Plein Air es Hot Air

Here is my first attempt of plein air painting.  although it's not finished and i did paint this one from the front stoop of the casa.  It's pretty hot by 8am so getting somewhere that will stay shaded will prove troublesome i think.  :)  i need a bike with a HUGE basket to carry the easel!

Julia Childs Just Rolled Over in Her Grave

Saturday was my first cooking lesson.  Jungle Man proceeded to show me the steps to making rice and beans.  Not to be confused with rice and beans.  The rice was washed, practically scrubbed to remove the “chemics” then the pot was filled with water one knuckle above the rice.  Seems reasonable.  Once the rice was complete a can of tuna and vegetables were added to the rice.  The dry beans were put on to boil, adding water ever 20 mins or so for an hour?  I don’t know for sure as we actually eat them for dinner.  I’ve eaten the rice and tuna before, and it’s surprisingly good.  I’m not sure what kind of oil the tuna is in but it is reddish.  The vegetables in it are peas and carrots.  I think.  

Great, so now we made food at home and there are left overs, what do we do with them?  Leave them on the stove of course!  As an American who was taught to put all left overs in the fridge IMMEDIATELY to avoid salmonella this makes me slightly uncomfortable.  When I was here before I ate the tuna and rice concoction after 24hours of being in a container unrefrigerated and survived, but that was out of necessity on a 12k hike and I was starving.   

So on Sunday I reboiled the beans morning and night as instructed so they wouldn’t go bad.  I ate them Sunday night and Monday morning and afternoon.  The rice seemed to smell a little funky in the morning so I cooked it longer and added the beans.   So far so good.  

Back to the no refrigeration thing, while traveling I’ve notice many countries do not refrigerate their eggs.  Costa Rica included.  In fact if you get the eggs straight from your own or your neighbors chickens those eggs don’t need refrigerated either.  Even in 95 degree 95% humidity.  Crazy what our chicken industry does to those nasty store bought eggs that need refrigerated.  Sorry for my anti hugeass chicken egg bias.  But you should really think twice about those nasty store bought things.  If you don’t believe me, buy some store bought eggs and some from your neighbors and crack them open to see the difference. 

Anyway,  Jungle Man returned about 6pm and said the rice was bad!  He was concerned that I had eaten it for lunch. Hahaha  18 hours later I’m still not sick so I should be fine.  Lessons lessons…

Plus I'm sure adding a lot of this covered the smell and the taste and probably killed the bacteria! :) 

Mi Casa es su Casa

I finally made it.  after 3 times not getting the flight to Atlanta, I changed my strategy and went to salt lake then Atlanta.  Flying standby has it's challenges!  I finally arrived 1pm on Wednesday the 22nd.  24hours behind schedule.  I was picked up by the hostel owner, went on a hydroponic organic garden tour, ate salad from the garden, slept, arrived to the bus stop the next day at 7:20am.

Kitchen

The bus ride only took 8 hours!  William aka Jungle Man arrived via bicycle to meet me.  After making a scene(i.e., public displays of affection are totally normal here, but it still freaks me out!) in the street, he realized that he needed to get a taxi to get that now 55lb suitecase to his house.  He raced off on his bike and returned in the pick-up taxi.

The answers to your questions about what happened next are all yes.  haha  Sorry, Mom, maybe you didn't know this blog was actually about hot sex?  ;)

I have mentioned to some of you that there is no kitchen, only a sink where the kitchen would be.  William informed me a couple weeks ago that there is now a "kitchen."  

I'm also pretty excited about this table and chairs! When I was there before he felt bad that I didn't have anywhere to sit and read. 

Yesterday was spent "making accommodation."  Plywood and brackets were purchased and the little concrete house was rearranged. 

Nothing like a hot happy sweaty man doing manly things!

During

Before

Before

After

Ok, I need to go eat something, probably a Lara bar as William is in the the rain forest today and I don't want to spend money.  maybe I'll get some bread and peanut butter.  Oh, how I hate PB&J.

The best laid plans of mice and men

I'm still trying to get out of Portland!  The problem with flying using a standby buddy pass I suppose. 
If I get on the next flight out to Atlanta I'll be sleeping there and hoping for the morning flight to San Jose.
My escort will no long be able to meet me.  Back to a 9 hour solo bus ride.  ADVENTURE!  

