Travelling time!

[Alix]

OK, we just got back from Costa Rica (Guanacaste region, Papagayo) and I have nothing but praise for both the resort and the region. WOW! We had a complete blast and I would recommend that to anyone who is thinking of going. The Hilton Papagayo was an all inclusive and although there were the occasional blips, the folks there worked very hard at fixing things for us and the people were so friendly and genuine. They were quite outgoing too, they didn't hesitate to initiate conversations and were happy to have you practice your pathetic (in my case anyway) spanish on them.

We did a zip line tour and I gotta tell you...I could do that all day! The guys who work there get paid to have fun all day in my opinion. What a great job! I'll post pics when we download them.

The ONLY downside was the flight home. Freaking forever, and I was squished in the middle seat between typhoid lady who coughed and snorted and spewed the whole trip and Ken. And did I mention it was 900 degrees in there? I was pretty glad to get home to 10C I tell you!

OK, who else has been travelling?

 

[kitchenelf]

Fingers are crossed - we plan to go to California (Anaheim first) then wine country first of July - I'll take that as it has been years since we went anywhere!

I'm so glad you and Ken had a great time Alix.

 

[pdswife]

I'm going to Mexico again on the 13th of April.! Can't wait.

 

[Fisher's Mom]

What a fabulous trip, Alix! I can't wait to see the pics. Zip lines are so much fun.

I was going to try to sneak down to the coast but now I'm thinking about hanging out in the hot tub with Buck for a while.

 

[Alix]

You'd have fun in CR kitchenelf, especially as your Spanish is so good! Heeheehee! Can't wait to hear about your wine trip. I bet you'll have a blast.

 

[B'sgirl]

Costa Rica sounds great! I went to Cancun, Mexico on my honeymoon and that was absolutely marvelous! I would recommend it to anyone. There is so much to do, for all ages. Just be prepared with swimming/snorkeling gear. We went in March, got out of the snow and brown grass and into 80 degree weather. I wish I was there right now!

 

[redkitty]

My friends just got back from 3 weeks in Costa Rica and loved it! They also said the zip line thingie was a total blast!

Glad you enjoyed your vacation!

I'll be moving home to San Francisco in June, so that's my next vacation!

 

[Barbara L]

I'm heading for the airport in 8 hours. I'm going home to see my family in Vista, California. It has been almost 5 years, and that wait has been killing all of us. It was so sad to talk to my granddaughter Hannah and have her ask when I was coming to see them (she hasn't seen me since she was not even quite 2, and her brother had just turned 5). Andrew will turn 10 this Saturday. I will be there for his birthday and for Easter. Well, I have to finish packing and get to bed!

Barbara

 

[lyndalou]

What's a zip line thing?

 

[Loprraine]

Sounds like a great time, Alix! I leave Saturday for 10 days in Virginia.

Is a zipline where you are connected to something resembling a clothesline and go swooshing down the mountain?

 

[Alix]

pdswife - Have fun in Mexico (again!)

Lorraine, you'll have to come tell us about Virginia. I bet things are blossoming there already.

And a zip line is a cable strung from one platform to another up in the jungle canopy that you attach a carabiner thingy too and you sit in a harness and whiz from platform to platform on it. Way way cool.

 

[GotGarlic]

Sounds like a great time, Alix! I leave Saturday for 10 days in Virginia.

Where are you going in Virginia?

 

[GotGarlic]

Lorraine, you'll have to come tell us about Virginia. I bet things are blossoming there already.

Oh, yeah My daffodils have been blooming for a couple of weeks now and the dogwoods and redbuds are starting to come out. Still a tad early for azaleas, but soon ...

 

[Loprraine]

I'll be in Stanardsville, just outside of Charlottesville.

Alix, your description of the zipline is way better than mine! LOL

 

[GotGarlic]

I'll be in Stanardsville, just outside of Charlottesville.

Oh, the mountains - beautiful When we have exchange students with us, we always take a trip to Charlottesville to tour Thomas Jefferson's Monticello and have lunch at Michie Tavern, which serves Colonial-style food. Great fun. Have a great trip.

 

[B'sgirl]

When we have exchange students with us, we always take a trip

Where do you usually take your exchange students from?

 

[Loprraine]

Oh, the mountains - beautiful

10 minutes from Shenandoah National Park, it really is beautiful .

My SIL worked in Costa Rica for a few months, and visited an incredible butterfly museum (no idea where it was, though). Just wondering if it was anywhere close to where you were, Alix?

 

[GotGarlic]

Where do you usually take your exchange students from?

Do you mean, from what country? We've had six so far - one from Denmark, one from Slovakia, one from Spain and three from Germany. Most have worked out very well, and we're hoping to visit Germany this year or next to see the German ones.

 

[QSis]

How long was the plane trip, Alix?

I am VERY interested in hearing about great, affordable Caribbean resorts and that Hilton looks extremely reasonable. But I'm afraid the length of the flights to and from Boston would kill me (I get really antsy at around the 4 hour point).

About the Costa Rican Hilton: I looked at room rates for "non-smoking" and they were higher than what I want to pay. Then, for the heck of it, I went back and looked at the rates for "smoking", and they knocked over $100 per night off the rates!! A lot lower than what I paid last year at the Westin on Grand Bahama Island that was NOT an all-inclusive (that is a lovely resort, by the way).

Lee

 

[middie]

I envy all of you. We don't get to go anywhere.