Sonja Alvarez, twenty-one years old, has set off on a world tour. Story of her second week of adventure.
Monday, February 17: wake up at Selina hostel. I would recommend this hostel for groups, but not for solo backpackers. I need to meet up with people I had met in San José in the early afternoon, to go to the hot springs, west of La Fortuna.
In the meantime, I’m strolling through the town which is filled with souvenir shops and tour agencies. But it’s quite pleasant. It’s very cloudy and there are occasional showers. 
Upon arriving at the hot springs, you have to walk a bit through the forest and hike up the river to escape the crowd. This wasn’t planned; it’s pouring rain and our bags are soaked. We then find a quiet spot to eat and rest.
Around 5 PM, we decide to head back because of the mosquitoes. But there is no network, no way to order an Uber and the taxi is overpriced. We go near a hotel to find Wi-Fi and order transportation. 
Arriving at the restaurant, a great surprise awaits us: 1.5 kg of ribs, 1.5 kg of chicken, 4 small banana breads, banana ceviche, nachos, and 3 panaguana juices. We couldn’t finish it.
The next day, the wake-up is early. I want to go have my breakfast, but the toilets have leaked. I am stuck in my room.
At 10 o’clock, I have booked a tour with Lava Tour. A hike around the volcano, a local lunch, a visit to the observatory park, and finally the hot springs. All for $65.
Back to the room, tomorrow I’m leaving for Monteverde.
February 19, at 8:30 AM, I leave with a shuttle-ferry called a jeep-boat-jeep. An hour and a half of travel and magical landscapes.
The day passes quickly, we stroll a bit in town, but there’s so much wind that we decide to return.
February 20: I’m waiting for a new friend at the hostel, who is supposed to arrive at 12:00. An hour later, we arrive at the Santa Elena National Park. The entrance costs $16. There are several trails, the longest takes nearly 3 hours and 30 minutes. Due to time constraints, we have to choose the 2-hour 30-minute one which is 3.4 km.
At the entrance, we are advised to take a shortcut, the rest is too muddy. It’s very slippery and it’s all over. It’s worth the trip, even if we didn’t see any animals, the forest is magical.
We learn that trees attract rain, which is why there are “cloud forests”. It’s also why the Monteverde region is so cloudy.
On the way back, the shuttle driver drops us off at Perro Negro. There is a magical little path, the late afternoon light makes the place incredible.
In the late afternoon, we return to the town. We stop at the supermarket on the way back to the hostel. We go to bed early, wake-up at 6:30 AM.
On February 21, I finish packing and have breakfast before waiting for the bus to Puntarenas. Buses here are not expensive, rarely paying more than $5 even for very long distances. It compensates for all the other paid activities.
Once in Puntarenas, I take the bus to Quepos. This journey seemed endless to me. At 3:30 PM, I finally arrive at the hostel. It’s extremely hot.
I went to the post office to mail a package. Nobody speaks English, I had to manage as best as I could. It was quite funny. I then go to watch the sunset with a new acquaintance.
We take the 6:30 AM bus to Manuel Antonio.
On February 22, the bus is at 6:30 AM to Manuel Antonio. The journey takes about 30 minutes. The park is open from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM. There’s already quite a crowd. We start by walking. There are numerous paths (6 in total) and 4 or 5 different beaches. We begin by going to the beach for photos since it’s early, and there’s no one yet. Then we start walking.
It’s 7:30 AM and it’s already extremely hot. We decide to take the first tour and then settle at the beach. We had been warned not to leave our things lying on the beach because monkeys could come and steal them. It’s not an urban legend. We were swimming peacefully when suddenly, we saw a man running towards our belongings to chase the monkey away. Fortunately, he arrived in time!
A few minutes later, we can observe the monkey and a raccoon.
This experience has unnerved us, and we no longer dare to leave our things. We eat around 12:00 PM and then proceed to other paths.
It’s hot and very beautiful, but relatively disappointing because we don’t really see any animals. We end up at a small beach around 2:30 PM for a refreshing dip. We take the last bus and return to Quepos. A good shower is a must.
Sunday, departure at 10 AM from the hostel. We take a taxi near the bus station. After being dropped off, we wait for the bus to Sierpe. On the way, the bus stops for a 25-minute break allowing us to eat.
Heading to Sierpe to catch the boat to Drake’s Bay. It arrives around 4 PM, and costs $20, but it’s worth it. You pass close by mangroves and end up on the ocean with a breathtaking view. I arrive at Drake’s Bay and look for my hostel, “Martina’s Place”, which is very well located. I reach my room, drop off my belongings, and go shopping. I go out to eat with five other people, a German, two Americans, a Canadian, and a Frenchwoman.
