touche ocean, touche

we have been surfing every evening and i would like to think i am doing alright for it being my first five times out. the waves are about thigh to waist high. so last night i'm going about my business being all proud of myself cause i no longer think i am going to die, when i stick my hand in the water to paddle and i feel a patch of sea lice- baby jellyfish- no big deal, but then it wraps completely around my hand. OUCH! i just got stung by a freaking jellyfish.

me and only me..... jeff has been surfing all month never got one, i don't think he has ever been stung.... let me tell you it hurts--- yes mom i'm ok now--- but i do have little welts on my hand, that bastard! oh and i got hit in the arm by the board and i have a big bruise, and one one my hip just from laying on the stupid thing.... and i'm dumb enough to go out again tonight



we get home tomorrow! which i kinda bittersweet... the last few days have been about ninety degrees and gorgeous

but just for fun things i won't miss
totally messed up roads
sand flees, mosquitoes, and everything else that bites
scheduled power outages
weird tasting hard water
the humidity
internet cafes
supers
cartoon maps that don't have any useful info
everything being closed on sundays
our last 'land lady' she was nuts.... but she double booked so we are in another house tonight, not nearly as crazy
and all sorts of other stuff

i love you and i approve this message....

there is a new modern church around here that has all these awesome signs with snappy sayings, one like the title, my other favorites:
happy hour every sunday 10 am
you know that love thy neighbor thing, i meant that
and beat the xmas rush come this sunday
all are signed -god. pretty hilarious!

not a whole lot happening, been surfing a bit jeff is over dealing with the crowds so the two of us have been surfing in the tiny little waves out front of our house.

the lady that owns our house is totally weird and likes to tell you what to do. she chain smokes and so the entire place reeks of smoke.....


we found our friends the canadians again---- guess what? they got engaged!


i think we are ready to come home now-

redemption!

lucky you! two entries in one day!

headed back to the coast yesterday and are now in playa grande, outside tamarindo. nice to be back on the beach and our 'house' is pretty cool. we have a bunch of old potheads staying around us and i think the lady who owns it is also one (like a big rambler broken up into smaller space, the people who own it stay there too) and we have a pool, yeah!

we got a late start to our trip yesterday though, all i have to say is never rent a car from renta4x4costarica.com---- apparently they don't believe having breaks is essential or being on time for that matter. the guy was an hour late getting up to arenal to fix our breaks, and i guess jeff says they still don't work that great, but we made it! i am convinced jeff is the best driver ever!

i had my redemption with the ocean last night! so the score is now 1:1. we borrowed our neighbors long board and headed out, the surf was about the same size (read here super small) but i didn't have to paddle through a bunch of stuff.... it was a blast and now if i could just get rid of the fear i could see why jeff is so obsessed

does that horse come with 4 wheel drive?

the swell completely dropped so we decided to take a detour and head up to arenal, the volcano. found a nice hotel for a good price which we later discovered that that is because it is brand new and no one else is staying there! no worries though, so we decided to do all the usual activities and head to the badi hot springs.

not bad! pretty sweet actually, its basically a whole bunch of pools at different temps with bars... we went to the highest up pool and discovered they were in the process of building water slides. so jeff being jeff decides to climb up an unfinished water slide. he manages to get up with no one in the pool noticing but as he comes down with that i am totally out of control look on his face, the entire pool goes silent..... yes my husband is that guy--- of course i am laughing uncontrollably so i guess i am that girl too

the next day we decided to head up to the zip lines, which were pretty cool. although you are unable to enjoy all the great views that they sell you with because you are going 30mph... on the way back down they make you take horses, and you all know i hate horses. so everyone gets on and we start down the trail. apparently i get the wild horse because mine decides where it wants to go and at what speed it wants. it has a competitive streak and will randomly run to beat another horse. then take a different path where it has to jump over stuff. i am practically in tears, (again i know) i have no control and jeff of course found this hilarious.....

ocean: 1, jessica: 0

my daydreams of figuring out this surfing thing were quickly crushed yesterday, as i am near full tilt panic trying to paddle out and both jeff and i yelling at each other. apparently fear does not do good things for a relationship---- as i am paddling through i bawl of white wash and watching another big one form in front of me, i´m yelling what do i do! jeff´s response, i don´t know hold on to your board! --- thanks, that helps a lot, i know my fear was probably irrational and the waves not that big but still, i don´t know isn´t the kind of direction you are looking for when you are starting to panic and taking on water.......

the lesson is i have an irrational fear of the waves and jeff is a sucky teacher (all things i think we knew before this experience)

big swell = lots of rain

we have been down here for the most rain in 10 years, the coldest water ever, and now the biggest swell in the last 2..... and big swell means a storm, i have NEVER seen it rain harder in my life! and yesterday i don´t think i have ever seen waves bigger....... i swear when it rains here nothing is dry, the humidity is so bad that even our sheet are damp

things have been pretty mellow here, devin and amanda left and the boys from jersey are around all the time. funny kids, both have come close to traveling around the world and basically work till they have enough money to leave again. i guess we are a pretty boring crew, hope everyone is doing well!

mel´s beach!

the weather has def improved! ya! halloween we went to this place called blew dogs that was having a party.... can´t hardly understand some of the locals but it was good times!

the boys met a couple of surfers from jersey out in the water and we have been hanging out with them quite a bit. today all 6 of us piled into the geo tracker and headed to mel gibson´s beach, that´s right mel gibson. it was awesome, no one there and a water fall just up a bit that you can sit under. the surf was super close so you had a good view of the guys and there were a TON of hermit crabs. seriously the most beautiful beach i have ever been too!

feel like i´m forgetting to put a ton of stuff in here---- ah well! devin and amanda are leaving tomorrow, so it will just be jeff and i.........