Testing The New Camera

Decided to take the new camera out for a real-world test drive to see how it works in 5MP and 14MP - aside from the filesize of the photos, there is not much difference. Quite impressed with the depth of field effect on the macro mode.

A few photos did not come out due to the motion of the subjects, so the sensor on it is not the best, certainly. But, all things being equal, for $70 I will at least be able to take photos at the reefs - and even if 50% of them don't turn out or are blurry, I will still have 100% more underwater shots than I would have had I not bought it in the first place. Yep, quite happy with it, indeed.

Eight days until departure! Simply thrilled and cannot wait for the day to arrive!

Soundtracking The Voyage

Beautiful Life - Armin van Burren featuring Cindy Alma (Protoculture Remix)

Just discovered this amazing new release from Armin van Buuren and it's totally making me want to create a new soundtrack for my travels. Strangely, or not so much, I find the title of the track, Beautiful Life, apt as it reflects the feelings I have when out and away somewhere on the blue marble. It really is a beautiful life and a wondrous world we live in. Now, to find the rest of the OST for Costa Rica 2013 - Nine days to go to do so...

Asses and Horeshoes

Somehow, I seem to have hit the jackpot. The hotel I have booked into in San Jose is literally a 3 minute walk from the bus terminal I need to go to in order to get to Limon and Puerto Viejo. Talk about proverbial horseshoes being firmly wedged in a person's ass. And here I was worried about having to get a cab to get there to buy my ticket the day before. Now, I can check in, lock my gear up and go for a walk, sampling some local street food along the way! Life sometimes is very, very cool. :)

San Jose - Hotel to Bus Terminal - 150 meters? Yes please!

Technical Stops Are Bullshit

So I have this thing, called a technical stop, in El Salvador on the way to San Jose from Toronto. I've had them before - let people off, bring others on, lay in some extra fuel, etc... but now I am being advised that this is a complete change of planes. All in a 45 minute window? Somehow, knowing Central America as I do, I feel that this will not be the case. I have this crazy feeling that it will be more like the two hour affair my friend recently went though on her flight. Man that sucks - especially since there is an identical stop on the way home, and I really do not want to miss my connecting flight from Toronto to Montreal... the joys of connecting flights are never ending, lol! :)

Mental Note to Self: No connecting flights for the 2014 excursion.

But really, in the end, what the fuck does a technical stop or plane change mean, when my ass will be parked on this beach at Playa Uva and many others just like it for the week? I'll tell you what it means - absolutely nothing at all. :)

Playa Uva, Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica

Last Piece Purchased - Baby I'm Ready To Go!

So I went and bought a new underwater camera yesterday to replace the one that blew up in Mexico. Too bad they didn't have the one I'd originally wanted (sold out), but the one I did get is serviceable enough to get some good shots I am sure, at 14 megapixels no less!

Contemplating bringing my laptop on this excursion since there is no need for electric adapters and it will make updates easier on the go since there is free wifi at the hostel. Not completely decided yet however. The constant worry of theft or damage due to humidity is definitely a cause for concern. Kinda wished I had a netbook for things like this. Might be something to look into for the 2014 trip.

More than sure that if a person were to backtrack through these entries, there would be a noticeable trend before I fuck off on these little excursions, but yeah, I'm ready to go now. I want to go now, to be on that long and lonely road. I've got the pre-trip separation thing going on - I'm getting quite detached now and it is getting worse. I could say that I wonder why that is, but I'm certain it's something to do with the way I travel and the things I tend to thoughtlessly do while away. I am a loner and let's face it, I've been known to do very stupid things with little thought to my own safety or the feelings of those back home who would be affected should anything go wrong. Selfish? Perhaps. But, I am living my life on my own terms, doing what I want to do. And you know, it's not like I don't know what I am doing, it's not like I am completely unprepared in most cases. I've got this fucked up need to feel alive, like the rush of pushing my luck and risking life and limb makes me feel that and anything less would, in my mind anyways, be boring - if I wanted to feel safe and secure, I would stay home in Canada. Some would say I have mental issues. <shrug> Maybe I do.

Whether I am brain damaged or not - death wish or not - it is now 12 days until departure. I know everything will be fine and I will return in one piece with a fuck-tonne of photos and stories, as I always do. And more than likely, I will be whole again, having fulfilled my annual need to be up and away. I'll be refreshed and recharged for the next few months at least, until the itch strikes again and I need to board another airliner to take me to some other foreign place where I can enjoy all of the amazing eats, immerse myself in strange local customs and live life to the max in a way most people seldom do. And you know what? That's what drives me, that's what keeps me going - doing things that most people don't or won't. And certainly things that everyone should...

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Costa Rica 2013

Here I go again! Central America and I have a love affair like none other and this time, during a time when most people eschew going south, I am heading to Costa Rica's Caribbean coast, to the surfer town of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca - a place never visited. In search of a sunrise, indeed ~ provided of course, I can wake my sorry ass out of bed in time to catch it! LoL! Departing in two weeks for another crazy jungle and sea based adventure as only Mr. 50/50 can do it. Tiger sharks, eyelash vipers, fer de lance, bullet ants, etc ... no worries. :)

Not at all crazy about the flight as I've heard it told by one who took it not too long back, but perhaps my technical layover in El Salvador won't be a two hour affair. Anyways, it doesn't matter; whether its 4pm local or 6pm local time, I will be in San Jose, deftly working my way through customs and outwards to my pre-arranged pickup to the hotel (gotta love those). By that time the next day, sitting my ass on Playa Negra, Puerto Viejo, beer in hand and going to figure all of this shit out that is spiraling around in the old noodle. The time for a refresh could not have come at a better time - and as we all know, no better place or person to get it all squared away for the better.

Counting down the days until arrival - 14 and counting. And it is taking too long...

Getting another itch - must scratch soon

Summer is starting officially in my little corner of the blue marble and I am getting an itch to see another part of it. I've noticed that ads pertaining to flights seem to be populating on my facebook ads lately. And it has me looking at places I want to see, and pondering things about airports I've been in and all of the adventures I've been on - hell, I even sat here and re-read my entries from India onwards today!

China might be on hold for a bit - new expenses cropping up that make it prohibitive at this time. But then, there is nothing stopping me from seeing another Wonder, a little closer to home - in Rome, Italy. :) Something to ponder...