This morning at 4am, I blew into Boston Logan airport.
One 20” carry on duffle
One backpack
my precious laptop, three dayglow bathing suits, metallic sandals, a tank top or two, four sundresses, 54 malaria pills, and my most recent read: “The Bedwetter” by Sarah Silverman.
All for two and a half months of living in and loving on Central America.
After much worldly research, extensive browsing of every travel website and magazine, I chose Central America for seven [undeniably] practical reasons:
Reason 1: Natural beauty and warm, sunny weather: an exquisite balance of beach and jungle and happiness.
Reason 2: Affordability: The cost of living in Central America is wildly inexpensive when compared to all the beachy-exotic locations I’ve traveled to around the world. It is also half as cheap to rent housing as the very cheapest apartment I’ve held in the United States. Borrowing someone’s home in Costa Rica, especially for an extended period of time as I’ve chosen to do, is more affordable than all of my summers in Cape Cod, combined.
Reasons 3-5: Affordability.
Reason 6: Affordability.
Reason 7: An irrational and uncontainable affection for movies such as “The Beach” and “Blue Crush.” Judge me.
The itinerary:
February 2012: Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica (the eastern coast) where I’ve rented a small home on the beach with my love, Camille.
March 2012: Bocas del Toro, Panama where I’ll be living in a jazzed up tree house in the jungle with my love, Camille.
April 1-13 2012: Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica (the western coast) where I’ll be bungalow-ing with my love, Camille.
The ultimate goals of this trip:
To finish penning my memoir in a land of limited distraction. This is nearing the entirety of my focus.
To explore and joy-seek. Always.
Wow that is so different than the Costa Rica Brent showed me via pictures when he went last year. Then again he was in the middle of no where instead of a city.
Cannot wait to see what is to come for you! All these places? Amazing! Introduce your lovely travel mate! Does she have a blog?
Looks gorgeous! I CANNOT wait for your book!
Looks lovely! Will you be visiting Arenal volcano while there? That is a bucket list thing for us for sure since we’re lava junkies! Enjoy your time there and hope to see lots of updates in between work!
So sad we didn’t catch up before you left, so happy you’re on a tropical sabbatical. Best wishes with writing, and have fun exploring and seeking joy!
What a glorious dream you are living! I am so excited to continue to read about your travels and adventures :)
Soak it all in and live it to the fullest! Don’t hold back because you only pass this way once! Always be kind, generous, and loving and all the fullness this life has to offer you will be yours. I will pray for you every day! :)
you rock i love your writings be safe and God bless
Wow! You really are amazing. Have fun and be safe! Can’t wait to travel “with” you!
I have a friend currently visiting Costa Rica and she told me about the little monkeys that sound like a freight train. I hope you get to see monkeys! This is going to be fun reading every morning. Thank you for sharing!!
That sounds amazing. I would love to take trip like that someday! I’m looking forward to hearing all about it!
What?! Awesome! So excited! Can’t wait for some exotic food!
Squee!! Home sweet home for me. I know that you are going to have a wonderful time. If you need anything while you are in Costa Rica please send me an email. I have tons of family and friends there still and it’s always nice to have a safety net. Oh, and go to the West Coast if you get the chance, and the Arenal Volcano! The volcanoes cannot be missed. Arenal has natural hot springs and a spa. Who’s Camille?
You’re going to have such a lovely time!! Keep us updated! PS I think you forgot something… I’m still here… in my office… in the US.
LOVED Costa Rica – I went to Tamarindo… and LOVED Bedwetter. It’s a great book and really gives you a great inside look into Sarah and where she came from!
This is so exciting!!! I hope you enjoy all of the little/big things about traveling and being in a new country :)
You lucky girl! My boyfriend and I travelled to Costa Rica just a few weeks ago and had a WONDERFUL time! We spent only 10 days there, but could have easily spent 2-1/2 months! It is now on my retirement home wish-list. We spent 3 night near Volcan Arenal and if you have the time, swing through, talk to locals, and find the *free* hot spring locations (there were fireflies! also beware, some of the resorts HEAT their water – lame!). We spent 3 nights near the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve which was awesome, but not warm and beach-y. Manuel Antonio was THE BEST, and not just because the ocean is as warm as bath water (here in Cali, the Pacific Ocean is fah-reezing) and the monkeys come out to greet your every sunrise and sunset. Have a blast! I hope you find time to write your book, our days were filled with exploring! Good luck!
Swoon, this looks beyond amazing. Be safe and have the time of your life!
Wow Andrea…what a wonderful adventure this is. I’m so happy for you. When I read this post, I thought of Eat Pray Love, traveling and writing….but in a different light and context.
I look forward to reading your daily adventures.
Once, part of my job was to take care of some hotels we had in Costa Rica and when I would receive pictures from the property, looking at it from my cubicle here in California…..those pictures made me day dream all day long. And to think….you are there right now. Live it up!!!
