Water Shoes
I was in La Fortuna for the first part of my trip, and I went to the free hot springs and El Salto. In both of these cases, I needed water shoes because these are natural pools and there are a ton of rocks. I had my shoes at the free hot springs but not at El Salto, and the made such a huge difference.
With water shoes, you can walk much better, and it is safer and more fun. Without shoes, it’s pretty hard to walk, and I saw a woman without shoes slip and fall in the hot springs, and her hat started floating down stream. Other people had to grab the hat for her.
Sunscreen
While Costa Rica is tropical, it is also quite shady. I am not sure I wore any when I was there, but I should have.
Interestingly enough, I actually didn’t use ANY bug spray. I am not sure i saw many mosquitos, even though I was in La Fortuna and some pretty remote parts of the jungle.
A Charging Bank
Where are your plane tickets, maps, hotel reservations, and itinerary? What do you use in case you get lost or an emergency? Your PHONE! And if that thing runs out of batteries, you are up Schitt’s Creek without a paddle. In fact, you know that your phone WILL run out of battery right when you need it most.
So make sure to bring a batter charger and make sure that it is charged each night. You don’t want to be left stranded with low to no battery.
Charging Cord and Plug
Building on top of the above post, you need to make sure that you bring a cord with you, and it is a good idea to just bring the wall plug as well. There are often places to plug in if you need to.
A Quick Dry Towel
It’s true, stuff takes forever to dry in Costa Rica. It would be really helpful to bring a towel that dries quick.
A Locker Lock
If you’re like me and you stay in hostels, you always need to bring a lock with you. Most hostels have a place where you can lock up your belongings like passport, etc.
$2 Dollar Bills
When I was a kid, my grandpa always gave me two dollar bills for my birthday. They are super rare, and when I brought a few to Costa Rica, everyone was really excited and interested in them.
Journal
I often travel alone, and it can be kind of boring sometimes. It can be awkward to sit in a restaurant all by myself eating. I don’t really mind, but I imagine people think I’m some weirdo with no friends. Plus, I try not to stare at my phone the entire time so that I can enjoy my surroundings, but just sitting there doing nothing is hard.
So I always try to travel with a journal and pen. If I go out for food or sit in a park or an must just sitting in the airport or bus station, I bring the journal. It’s the perfect time to write. It gives my mind something to do, and I can still take in my surroundings.
A Good Book
I love to read, and there’s nothing like having a nice book along with you when traveling. Traveling inherently involves hours of waiting, and a book or two can help you pass this time.
In addition, the memories of that book will be intertwined with your trip, so it will help you remember your trip more.
Also, some books are very thought provoking, which means reading a book during travel might help you have deeper insights or realizations.
Coming soon…
There are tons of places to stay as you travel, so make sure to look around. Be adventurous. I have always enjoyed my stays in hostels. Read my post about the hostel I stayed in in:
Are we ever going to take major action on Climate Change? With Hurricane Helene causing unheard of damage thousands of miles away in North Carolina,
Alhambra and Latin Street Based on my limited experience dancing in Chicago, Alhambra and Latin Street have great turn outs. Alhambra Thursday Nights Salsa Lesson: