Around The World In 80 Waves

Leaving Mal Pais I noticed how low my tyres were as a result of the bumpy drive into town. I also wanted to get some water because it felt like I was actually melting in the heat.

Being the procrastinating champion of the world I sorted these issues out rather than pushing on for the ferry. This meant this was the image that greeted me when I rolled up to the ferry terminal. I had missed it by two minutes. How unlike me?

This of course meant that I was first in line for the next one although that wasn’t for three hours and meant I spent the hottest part of the day trying to shelter from the sun in the oven that my car becomes when stationery. All the while thinking if I hadn’t rushed so much for the first one I wouldn’t have to wait so long for the next one.

There was an air conditioned room on the boat but I preferred to enjoy the sea breeeze whilst taking in the glorious scenery on either side of the Gulf of Nicoya as I crossed it.

Had a bit of an issue finding the road out of town at Punterenas on the other side, and was getting a tad nervous because Dave had spotted that one of my headlamps was out as I left The Green Rooms. The local Police don’t need much excuse to try and exact a bribe so I didn’t want to hand one to them on a plate.

However I was soon on my way towards Jaco crossing a bridge over a crocodile infested river on the way there. Tourists and locals alike are lobbing stuff (sometimes live chickens!) at the crocs in the water to get them riled up. Like a lemon I forgot to take a picture of the action but can only confirm it was brutal. You can see them waiting for the next titbit here.

I got the most amazing surprise soon after when water started falling from the sky. This is a concept which is called rain if I remember correctly, but think it was the first time it had rained on me in nearly four month so I may be wrong! The scenery is getting much more lush the further south I travel into Costa Rica. Rainforests in every sense of the word.

When I bought the Litle Green Surf Machine in San Francisco the stitching on the passenger seat had long since been in a state of poor repair.

This has bothered me across two continents and I will have to sell the car shortly so needed to sort this out in the interests of getting as much as I can for the car when I sell it.

It is not common knowledge that I am actually quite handy with a needle and thread. (Please ask for pictures of my dressing gown if you want proof.) As a consequence I got my sewing kit out in the heat of the day while staying at The Green Rooms and spent an hour or so sewing, which at least tidied it up.

Not a bad job even if I do say so myself.

It should at least pass a casual inspection when people are checking out the motor and give them less chance to haggle me down on the price.

Of late I have been charging around unnecessarily and I decided to remind myself that I am actually on holiday. I did this by following Kevin’s example and just kicking back for a couple of days.

(Kevin is who you see here, and I do know that Kevin is a girl by the way.)

Dave has been showing me how to make bread and I have been enjoying all the good company I have found here, generally with an ice cold beer in my hand.

The two dogs here are great fun and a couple more are regular visitors. As a dog lover I’m loving playing with all of them.

There is loads of other wildlife on show everyday:

• Humming birds
• Squirrels
• Monkeys
• Iguanas
• Geckos
• Lizards
• Birds

I spend a lot of time watching them in the trees from the shade of the house. 

Dave has built a fantastic dining table which everybody can sit around to chew the fat.

I have also been making good use of the toaster here, and my Marmite is a welcome addition to this British household.

Of course it is boiling hot even in the shade but the pool is great for bombing into when it gets too much.

It is a hard life. Sadly I need to push on towards Panama as ever. I hope the other places I find are as comfortable as I have been here.

There is definitely swell around but I’m having a day off to recharge my batteries.

I use the time to explore the local area, buy some fresh fish from the fisherman who landed it and have a few beers at some of the wonderful bars which overlook the coastline here in Mal Pais.

This area has been developed considerably over recent years, but still retains its charm. Mel Gibson, Gisele Budchen, and a number of successful IT geeks have bought property down here and developed designer beach pads to enjoy in their time off.

It is as cool as 32C today so I can cope with riding on the quad bike in the midday sun.

This was one view I enjoyed while exploring the area and contemplating my next move with the aid of a cold beer.

I also replaced my flip flops buying a pair of Reef sandals which have handy bottle openers installed in the soles of each feet. Dont ask me what they cost because I think I got my man maths a bit confused doing the exchange rate, resulting in me purchasing an obscenely priced pair. However I’m sure I will be making good use of those bottle openers in the weeks and months to come!

The rest of the day was spent drinking the local Pilsen beer and have a great laugh with Dave, Tiffany, Svetlana, Rodrigo and Nils back at base.