This sounds so fantastic! I hope you have a great time.
I’m so jealous! :) Central America and South America are my dream!
Oh my heart is filled with such joy for you and your adventures. It will burst, I’m sure of it! Please breathe every breath with a happy smile on your face. Seattle will miss you and your warmth.
:) I will be in Costa Rica shortly. Only for a week though and never touching San Jose or Puerto Viejo. :(
Have a wonderful adventure! How lucky you are to explore the world while writing your book. Don’t be too distracted! and be SAFE! i look forward to your updates…
I’m so excited for you and for the blog! I will be living vicariously through your lovely photos and stories, pretending I am speaking Spanish and listening to the ocean.. :) Hope you have a wonderful time!
Sounds wonderful! I think we’ll all just live vicariously through you!
OH this looks breathtaking!! So beautiful and wonderful and perfect.
Wow! That’s so awesome! :D I can’t wait to keep reading your updates! I’m so excited for you.
That sounds so amazing!!! I’m so jealous! Have a great time!!
Wow, I am so excited for you! What a dream.
Oh so exciting!!!
Enjoy!!
Wow! Live life girl!
Oh wow what an amazing trip, I hope you have a really wonderful time! Your photos are beautiful. Enjoy the experience :-)
Go to Arenal for me. I’m going there with my wife in July. It’d be really cool of you to let me know how it is.
There’s a volcano there, if that’s any sort of motivation.
You won’t regret this decision. Last year, my husband and I sold most of our “things”, put our 2 kids under 2 years old on our back, and pulled 2 suitcases behind us to leave rainy Seattle and move to beautiful Costa Rica. It’s been a life changing experience and one that will influence our “forever.”
You’ll love Manuel Antonio. We actually just walked in the door 30 minutes ago from spending the day there. Enjoy!
Maybe we’ll run into you. ;)
I am going to sound like the most nosey person, but I thought that you were in a serious relationship with someone in Seattle? Did you break up with him? I might have totally missed that. :-/
Have a joy-filled, awe-inspiring, soul-filling and food tasting time! I’m rather jealous as this is something I would love to do. Can’t wait to hear about your journey and everything you discover, xoxo
I am way excited about being able to follow you on this once in a lifetime adventure! Super awesome yay.
I love that you are living your life out loud! Here’s to the start of a wonderful journey! :D
What a perfectly amazing adventure! And yet, it’s so appropriate for someone who lives every breath to its fullest. I can’t wait to read along with your travels. :)
It looks like you had a lot of fun in Costa Rica. The good news is for next time, unless you are going to Guanacaste in the North, you will not need to bring Malaria Pills as there simply isn’t any Malaria to be concerned about in the San Jose Valley. Your photography was nice to see as well, there is a Zoo in Alajuela Costa Rica you should check out next time for some awesome travel shots.
Andie, great to know you are already here in CR!
Please let me know if you are back in San José at some point during your trip, I’d love to meet with you :)
Pura Vida!
Hey Andie! This is amazing!! Just curious to ask what job you have at home that allows you so much time off. Or is your main job the blog and other media related channels? Have a great time, I am a new reader of your blog and love your outlook on food and health!
Hi Shal!
Thanks so much. I’m a writer and event planner so all of my work is done on the computer. Luckily, I’m able to work remotely :)
I’m currently writing two books for Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House.
Great to meet you!
Andie
This sounds amazing, and I am incredibly jealous. You will love Manuel Antonio (how could you not?) Amazing beaches and wildlife, not to mention such fresh and delicious food.
I’ve known and met several people who have run away to Costa Rica to finish various writing projects, and I am quite jealous!
How FUN and exciting!! :)
Please don’t publish this. OMG I can’t wait to see Camille for some reason I picture her blonde. I don’t know why, but I seriously do and I’m so happy that my Boston girl has a “love” that is such a sweet and subtle way to tell the world about her. I think you are wonderful and it’s not just because your a hometown gal or that you and I are both our mother’s sweet baby it’s because you remind me so much of myself before I had my son. You make me miss the old, adventurous me that I was 3 years old. I hope to get her back.
PS Can you believe the Pats? OMG I was so mad! Luv ya, Camara
I am so excited for you to go to Bocas del Toro!!! I lived there for a little over 3 months last year (Sept-Dec) and loved loved loved it. Sooo much good food there, both local cuisine (Restaurant Chitre- comida de pollo for lunch is the best you’ll have) and more trendy (Ultimo Refugio- menu changes daily and it’s all delicious!!!). I cannot wait to hear about your adventures. And remember, Bocas is a place where you fall in love, whether it’s with another person, yourself, or Bocas itself, I guarantee you will fall
truly
madly
deeply
in love.
I am so excited for you to be in Bocas del Toro and Manual Antonio!! I’ve been to both places and they are HEAVEN. Those places will change you for the better!! Enjoy every second!