it. Didn’t stress too much though.J

We sent an inquiry to a Volkswagen spare part store who gave us a price that even after bargaining didn´t satisfy us. So we did nothing about that and waited for another solution to appear and pushed. Finally we got lucky;

While driving one day we started wondering should we stop for a meal or not. The slope in the parking place was optimal so that was the decision. Soon came charming Al Pacino-like Jaime to adore the van, he had one himself. As soon as he heard the starter trouble he started to call around his trusted mechanics for a new used one. After half an hour and many calls he located the missed spare part for Karma. And so he sent us on our way with a good dealt price, telephone number and directions how to find the Magic Mechanic.

Next day we find our way to the guy, and he appears to be a real VW bean with shop full of old classics.. In an hour we have new starter and all the other parts we asked for. Nice. The oldies VW people really are some sort of family so we have a new meeting with Samuel and his gang tomorrow, beer included.

Thank you Jaime and Samuel Cigarruista from Panama City for helping us out!

Is it dangerous here?

We have now visited every country and spend 9 months in this continent. There haven’t really been any problems with theft or violence this far (knock on wood). Even the police have been friendly and no bribes have been paid. These countries have reputation of being violent and dangerous, but surely majority of travelers have no problems at all.

While El Salvador is supposed to be the most dangerous country around here, the locals where saying that it is nice and safe place to live, and so it felt. On the other hand the Costa Ricans seemed to be quite afraid of criminals. They where warning us all the times how risky it is to be camping out there. In Nicaragua the police told us to take our camping stuff and spare tire down from the roof rack for the night and we obeyed. Somebody then stole our hubcaps. Well, who needs those anyway? The bandits seemed to be the biggest problem in Guatemala, and going alone to the mountains were not recommended. The worst place this far has been Belize City, which I recommend everybody to skip. There we made the mistake of going to the streets when it was getting dark, and without one friendly local who hooked up with us, at least two big scary guys would have attacked us.

All in all my opinion is that you don’t have to be afraid of travelling in Central America. We have had great time here in the middle of snakes, swine flu, earthquakes, coup d’état, and drug cartel wars. J

El Niño

It´s quite interesting what El Niño is doing here in Central America. The rainy season hasn´t really started at all, when normally this time there should be pouring rain every day. For us it is nice to have a good weather but for the environment and for the locals it’s not. The level of ground water is really low now, and if there is not going to be enough rain, the summertime will be fight against drought. So hopefully it starts raining a lot after we get out of here…

Costa Rica part two

After quick visit to Panama we headed to Puerto Viejo where Teemu was waitiing for us and drying and cleaning his molded cameras. Couple of days we were hanging around there and surfing the Caribean waves.

Riikka, Gabriel and Vida were moving back to pacific coast, Playa Hermosa so we packed their belongings in and top of the van and hit the road. In San Jose Riikkas friend was kind and accomodated us for one night on the way.

From San Jose we took the NEW faster and straighter highway towards the coast. The other road would have been longer, winding and crowded. Well the highway was so new that it wasn´t yet paved but we took it anyway. Nor was it faster but definitely more adventurous and that´s what we like.

Not crowded, only us using the highway!

Gabriel and Riikka... and Teemu of course enjoying the spacevagon.

Eventually we got to Playa Hermosa and made our camp in front of the beach.

Vida, lovely lady in heat got laid many times. The father candidates were plenty, milling around her. Interesting to hear how the puppies will look like, if any.

Finnish representatives got to present only on the beach in the world championship of surf.

I guess there´s no necessity for owning a dog, one will always find the place in front of "the porch" just as soon as you turn off the engine.

Back in Matapalo, this was the view from our queen size bed. (bigger than back home)

Nice or not? hahahahaha!

The front yard with monkeys and macaws.

The back yard to the left....

....and to the right.

Tommi, german birdwatcher nerd on the beginning of the hike towards Sirena ranger station in Corcovado. That national park is one of the most biodiverse rainforests on earth.

First waypoint in La Leona. Some porridge for breakfast and ointment for injuries.

Impressive leaf wall. The 20 km hike went partly on the beach and partly in the forest. The forest paths were easier and cooler than the soft and sunny beach.

Sketchy spider the size of palm.

This tree has taken its first step.

Mushrooms.

On the rocks we found this old boat engine.

In the bush we found our first danta, a baird´s tapir.

A beautifully shaped drift wood.

The brave walkers.

Sirena ranger station, in the end of an airstrip in the middle of nowhere.

The nasty bullsharks come to the rivrmouth to feast on. No crossing on high tide. Just look close enough, you´ll see the fin.

Cute coati posing in the tree.

In the rain in the rainforest.

Original home of monstera deliciosa, my favourite plant.

In green.

On one hike we popped up into this fellows resting nest. Looking at his peculiar fisical state, there must have been some wet dreams we woke him from.

Tapirs went straight to the top favourite animals. After a while he turned his back to us, laid back on the ground and continued his sleep.

Friend in the neighbour tree.

Spider monkey. We saw many many monkeys: squirrel, howler, capuchin and spider monkeys. They were hard to photograph with my skills. The light in the sky gave just silhouettes.

On the last day, on the way back with all the packbacks and so, we took the path we hadn´t walked before. Of course it was one of those with steep hills. Whatta hell, it was good exercise and had the best views.

Big fallen tree.

Roots.

River Rio Claro.

Hermit crab and his smaller hermit crab fellow.

White collared peccary.

After the hike and the heavy rains it was time to dry everything at the Carate airstrip.

This Polly was wild but wanted to taste the van.

And to sing to the microphone.

A patallion of leafcutter ants. They have an amazing lifestyle and community. The link is definitely worth the info. Thanks to Teemu for all the hehkutus ;) !

The birthday pancake cake is about to be ready!

This wonderful tree is found on the way from Matapalo to Puerto Jimenez.

This lazy fat croco ( wild though) is just waiting for the people to feed him.

It is a shame that we didn´t take any fotos of the nice people we met in Puerto Jimenez, we weren´t just thinking at all. Well thanks for the great time to Rayner of course and his friends. And also to the great peculiar Mango posse, Stephen, Judy, Claire and the maestro himself Emilio. We had a great time in Osa Peninsula.