I had covered 50km just past Orotina when I realised that I was not going to make it to the airport on time. The busses where probably not allowed on this highway so back to old fashioned hitchhiking. I think that after no more than 1 minute later, a 4x4 has stopped with some guy waving at me to jump in. They were the cyclists who needed the pump that morning! I could not believe my luck: how spooky was that!!! Truly amazing! A very comfy leather seat with air‐con cooling my over‐boiled body. They both could not believe the situation either. We did some manic driving into oncoming traffic (the opposite way was not in use ). An hour later I was dropped off just outside the international airport with half an hour to spare! I wheeled my bike to the arrival gate and a friendly American cyclist encouraged me to exchange info. He was waiting for his parents to arrive. They were just visiting him on a two week trip. Two hours later my beloved showed up. Iberian cheapest flight ever (not!) became the worst experience ever. No bags!!! They had somehow stayed in Madrid. Will Arrive tomorrow (hopefully). Our thank you gift for Gustavo (friend who looked after Teresa’s bicycle) was still in Europe. Well Alajuela is only 3km from the airport and a quite nice city too, so no drama as long as the bag arrives tomorrow. Shame on you British Airways to join forces with such a disaster fleet. Walked to town to get some food and watched a teenage concert on the main square. Got chatted to by locals checking on our trip. Found accommodation and got in touch with Gustavo (he will pop in at 9 am tomorrow with the bike). The hostel was very big with lots of funky connecting buildings and an old feel to it. We met a Welsh couple on a route south from Mexico heading for South America. The first floor apartment was open plan and windows gently inhaling all the music from the party on the nearby square. FANTASTIC!!!
8.30 am The bus station office told me that all of the busses were full!? Not a good start! Coffee and a cake, then another cake. Packed my crap and jumped on the road after refuelling with water and supplies. About 3km out of the town I have spotted two cyclists struggling with pumping their tyre (they had some sophisticated bullet system, possibly bullet did not work?) Anyway a minute later I was on the go and two minutes later they had overtaken me. A few nasty hills, a few rivers, some with crocodiles!! A stop for a watermelon and met some tourists from Switzerland. They told me that they have done 3 months cycling through Argentina and Chile just few weeks ago. They congratulated me on the choice of the bike, and I told them that actually I bought it in their country. I had covered 50km just past Orotina when I realised that I was not going to make it to the airport on time. The busses where probably not allowed on this highway so back to old fashioned hitchhiking. I think that after no more than 1 minute later, a 4x4 has stopped with some guy waving at me to jump in. They were the cyclists who needed the pump that morning! I could not believe my luck: how spooky was that!!! Truly amazing! A very comfy leather seat with air‐con cooling my over‐boiled body. They both could not believe the situation either. We did some manic driving into oncoming traffic (the opposite way was not in use ). An hour later I was dropped off just outside the international airport with half an hour to spare! I wheeled my bike to the arrival gate and a friendly American cyclist encouraged me to exchange info. He was waiting for his parents to arrive. They were just visiting him on a two week trip. Two hours later my beloved showed up. Iberian cheapest flight ever (not!) became the worst experience ever. No bags!!! They had somehow stayed in Madrid. Will Arrive tomorrow (hopefully). Our thank you gift for Gustavo (friend who looked after Teresa’s bicycle) was still in Europe. Well Alajuela is only 3km from the airport and a quite nice city too, so no drama as long as the bag arrives tomorrow. Shame on you British Airways to join forces with such a disaster fleet. Walked to town to get some food and watched a teenage concert on the main square. Got chatted to by locals checking on our trip. Found accommodation and got in touch with Gustavo (he will pop in at 9 am tomorrow with the bike). The hostel was very big with lots of funky connecting buildings and an old feel to it. We met a Welsh couple on a route south from Mexico heading for South America. The first floor apartment was open plan and windows gently inhaling all the music from the party on the nearby square. FANTASTIC!!!
1 Comment
J.
8/2/2011 11:37:25
Ludzizna! :-) a gdzież Ty się tam wybrał na "koniec świata", który wszak niewjalikim się zdaje pawodle opowieści obieżów :-) Patrzym na fotki i buziule nam się cieszą niezmiernie, no i nucidło zazdrości jak dzwon dźwięczy :-) choć zdajem sprawu se, że nie zawsze leciuchno i różowiasto... :-) Trzym się tam dzielnie Chłopaku, bo to co masz teraz jest "niedozabrania" :-)
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