Eve of the Leave

Tomorrow night I'm going to try to fly out.  It's a day early but the flight is better, less lay over time.  I really hope I get on!

I found out today that my Jungle Man will be meeting me in San Jose, which is a huge relief given my extreme baggage situation. I am referring to my actual luggage and not my emotional baggage. haha  The good news is he is very strong.  This also means I will have someone to talk to on the 9 hour bus ride down to Puerto Jimenez.  and this! Yes, the front door does close.  :) 

And now the final packing stage continues!

luggage, life and learning

I'm packing. again.  for like the bazillion time.  weighing. packing.  repacking.  Fitting your life in luggage for an indeterminate amount of time is difficult.  It's also harder when money is VERY limited and things in Costa Rica are expensive.  At least for me.  The cheapest option for shampoo is $8.  Sunscreen $15 and up.  Soap that I like can't be found.  Estimating usage of said items is tough.

So my plan is to stay for 3 months.  Might be more, might be less.  What does a light packer pack if a packer might pack a pack?  Here's the run down.  I've taken inventory not only to help me know what I have but also in case a luggage disaster occurs! I have more clothes then I wanted to take, but they are padding the french easel! The below includes the clothes I'll be wearing the day of travel.

Flip flops - 2
Sandals - 2
Water Shoes - 1
Tennis Shoes - 1
Long sleeve sweater - 1
Pants- 4 one pair is convertible to shorts, all light weight
Shirts - 9 sleeves and light weight cotton and a couple dress shirts.
Dresses - 5 sun dresses and a couple nice ones for dancing
Shorts - 1 (trying to drum up another pair. worse case I shop off some pants! )
Skirts - 6 shorter and light weight - thanks mom for altering them for me
Tank tops - 11  This seems excessive, but it's hot. and humid and I don't know how often I'll be able to wash
Regular short socks - 5
Wool short socks - 6
Undies - 12 is this enough?!  one sexy pair. haha
Bras- 11 this seems excessive but again think hot and sweaty
T-shirt - might ditch these but right now, 2
Swim suits- 2
Rain Jacket - 1 might not actually need this
Sun hat - will need this
My trusty sarong that doubles as a skirt and a towel.
One thin towel
2 wash clothes

Toiletries.  Pills. Misc. crap.  electronics.  Lara bars, emergan-C.  Nalgene water bottle. There are no book stores in the little village I'm living in, so my very nice and lovely roommate has graciously allowed me to borrow his Kindle. Small Netbook. camera etc. etc. etc. :)

Art supplies.  This is quite the endeavour in it's self.  I'll spare you the details.

French Easel (13 lbs alone, I think I'm at close to 28lbs of art supplies in my 50lbs allowed roller luggage) 
20 tubes of paint
many brushes
44 pre cut canvases of sizes ranging 6 x 6 - 11 x 14 
boards to tape canvas too while painting - actually I just realized I can ditch a couple of these!  I really only need the largest one! yippee!  Now to unpack and take them out!
Brush cleaner
Tape
Need to buy some small paint storage containers.  Hey Micheal's, here I come.

I won't have a closet there, so my suite case will double as one for folded clothes.  My hanging clothes will either not hang or will hand on hangers on nails in the wall. 

I've also become a mule for supplies for my Jungle Man and his friend. Camera, backpack, and binoculars.

I'VE NEVER TRAVELED WITH SO MUCH STUFF!  I have some anxiety and I'm worried about my bodies reaction to 20lbs of carry on, 25lbs checked backpack, 50 roller bag plus my carry on.  Should be interesting.    I have pain just thinking about it.  Better make sure I pack more Vicodin! hahaha Now, where's my Spanish dictionary...

This is a test of the adventure blogging system

This is a test. For the next ninty (or ? ), days this blog will conduct a life update of the adventure Blogging System. This is only a test.  


If this had been an actual blog, you would have been instructed where to tune in your area for news and official information.

:)  Packing is an adventure worth blogging about, but I'm too busy to do it!   


5 days till take off!