What's Next? Feedback and Comments Please!

I am taking a break from traveling and spending time in Phoenix and Flagstaff.  At this time of the year, in January, it's nice and warm in Phoenix.  So it's time for golf!  Most golf courses are crowded with tourists and winter visitors (aka snowbirds).  Getting a tee time at an 18-hole course is difficult and expensive.  Not only that, it takes about 5 hours to play an 18-hole round of golf.  In contrast, a 9-hole is perfect.  Less than 2 hours and time for lunch.

This is also ski season - at Snowbowl in Flagstaff, AZ.  It's about a 2-hour drive from Phoenix to Flagstaff and a 30-minute drive from my condominium to Snowbowl.  I buy a season pass every year that is good for skiing from Monday to Friday.  The ski season is short so I take advantage of it as much as I can.  Skiing helps me keep my balance and agility and sharpen my alertness.  Importantly, I "practice" falling as many older citizens hurt themselves from falling.  It's better to practice falling on snow than on concrete.

So far, I have 4 trips upcoming trips planned for 2026 - February/March to watch the Gray Whales in Baja California, a 40-day trip to China and Taiwan from April to June, a trip to Munich for Oktoberfest in September, followed by an OAT Trip to Sicily in October. 

I am most excited about the trip to China because I have not been there for almost 10 years.  I want to enjoy the food, culture and history, and leave out the politics.  For everything you find wrong in China, you can also find something wrong in the United States.  My travels in China start in Shanghai, then Huangshan, Suzhou, and Hangzhou.  Then I fly to Yunnan Province in the southwest part of China, going to Kunming, Dali, Shangri-la and Lijiang.  The next part of my tour takes me to Tibet, where I have always wanted to go.  In Tibet we start in Lhasa, the capital, then Shigatse and Everest Base Camp (EBC).  If you have been following my travels, my friends and I hike to EBC in Nepal in October 2018.  Now I will be going to the northern EBC in Tibet.  EBC is where mountaineers who want to hike to Mount Everest start their climb.  I finally end my China tour in Zhangjiajie.  This is where Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is located.

The China itinerary was put together by Eileen Wu of Asia Odyssey Travel (AOT). Then I fly to Taipei to join another AOT tour in Taiwan, but outside of Taipei, because I have been to Taipei recently but not other parts of the island.  I will finally end my trip by spending 3 leisure days on my own enjoying the food, sights and sounds of Taipei.

Feedback and Comments Please!

I have been writing this blog since 2010 when I went to Hanoi, Vietnam.  I thought I want to share my travel experience with friends and family and anyone who is interested in reading my blog.  I don't make any money but I find it enriching for myself and those who read it.  It makes me think about developing and telling a story, together with photographs, so that those who are not so fortunate to travel as much as I do, can share my experiences.  Some friends tell me they travel vicariously through me.

Over the years many people have followed and read this blog.  Who are you?  What do you think?  How can I make this better?  What places would you like to see me travel to?  If you can post your comments in the public comments section, that would be wonderful.  If you want to send your comments and feedbacks directly to me, you can send it to my email:    k.meng.tay@gmail.com

I may publish your comments in a post so that everyone can know what others are thinking.  I know this sounds like Facebook or Instagram but I stopped doing social media a few years ago, for various reasons.  It will be help me improve this blog if I know you, the readers, give me some feedback.

Thank you very much for reading!

Day 6 and Final Day of Caravan Tour - Ferry Across Gulf of Nicoya and Wildlife Viewing

This is the last leg of our trip.  We checked out of the hotel, hopped on our bus and rode for a little over 30 minutes to the ferry terminal.  We disembarked from the bus and walked to the ferry terminal.  Chieya (our driver) drove the bus onto the ferry.  We scattered around different parts of the ferry.  Some sat in the air-conditioned section at the lower level and some went upstairs and sat outdoors in shaded areas.  It was not hot so sitting outside was comfortable and you get a good view of what's going on.  The ferry ride was almost two hours.

Approaching the Ferry Terminal

Vehicles loading up onto the ferry

Outdoor sitting area

Leaving the Guanacaste Peninsula

More outdoor sitting space

A Snack Bar

A similar ferry going the opposite direction 

The air-conditioned space at the lower level

We finally approached the mainland and got on our bus again.

Lighthouse on the mainland

Vehicles are ready to drive off

Getting back on our bus

Our map location:

We are now in Puntaarenas and headed for the Tarcoles River for a wildlife cruise.  There are many groups here and this appears to be a popular activity in Costa Rica.  The river is adjacent to the Carara National Park and has many different types of wildlife in the mangrove forest.

Our location 

After a quick lunch we were ready for a slow cruise down the river.  Our boat captain and guide pointed out many species of birds and wildlife.

Boarding out boat

A similar cruise boat

Lazing by the river

Vultures waiting for their opportunity

Another crocodile

An unusual and beautiful flower

Difference between a crocodile, alligator and caiman

This is our final activity for the tour.  We drove another 2 hours to the Sheraton Four-Point Hotel in San Jose.  It is a different hotel from the one we started.  I suppose it's because this hotel is closer to the airport.  That night we have our real final farewell dinner.  Following dinner, Aaron surprised us by showing us a 15 minute video of our trip.  Because of its size I have to upload it to YouTube and then insert it into this blog.  Here is the link for the YouTube video:  https://youtu.be/Hy5jE8Q1Y0U

It was a great way to conclude a wonderful tour.

We have a couple of hours before our dinner so I decided to go to a nearby supermarket to buy some local Costa Rican coffee.  I asked for directions and it sounded nearby.  However, when I started walking I realized that there are no sidewalks.  It was rush-hour and the "sidewalk" that I could walk on was only about 12 inches wide.  I think most American would have a hard time walking along and crossing the streets.  Luckily, the locals are nice enough to allow me to cross whenever there is a break in the traffic.  

Like any coffee everywhere there are different qualities and different prices.  I asked the store manager and he recommended a coffee that he said is the best in Costa Rica.  It was about $17 for 300g, which came out to about $26 per pound.  I saw the same coffee at the airport and they were selling for $21 for 300g, or about $32 for a pound! 

Expensive CR specialty coffee

Reasonably priced CR coffee

In spite of its coffee producing heritage Costa Rica today is not even in the top 10 countries in the world.  The five biggest are:  Brazil, Vietnam (mostly Robusta coffee), Colombia, Ethiopia and Indonesia.  We were told that CR is focussing mainly on specialty coffee.

In the morning we were taken by a van to the airport, depending on your flight departure time.  It was a short ride to the airport.  As we go through security I looked up and saw the following sign.  It sums up what Costa Rica is all about:  Pura Vida!

Costa Rica is Pura Vida