To the Osa Peninsula

Today we travelled down to the Osa Peninsula, to continue our Costa Rican holiday.

As arranged, we were collected from our hotel to go to the airport.  Our driver was a little early, which meant we had time to drop by an ATM to get out cash, and dropped us at the domestic terminal in San Jose Airport in plenty of time for our flight.  Our luggage was weighed, then each of us was asked to step on the scales with our hand luggage.

After a very relaxed security check, we sat in the small departure lounge. I was able to get a coffee, and we watched the very small planes arriving and departing.  Eventually, a few minutes late, our flight was called.   We were first in the queue, there were just 6 other passengers besides ourselves.  We boarded at the back, and W decided not to go any further, as moving forward meant squeezing between the seats with our luggage.   I, on the other hand, pushed on, and got a seat just behind the 2 pilots.

A new experience, I’ve never been on such a small passenger aircraft.  2 pilots, no cabin crew, no safety announcements, no-one checking if we’re safely strapped in.

Puerto Jimenez, our destination, was just under an hour’s flying time. The main blip is taken as we approached the Osa peninsula, with the Terraba Sierpe wetlands in the foreground and the forest of the Corcovado National Park behind. A couple more photos in extras from the flight.

The runway at Puerto Jimenez is just on the edge of the town, with the main cemetery immediately alongside it, and lined by shanty type housing.
We were met at the airport, and transported to our hotel, which is 6km out of town.  Some English spoken, but much more rudimentary than our experience up to now in Costa Rica – we need to brush up our equally rudimentary Spanish.  But a huge bathroom with an enormous jacuzzi bath – big enough to fit 4 people! – and a separate large shower.  Comfortable beds, a separate sitting area, efficient air conditioning. Sooo much better than our hotel in Manuel Antonio.  Right by the beach, we can lie in bed and hear the waves.  And Scarlet Macaws in the trees. The internet is a trifle flaky.

The restaurant service was a little slow and chaotic, there’s a large range of cocktails, but choice of wine was “white or red”. We look forward to a few unstressed days.