“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware”.
2026 Blog Post 3
Imagination is key but nothing tops being in a place
On 11th January we arrived in Puerto Limon Costa Rica, 75% of the population identifying as “mestizos”: people of mixed ancestry: Indigenous, African / Afro-Caribbean, European, Chinese. A distinctive country: Most expensive in Central America. The only country across North, Central and South America without an army, preferring to prioritise and redirect resources to education and social programs.
Exhilarating views of the lush rainforest canopy from suspended skywalk bridges, rich diversity of flora and fauna with our guide highlighting particular features of what we observe: Costa Rican crops especially coffee and cacao, the large fibrous fan shaped leaves used to make Panama hats, (handmade in Ecuador!) “monkey combs”, colourful frogs including the strawberry poison dart red frog. Beware the bullet ants – one of the world’s most painful stings! From our pontoon in the Tortuguero canals we observed two toed and three toed sloths, small tailed black howler monkeys (serious howls), green iguanas, various exotic birds.
So what did we learn in Costa Rica?
Recently at dinner Sheryl spoke to two guys on our cruise who happen to both be writing blogs. From what they showed Sheryl, it is a personal diary of what they see, eat and do daily.
So what do we want our blog to be? Life and learning are unpredictable! We are towards the beginning of this voyage and as Martin Buber mysteriously pronounced: “All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware”.
We don’t yet know what learning this voyage will bring. We select a few standout observations and experiences that we especially wish to share and that remind us of wondrous experiences and stories about each destination. They are sure to provide pleasurable memories and new insights in future as we reread and reflect.
Tomorrow: It’s Colon in Panama. Then “If its Tuesday”, we must be crossing the Panama Canal. So: “Fasten your cigarettes and extinguish your seatbelts”.
