Travel day, rain day

 Today Carlos brought me brakfast early and the van came to pick me up only 10 minutes late at 7am. There was thunder but no rain. It was a full van and I talked to two young American women who turned out to be from Bellingham! 

We had to take all our luggage out and get on the ferry; going up narrow stairs with a suitcase is not easy for me and a young man helped me and getting off the 5'10" woman from WA took it for me.

When we got to Puntoarenas we had to load the luggage up on the roof of a van-- poor driver and passengers who helped! I sat next to the Bellingham women and we talked to the 3 young Israeli women behind us. It turns out the woman who helped me with my suitcase is Jewish and got bat mitzvahed. 

Most of the passengers were going to the airport but getting there it started pouring rain and I wondered if all our luggage would be soaked. Traffic was horrible which now seems to define San José.  

I did the world's quickest hotel check in and got an Uber to my dentist. More horrible traffic but worse coming home when, guess what, it was raining. I waited 40 minutes for an Uber and he saw me and wouldn't pull in to the parking lot to let me in; I guess I was supposed to jump in while he was in traffic. He canceled and I had to start all over again. 

The visit at the dentist was tough. I was 10 minutes early but my dentist got irritated when I asked her to stop pushing my chin and to explain more and she walked out. When she came back about 10 minutes later she asked if I wanted a different dentist. Well, yes, but that seems a luxury I can't afford, being in town for only 3 days before my tour starts. 

Three crowns preparation and I am barely able to eat or drink, 5 hours later. Oh, what fun. I am so glad I grabbed a shish kebab from a street vendor in Puntoarenas. 

I am in a fairly expensive hotel called Hotel Auténtico and in their restaurant trying to sip a gin & tonic with numb lips.Breakfast looks like it might be quite good!