Teresa Bruce's Blog, page 16
October 2, 2017
Expats going native (Drive Day 94 minus 14 years)
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Even in the city limits of its capitol, you can’t escape wildlife in Costa Rica. Especially the human kind. The trailer park’s owner is an American woman who wandered into the Pura Vida in the 70s, a year before my parents drove us into this city. They didn’t know her refuge existed, so we camped on city streets. In Laurie though, they would have found a fellow traveler. They left, but she stayed and thirty years later we’re the oddities passing through. After 9/11, she says, not many Americans venture this far from their color-coded security comfort zones.
Follow this bonus-material blog and ride along on a one-year road trip that inspired the memoir The Drive: Searching for Lost Memories on the Pan American Highway. On sale now. Get yours through the buy-the-book links at the bottom of the landing page on my teresabrucebooks.com website or here or here. Planning a road trip? Buy the audiobook here. Like The Drive’s Facebook page and tweet back at me @writerteresa.
October 1, 2017
Descent into trailer park (Drive Day 93 minus 14 years)
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I’ve lived in trailers and resent the “trailer trash” stereotype. But I’ve never looked forward to one as much as I do the trailer park in the outskirts neighborhood of San Jose called Belen. After uneven, volcano-top boondocking I yearn for level ground and outbuildings with hot showers. Not to mention warmer temperatures at lower altitudes. Bring on the beer, set up the awning, dust off the plastic chairs and label me whatever you like.
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Follow this bonus-material blog and ride along on a one-year road trip that inspired the memoir The Drive: Searching for Lost Memories on the Pan American Highway. On sale now. Get yours through the buy-the-book links at the bottom of the landing page on my teresabrucebooks.com website or here or here. Planning a road trip? Buy the audiobook here. Like The Drive’s Facebook page and tweet back at me @writerteresa.
September 30, 2017
Volcano-hopping to Poas (Drive Day 92 minus 14 years)
There is one more active volcano on the Costa Rica must-see list: Poas sits above the country’s capital of San Jose and we camp above the cloud line. Which means sunset is an infinity pool of spectacular.
Follow this bonus-material blog and ride along on a one-year road trip that inspired the memoir The Drive: Searching for Lost Memories on the Pan American Highway. On sale now. Get yours through the buy-the-book links at the bottom of the landing page on my teresabrucebooks.com website or here or here. Planning a road trip? Buy the audiobook here. Like The Drive’s Facebook page and tweet back at me @writerteresa.
September 29, 2017
Waiting for eruption (Drive Day 91 minus 14 years)
[image error]It took too long to arrive to turn around and leave this blissfully level camp spot the very next day. Besides, nighttime eruptions are supposed to be peaking and we’re far enough away from Arenal’s summit to be safe. Which is good, since the thought of “escaping” on this road is almost as terrifying as drowning in lava.
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Follow this bonus-material blog and ride along on a one-year road trip that inspired the memoir The Drive: Searching for Lost Memories on the Pan American Highway. On sale now. Get yours through the buy-the-book links at the bottom of the landing page on my teresabrucebooks.com website or here or here. Planning a road trip? Buy the audiobook here. Like The Drive’s Facebook page and tweet back at me @writerteresa.
September 28, 2017
An Aria for Arenal (Drive Day 90 minus 14 years)
The tourbooks recommend exploring the lake at the base of Volcan Arenal by horseback or mountain bike. Either would be less bone-jarring than by truck. There are potholes that could swallow a smaller vehicle. We are driving so slowly the howler monkeys in the trees above have time to accurately aim their insults at the camper’s roof. Still, fresh caught Guapote fish at a campsite all to ourselves is worth the hassle.
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Follow this bonus-material blog and ride along on a one-year road trip that inspired the memoir The Drive: Searching for Lost Memories on the Pan American Highway. On sale now. Get yours through the buy-the-book links at the bottom of the landing page on my teresabrucebooks.com website or here or here. Planning a road trip? Buy the audiobook here. Like The Drive’s Facebook page and tweet back at me @writerteresa.
September 27, 2017
Not so grand Playa Grande (Drive Day 89 minus 14 years)
[image error]This is possibly the most backpacker touristy spot we’ve hit in Costa Rica. Which is why it’s where we take a hit. In the wallet. Which, stupidly, I left in plain sight in the cab of the truck while we locked it up to go watch surfers and count turtle traps. Funny how thieves can jimmy the lock of a brand new Ford F350 but not the door to the 1968 camper. That would have been worse. But the break-in rattles my nerves and ramps up my ranting. I have to call my aunt back in Oregon to cancel credit cards. Even the monkeys seem to be mocking me now.
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Follow this bonus-material blog and ride along on a one-year road trip that inspired the memoir The Drive: Searching for Lost Memories on the Pan American Highway. On sale now. Get yours through the buy-the-book links at the bottom of the landing page on my teresabrucebooks.com website or here or here. Planning a road trip? Buy the audiobook here. Like The Drive’s Facebook page and tweet back at me @writerteresa.
September 26, 2017
3 Awesome Ways You Can Help Mexico’s Earthquake Victims
If you’ve enjoyed the road trip blog, please consider donating to one of the organizations described in this short piece
Mexico is dealing with possibly the biggest humanitarian crisis in its history, and we need your help.
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Beaches and bums (Drive Day 88 minus 14 years)
I’m aware of the hypocrisy of two travelers complaining about the influx of Northerners. But then again, we’re not laying claim to these glorious beaches and fencing them off. Or making videos about retiring here. Then I check my mother’s journal. This is nothing new.
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Follow this bonus-material blog and ride along on a one-year road trip that inspired the memoir The Drive: Searching for Lost Memories on the Pan American Highway. On sale now. Get yours through the buy-the-book links at the bottom of the landing page on my teresabrucebooks.com website or here or here. Planning a road trip? Buy the audiobook here. Like The Drive’s Facebook page and tweet back at me @writerteresa.
September 25, 2017
Liberia (Drive Day 87 minus 14 years)
Soaked through, we descend again toward the coast. Which means driving through the town of Liberia. Barely a dot on the map in 1973, now it has its own airport with flights from Minnesota. We’ve stumbled into a booming expat community. Which means land-owning locals are becoming as endangered as the Costa Rican Quetzal bird. I stop counting the obnoxious private property/keep out signs and pour Gary a stiffer-than-normal G&T when we finally find a beach that allows camping.
Follow this bonus-material blog and ride along on a one-year road trip that inspired the memoir The Drive: Searching for Lost Memories on the Pan American Highway. On sale now. Get yours through the buy-the-book links at the bottom of the landing page on my teresabrucebooks.com website or here or here. Planning a road trip? Buy the audiobook here. Like The Drive’s Facebook page and tweet back at me @writerteresa.
September 24, 2017
Rincon De La Viega National Park (Drive Day 86 minus 14 years)
[image error]Costa Rica’s passion for national parks is a major perk for weary road trippers. The campground at Rincon is empty and for a minute it’s hard to fathom why we’re the only ones here. There are warm geothermal waterfalls and bubbling pools of mud, called fuminoles. Paradise. Until the rain starts. And doesn’t stop. By nightfall I’m cold for the first time in almost 3 months.
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Follow this bonus-material blog and ride along on a one-year road trip that inspired the memoir The Drive: Searching for Lost Memories on the Pan American Highway. On sale now. Get yours through the buy-the-book links at the bottom of the landing page on my teresabrucebooks.com website or here or here. Planning a road trip? Buy the audiobook here. Like The Drive’s Facebook page and tweet back at me @writerteresa.
