{"id":705,"date":"2020-03-25T07:00:19","date_gmt":"2020-03-25T07:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/?p=705"},"modified":"2022-04-05T18:28:31","modified_gmt":"2022-04-05T18:28:31","slug":"costa-rica-to-nicaragua-another-long-travel-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/?p=705","title":{"rendered":"Costa Rica to Nicaragua: Another Long Travel Day"},"content":{"rendered":"

We woke up at 6:30 am to catch our bus at 7:30 am.\u00a0\u00a0We had to lug our luggage about 100 yards down the poorly paved road from the hostel to the bus.<\/p>\n

We need to rethink our packing. It is hard to lug two suitcases and 4 heavy backpacks around.<\/p>\n

We opted to take buses to the border because of the cost. A shuttle to the border cost between $170 and $210.\u00a0\u00a0It was tempting to splurge and take a direct, air-conditioned route, but we are on a budget. Our whole trip from Tamarindo to Ometepe cost less than the shuttle to the border.\"\"<\/p>\n

When we got to the bus, a man came by and told us we should wait for another bus because the bus that was about to leave was not direct to Liberia. He even got into a fight with the bus driver about it.<\/p>\n

We chose to listen to the bus driver and we hopped on.\u00a0\u00a0The bus driver said sometimes people will scam tourists and then take them to a taxi and say it is quicker. We will never know if it was a scam, but $6 per person and two hours later on a non-air conditioned bus, we got off the bus in Liberia.<\/p>\n

Our bus to Pe\u00f1as Blancas pulled up just as we were getting off the bus from Tamarindo.\u00a0\u00a0We did not know how often buses come so we did not want to miss it.<\/p>\n

Henry and Lucas had to pee. We asked the bus driver if we could take Henry to a bathroom.\u00a0\u00a0He spoke no English, but luckily we knew ba\u00f1o. He said there was no time and pointed under the bus. Henry peed next to the bus on a busy street. Lucas tried but was too self-conscious. I guess it is a good thing we have two boys. I am not sure how that would have worked with a girl.\"\"<\/p>\n

We climbed on board the bus and it was full. There was one seat open. We sent Henry to sit in it. The rest of us sat on the floor in the space reserved for wheelchairs. It cost $12 for the four of us. It was a 1.5-hour bus ride.<\/p>\n

The signs are not great once you get to the border.\u00a0\u00a0We had read blogs about the border crossing, so we knew what to do.<\/p>\n

We had to backtrack a bit to pay the exit tax of $36 to leave Costa Rica. Then we had to get our passports stamped at immigration. There were no lines.<\/p>\n

We walked about 200 yards down a road lined with trucks. It seems like a mile with our heavy suitcases. Some tuk-tuks will bike you over the order, but we decided to tough it out. Once over the border, we entered the immigration office in Nicaragua.<\/p>\n