So of course the most logical thing to do is not to buckle down and get shit done. Oh no, I am instead planning my spring break trip. I am what you would call an "armchair traveler" or one who plans trips she may or may not ever take. I once sat through an entire Constitutional Law lecture not taking a single note but instead planning my very elaborate trip through the Netherlands and Germany by train. I had planned the flights, train route, and listed sights to see and things to do in every town and city I wished to visit. I have yet to take this trip....
So when a very real possibility of a trip comes up I take the planning aspect quite seriously. I purchased plane tickets for a trip to Montana/Washington State for my spring break back in November but, due to changes in plans, it seems to make more sense to use my credit with Delta for something else and plan a different type of trip for Spring Break.
A whopping 3 of your voted in my poll and so far Costa Rica is out in front. Luckily this was in the forefront of my mind since October or so. Initially I wanted to go to CR to try my hand at kayaking in some big rivers, but at some point I was hit in the head in just the right spot so that I could come to several realizations: 1) I can't consistently roll a kayak 2) Costa Rica has some scary ass rivers 3) I'm going alone, so if I tried paddling it's likely I'd not make it back. There were other realizations, mostly about the cost of rentals and such, but anyway....
So I called Delta and they said I could use my $400 in credits later, no problem, as long as I paid them $150 fee for the inconvenience of clicking a few things on their computer screen to change my flight. Flights from NYC to San Jose run about $340 with taxes, and Delta is now charging closer to $500 before taxes on the days I actually want to fly. So it's looking like it's in my best interest to just bank that Delta money to use later (before Nov 2010, to be precise) and just bite the bullet and purchase a shiny new plane ticket for spring break. It kills me just a little bit, but whatever. My theory is that in 6 months I won't miss the $150 quite so much as I do right now and I could use the Delta ticket for last minute or emergency travel or maybe to get me part way to some place on my way back from Alaska at some point. That's the theory anyway, I'm sure I'll be similarly pissed off at Delta for screwing me out of $150 when that time comes...
So now my attention has turned to sightseeing/beach bumming/taking a surfing lesson. I'd also like to do some rafting (*cringe*) and maybe hike in one of the rainforests, but that'll depend on timing and cost of a guide or group. At this point I'm planning to fly in Friday March 6, hang out in San Jose for a few days checking out the sights and enjoying the nightlife. If I do any organized touring it'll be from San Jose at this point. Sometime Monday or Tuesday I'll catch a bus to Jaco, a great surfing town with a fun, bohemian feel to it and enjoy the water for the rest of the week. Toward the end of the week I'll head back to San Jose to stay over the night before my flight leaves.
Upon departure I'll have extensive lists of things to see/do while in country, hostel beds booked and confirmed, and lists of possible tours, etc along with tons of "just in case" phone numbers. This is about as unplanned as a trip will ever get for me. It's driving me a tiny bit crazy, but this is supposed to be a backpacker type thing so I'm forcing myself to relax and go with it. This will also be my first time leaving the country on my own, so it's a real right of passage thing and I'm really excited about that.
It's looking like my hostel stay all week will total about $100, not bad for a 7 day trip! Food and drink is very reasonable in CR, so that shouldn't be any more pricey than buying a week's worth of groceries in Manhattan! Taxis and buses are under $5 no matter where you're going, so I'm not even worrying about that, and I doubt I'll be buying may souvenirs since I'll be carrying everything around on my back all week. The only activities I see setting me back would be surf lessons and rentals (lessons are about $65 for a few hours of instruction, rentals are about $15/day) or any traditional rainforest excursion/rafting trip (tours run from $65-150 depending on what is included). Luckily all of this is optional, so I can play it by ear depending on how my bank account is looking.
At any rate, I'm planning to book my flight tomorrow or Tuesday along with making hostel reservations, so then I'll be locked in.
Have I lost my mind? Perhaps, but I'll be carrying pepper spray, so it's all good.
Odds I'll chicken out? None, because I'm too stingy to waste the airfare!
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