I wasn’t planning on traveling this winter or spring. Seriously, I told all my friends. I had a plan to save money instead of spending it on another trip. After all, I was tired of always catching up financially after my adventures. I tried to convince myself that watching my savings grow would be just as exciting as exploring new places. But then came the seat sales.
The Temptation of Seat Sales
I managed to resist the $450 return flights to LA and San Francisco easily. I’ve been to both places, and neither was calling me back. The $340 return flights to Nashville were more tempting. I could picture nights listening to honky tonk music and sipping PBRs at Robert’s Western World. I had a great time there in 2016. But the deal was only available until April, and I wasn’t sure it would be warm enough, so I said no. I also found cheap flights to Boston, New York, and Miami. I was feeling pretty strong in the face of these good deals. But then came Costa Rica.
An Unexpected Opportunity
My roommate wanted a relaxing, semi-spontaneous getaway. Since I love planning trips, I looked for a few options for her. $450 return from St. John’s to San Jose, Costa Rica? Wow, that’s a good deal. I told her about it and felt a bit jealous of the adventures she’d have—sloths, beaches, jungles! But a few days later, she still hadn’t booked the trip. “I don’t know why I’m hesitating. If I had someone to travel with….”
Well, twist my rubber arm. I am weak after all. So now, I’m going to Costa Rica at the end of the month. And I’m pretty thrilled about it.
Returning to Where It All Began
Costa Rica was the destination of my first real international solo trip six years ago. I planned a similar 10-day trip back then, visiting La Fortuna and the Arenal Volcano, the Monteverde Cloud Forest, and the beaches of Tamarindo. I was such a newbie traveler back then. The thought of staying in hostels horrified me, so I booked myself into a fancy resort for my first two nights. AirBnB wasn’t really a thing yet, so I probably overpaid for rooms, but I was more concerned with ease and comfort.
Lessons from My First Trip
I thought I needed specific travel and hiking clothes, so I bought a pair of ill-fitting, quick-dry, zip-off hiking pants. I hated them, but I wore them. I felt decidedly unchic next to the Brazilian girl on my zipline tour in her cute outfit. I wore the pants as shorts with a MEC hiking sleeveless shirt for my Arenal volcano hike, which turned out to be more of a walk up a hilly trail. I felt like a bit of a tool. I didn’t pack my hair dryer because I thought that caring about my hair was a sign of a bad traveler. So I wore ponytails most of the week and lamented my frizziness.
Packing Smarter and Feeling Better
This time, I’m only packing outfits that are practical but also make me feel cute. Life’s too short to feel frumpy. I’m going to try to pack fewer but better clothes. We’re also splitting our accommodations between guest houses and a hostel. There are certain social benefits of hostel life that I like—not to mention the pool.
Ready for New Adventures
I’m excited about this trip. I’m more experienced now, and I know how to balance practicality with style. I’m looking forward to exploring Costa Rica again and making new memories. Sometimes, the more things change, the more they stay the same. And sometimes, you just can’t resist a great deal on a plane ticket.
