I take farewell of my family and am hugged one last time. I can not suppress my tears. Mis padres neither.
I whisper softly adios. Well. Softly and whispering is still exaggerated. I just move my lips. Because my voice has decided not to go back to the USA but to stay in Costa Rica (for an indefinite time). Only cough, rhinitis, headache and sore throat want to come along with me…
Hence my longer abstinence. The cold plus the two-day home trip have let me take a few days quieter. Actually even very quiet: I could not speak.
And I was not only hoarse, no, I was completely soundless!
A last picture before departure. In wise foresight I did’nt put my make -up on 😉
So I have remained silent, since back in California – that’s a bit sad. Since I have a lot to tell!
So I was really happy when my friend called:
” !” I holler delighted.
“Hello?” asks my friend.
” . ! ?!?” I scream into the phone.
“He-llooooo?!?”
” !!!!!!”
“Kiki??? Heeeeelloooooo……???”
I then sent her a message…
The last days in San Gerardo de Rivas, Costa Rica, were different than planned – but still nice!
Friday night, August 25th, I came back from my short vacation in Corcovado – this trip (as well as the washing machine purchase) I will describe in an extra report.
Only a short spoiler: in the jungle there were not only nice birds, reptiles and mammals to watch, no, even viruses and bacteria vagabonded bored through the wilderness. I could hear them giggling all day long – and behind every bush! And in the night they cuddled in my nose … They liked it so much that they have stayed there – except for a few exceptions that have slipped into my throat – and despite a following 120 hours of coughing the guys could not be dislodged!
Only my voice I have spit with all the coughing and tussing!
Back in San Gerardo I croaked beguilingly – just a bit too graceful for karaoke… But not for going dancing! As for my farewell weekend, from August 25th to 27th, there was a great festival. Each year a race takes place at this time: 13 kilometers.
Almost 400 runners took part
For the runners among you 13 kilometers perhaps does not sound like so much. But half of the way goes steep, Steep, STEEP uphill, the other steep, Steep, STEEP downhill. I hiked this route once and felt it as a very strenuous trip! But run?! And the fastest managed this distance in 1 hour and 6 minutes!!
But when there is some effort, there should be some pleasure as well. And so there is a three-day ‘fiesta’ to be found next to the race.
Friday: Karaoke. 
Unfortunately I couldn’t go. Too hoarse, too exhausted.
Saturday: Dance.
Here I HAD TO go! It was my last evening (if not counting the very last evening the next day – but that’s saved for my family.). And at the latest today I find myself beeing located in the country of the Latinos: the hips are only wiggeled to Bachata, Merengue and Salsa!
Sunday: The Race – and Last Day
Beautiful weather presents itself on my last day. The sky is just blue, the sun very, very, very warm – the runners therefore a bit poor… At 8 am the nearly 400 runners go on the race track. We encourage and cheer them up when they pass our house. Then we have breakfast.
Margarita performs my favourite breakfast: Gallo Pinto, scrambled eggs, avocado und plátanos. Mmmmh!
Then we spend the day in the village – beeing happy with the homecoming runners, enjoying the beautiful weather, listening to the karaoke and – I have to say goodbye to all I the people I have met here. I am a bit wistful… But that’s better than I would have had a terrible time here and therefore just glad to get away!
For dinner, (almost) all family members come – and pizza is ordered to mark the occasion. Even more saddened I say goodbye to mis hermanas.
Then I fall into my bed, exhausted, and cough through the night…
Monday morning I pack my seven and seventy things into my suitcase plus my friend Rudi, the hiking pole that joined me at the summit of Cerro Chirripó.
Now I must also say goodbye to mis padres… I am again impressively explained that I do not forget to have a family in Costa Rica and that I should come back soon… I wipe the tears from my cheeks.
Then I go to San Jose – the capital of Costa Rica where the airport lives. Here I booked a hotel room next to the airport as my flight on Tuesday is already departing at 7:40 am – too early to reach that of San Gerardo.
Actually I wanted to use the WLAN in the hotel and blog. But I was so whaked: rhinitis and cough at the climax, my head heavy like lead. So I just went to bed and rested.
I was even too tired to think about possible US entry problems… Anyway they would have been unnecessary: within one minute a new stamp was to be found in my passport and I may legally be in the States until February 🙂 Only my good Rudi fought with immigration problems. In the airplane he was not allowed, and for checking him in I should have payed $ 40! 40 Dollars – for a 200 gram stick! Sadly I left Rudi behind…
And after so much farewell pain, then anticipation also took hold: to my beloved ones in California… ?
