Stranded in Costa Rica - VW Dream Bus

We arrived in San Jose, Costa Rica for one reason.  Find that 1970's VW Dream Bus, buy it, and drive it back to the U S of A.  Through researching on-line for a couple of weeks, I became an expert on what to look for when buying a Bus.  We looked at about 9 different busses in just a few days.  They all LOOKED great on-line, but in reality there were just rusty old busses with nice paint jobs.  Every bus that we looked at was simply not going to make it back to the US.  

Bummer.

From San Jose we wanted to go to Monteverde to experience the best jungles and cloud forests Central America has to offer.  I thought the bus left from San Jose at 7:50am.  Nope.  We arrived at the empy bus station only to be offered 3 hour taxi rides to Monteverde for $200!!!  What!  A kind man then jumped in and recommend that we take another bus line that would drop us off at a town near Monteverde, and from there we could catch a bus to Monteverde.  Nope.  

We got dropped off on the side of the highway 6km from La Junta.  The next bus that was to pass would be a 5 hour wait, but given that its rainy season, that wasn't certain.  Not gonna happen.  Luckily, we were able to share a taxi to La Junta.  From La Junta we were told by some locals that we could hitch a ride to Monteverde, a rough 10 km road east.  Nope.  All we were offered were taxis that wanted to charge us $70.  I thought Central America was suppose to be cheap!  

Waiting on the side of the road in hopes of getting picked up by the non-existent through traveler, a SUV full of three gringos stopped to ask ME for directions!  I guess my six foot stature is starting to fit in with the five foot and some change locals.  

"Where do you want to go?", I asked

"Monteverde", Pete replied.

Hell yeah I can give you directions!  I thought to myself.

"Sure I know where it is" I replied, not really knowing.

From there Yasmin and I enjoyed our first A/C transit in months to Monteverde, which by the way was beautiful!

Huge thanks to Pete, Scott, and Steve for the ride and the beers!  Enjoy the office!  

DOM

One of "The Ones", 3rd cylinder didn't work

I dont' know what this look is called, but whatever it is, is it working?

Cloud forest hike

Dorks zip-lining 

The all day lunch break.  Parque Manual Antonio 

Lovin it!