Day 2

This “day” truly started the previous evening as we arrived in El Salvador 90 minutes late for any connection to Costa Rica. Another very slow immigration line up then the “Le Mans” 39km bus ride to Salvador to stay overnight in the Crowne Plaza Hotel. The hotel opened the restaurant for a buffet dinner, TACA covering the expense, so there were smiles all around even at 1.00 a.m.
Buffet breakfast and seats overlooking the pool and mountain was the feature of the morning as the group slowly gathered. I think Mother and Girly were last to join and smile on the gathering. A small group; Papazuke leading the way with Runner and McT in tow, went for a walkabout outside the hotel fence/gate and this was sketchy (a euphemism), the first person you meet being a soldier with an uzi (machine gun). Walking on you find few fellow morning hikers and the only inhabitants of Salvador seemed to be taxi drivers, likely scratching their heads at these gringo walkers and guards with shotguns/soldiers with uzi’s. It was a short walk and the weights room or pool a more appealing source for energy exchange. The bus to pick us up was late! Hmmmm. It did come and we arrived back at the airport taking double the time of the previous evening’s journey but seeing a bit of Salvador city and the country on the return leg. A brief check in at the airport, McT was this time X-rayed (yes full body scan) much to the delight of AmigoCarlo, and we were airborne on time our 70 minute flight finding us in Costa Rica 33 hours after leaving AC. Yippee, David from WLS and Randal with very large smiles greeted the wayward group, loaded the bags and Carlos our driver started the 2hr trip to Chilamate Eco Reserve. Stopped on the way for an H2O break and time off from the looping, roller coaster ride. The road taking us through the cloud forest – yes it rained, which is all we could see in the dark. We suddenly arrived at Chilamate where Randal again reminded us of having closed shoes and headlamps to see and to avoid the snakes.  Yes, a few eyebrows were raised with really big eyes (ahhhh) but is appears to be no fun to be bitten by the poisonous snake variety around Chilamate and there can be many snakes in this jungle area. Megan and Davis the owners of Chilamate welcomed us with a terrific meal and too many great food choices to describe. After dinner Randal, David and Megan gave us an overview and expectations of the trip and Randal and David gave us or first experience of ANCHOR; Appreciation, News, Change, Hope, Observation, Reading. It was a neat idea! We were dispersed to our rooms, the ladies to the cabins, Runner and GAL to the VIP suite and the other boys to the bedroom lodge. Some met back at the main lodge for a nightcap and chat but all looked ready for some shut-eye.