La Fortuna

Yeah, it got better. I decided to take the 11:30 bus to La Fortuna and some how managed to find the right bus station. I basically counted the streets up from the main drag to make sure I was on Avenue 7 and then started walking west until I thought it seemed the right amount of distance and started looking for where the buses were headed. I got into what seemed like a shadier area of town and saw 3 buses parked up a side street and there it was - Atlantico del Norte. Well at least I thought, I had no way of telling so I actually asked somebody. Baby steps...Aqui, Aqui...La Fortuna.

Paid the 1955 colones ($3.51), well actually I'm 99% sure I paid 2955 ($5.31) colones because the ticket seller ripped me off until it was too late for me to realize...lesson learned. And fact reaffirmed - that it is easier to get around a Latin American country when you can converse in the language. Met a guy from Israel (Hannif...spelling?) on the bus and it turns out he is in a similar boat as far as plans for the next couple weeks go...nothing definite planned. He does however, speak fluent spanish, and seems a bit miffed or possibly superior to the other travelers he has met that do not speak spanish (like me).

The four hour bus ride turned into a five hour bus ride most likely due to people getting dropped off in front of their houses. Lots of random stops. Got to La Fortuna and of course it was raining with no visability of the Volcano. I'm now at Arenal Backpacker's Resort ($14) which is very nice and reccommended.

Hannif and I decided to spend the extra $20+ and go to the nicer Tabacon hot springs which turned out to be amazing. Very scenic and natural environement with a nice series of water falls one could sit under and be naturally massaged by hot, spring water. Very relaxing and a great experience, but no worth the extra money over the other springs in the area (although I did not visit Baldi or Eco).

Tomorrow's plan is up in the air depending on weather...