COSTA RICA - Tips and Reviews - UPDATED - November 2012

Entry and Exit

San Jose Airport (airport code SJO)

Arrival - The entry process is typical of most international airports.  The immigrations and customs speak some English and the lines are generally short and move fairly rapidly.  When you exit the terminal there is usually an agent of the airport that can help you through the chaos and assault of taxi drivers.

NICARAGUA - Tips and Reviews - UPDATED November 2012

Entry and Exit

Penas Blancas (land border crossing between CR and Nicaragua on the Pan American Highway)

Entry – I entered Nicaragua via bus from Costa Rica and can only explain the process I experienced. Traveling through in a small group or by private auto may be different.  The bus initially stopped at the CR immigrations where my passport was stamped for your departure.  We were greeted on the bus by a Nicaraguan who took our passports and $13 USD to get our inbound visa for Nicaragua.  We then rode the bus for a few hundred meters to the Customs inspection of our bags which took about 30 minutes.

PANAMA - Panama City - Jan & Feb 2012 - HOUSE SIT

15 Jan 2012
Well I’ve started my Panama house sitting gig. This house is actually a Spanish teaching school with locations in Panama and Costa Rica. It’s a very interesting concept that it includes class time, local immersion, and adventure tours (white water rafting, scuba diving, surfing, etc), check out their website at “Spanish at Locations” (http://www.spanishatlocations.com/). For now, the house is a transfer point where students stay for a day or so before catching a flight from the national airport. The plan is to also teach classes here, so in the near future, the school will have four locations.