My car is not really suited to the beach roads around here so Dave offers to give me a lift on the back of his quad bike to the beaches at the next town along the coast.

It is ok though because as well as my board shorts I have my flip flops for protection whilst balancing side saddle on the back with my 7’10” under my arm trying to avoid oncoming traffic on the main road.

We get to the beach unscathed and Dave is happy to hang around while I notch up the forty seventh break of my trip. 

There are a few people in the water but I quickly notch up a handfull of rides going left and right in the shoulder high waves.

Aware that Dave is waiting to give me a lift back and conscious of all the tourists piling into the water on the shore as the sun gets lower in the sky I catch one more ride in to the beach very pleased with my little afternoon session. 

The only other thing to report is that some toe rag nicked my flip flops from the beach when Dave’s back was turned.

This meant I had to ride back to The Green Rooms barefooted on the back of the quad bike.

I hope they like my flip flops, but in all honesty knowing my own feet even I wouldn’t want them second hand!!!

The Howler Monkeys were back again today making a right racket when they climbed through the trees looking for berries and fruit.

Sometimes they start their howling several hours before dawn, which although annoying is a great alarm call that those down in town miss out on. This allows us the chance to get up and be in the water before everybody else is up.

The monkeys come so close to the house you can almost touch them from the balcony of the main building here at The Green Rooms.

You have to watch out below though because they dont have any reason to care where they defacate or urinate!

I am awake early and after enjoying a lovely coffee that had already been brewed for me by my host Dave, I stroll barefoot down the hill to the beach.

The sun is coming up and because it is the morning after the big night of the Easter weekend the beach is very quite at 6.30am. I paddle out on the peak directly in front of the path, where there is only one guy in the water. 

I had a brilliant session catching loads of rides in the early morning sun.

I caught more waves than I could remember taking them left and right having a really fun time in the water, whooping and hollering the whole time as I charged down the line.

There are so many pictures from his morning’s session it is hard to identify the best one.

However I have added a selection to give you an idea of what it was like.

There were loads of little fish in the water, which I was trying to shoo away, conscious that the food chain would be following them, but didn’t see anything which might worry me.

Woooo-hooo wave 46 and there is going to be swell here all week.

Looking forward to an afternoon session already.

I have based myself at The Green Rooms in Mal Pais for a few days (www.the-green-rooms.com ) based on a great recommendation from Esther back in the UK.

It is set in the hills above the madness and dust of town, and is run by Dave whose home break was The Witterings on the south coast of England.

I have my own room in this fantastic bungalow, but after being shown around the area today by Dave I am spending most of my time in the communal living area under the main building, where there is a huge table which everybody sits around talking about the waves today, different breaks and who might make the next beer run down the hill.

As usual it is boiling hot here and apart from occasionally cooling off in the pool I have decided to take a day off everything to recharge my batteries because I have been getting grumpy of late due to all the tech problems I am experiencing. Top marks to Dave on this because the house is set up with everything you might need including an uninteruptable power supply and wi-fi which works brilliantly.

We are visited by Howler monkeys in the afternoon. No pictures of them to share yet, but by all accounts they visit daily and I should have something for you to look at soon.

I had to an awful lot of driving along dirt roads today at times wondering if it was the right move in the car.

This loose shale surface kicks up so much dust which means you get a lung full every time a car passes. The road you se here is flat but the coast road towards Cobano was at times really steep so it is necessary to stop at the bottom, try to pick a line less bumpy than the rest and just gun the car as fast as you can to make it up the hill.

The view was at times spectacular, and thankfully the further down the Nicoya Peninsula you go the wind which has been howling for days subsided.

I rolled into Mal Pais in a car that looked like somebody had sprinkled a bag of cement over it and then tried to ring the British run hostel I had selected to get directions. Of course my phone doesn’t work when I need it, so I am then stuck on the main road between Playa Carmen and Playa Santa Theresa just as all the locals are heading home from a day at the beach. There is so much dust being kicked up it is at times choking. Not big on patience after another day in the heat I drive around in the darkeness but eventually find it. There are loads of great people there upon arrival so it is time for a few beers me thinks.

I have done a few trips with perhaps one too many boards on the roof but saw this leaving Tamarindo.

It is quite the most ridiculous stack of boards I have ever seen and it was actually driving down the road!