We are rolling into the home stretch now. Saturday was our last full day in Costa Rica. Today, we fly home. Yesterday, we did the jungle boat ride, which was even better than I could have imagined, with lots of crocs and lots of different birds to see too. Afterwards, on our way back to San Jose, we stopped at the factory store where Costa Rica makes their souvenirs. I got a t-shirt. We ended up at the airport Wyndham for a farewell dinner and our goodbyes.

This trip has been a most excellent adventure. We saw lots of wildlife, more than I had hoped for. More importantly we were able to meet and communicate with many of the Costa Rican people. They were universally friendly and welcoming. I always felt more like a guest with them than just a tourist.

Jorge, our guide, was instrumental with all these introductions. His patriotism, love and pride for Costa Rica set a tone for the entire week’s journey. He seemed to know and already be friends with everyone we met. His friendships acted as a bridge and supported us in meeting these people whose country we had come to visit, at least for a little while.