Jono in Costa Rica

NEW BLOG

2008-09-16T19:22:00.001-07:00

see v2.0 at
jonocr.tumblr.com

no more updates for here.

...

2008-06-25T11:54:00.000-07:00

iTravel

2008-06-15T14:30:00.000-07:00

View Larger Map

Hopefully this was worth the wait.
I am still filling in details, but at least the places are in.

lack of photos explained...

2008-04-24T20:31:00.000-07:00

Ok, so lately you may have noticed the especially long gap of photos being loaded.
This is due to the fact that my macbook has run out of space for any more photos.
Meaning that the photos are still on the camera's card, which currently holds more room than i have free space.
Risky situation.

I am in the process of acquiring more storage, but until then go visit Sondre's online gallery. He has more photos since Easter, and he gives you another persons view of here.

http://gallery.mac.com/sondreskarsten

Day 4 in Panama - By Alexis Lanza

2008-04-17T22:53:00.001-07:00

Thursday in Panama...

had to make up for the very inactive wed. After being cooped up in the hotel for an entire day, we decided to catch that boat to the beach. Jono was excited about the idea of a boat to an island, and so was Kari. I... just hoped I’d be able to walk. Even though the doctor had recommended that I try not to use my foot for the remaining two days, Jono and Kari were not giving me much of a choice.
It was our last day in Panama thus we had to pack our bags. Luckily, the hotel had agreed to hold our baggage even after we had checked out, so we would not have to worry about dragging them around all day. We all awoke at 9am that morning. It took a while to actually drag ourselves out of bed and get dressed, but we managed I’d say.
By the time we caught a taxi to the boat docks, it was 10 am. Kari caught the line as Jono and I sat near the refreshments area waiting, it was a bit hot, but we weren’t complaining. Before long we heard the line sigh and realized that they were sold out. We weren’t getting to the island. Refusing to let our day be a waste, we quickly chatted up a taxi man and asked about other possible attractions in Panama. He suggested we go see the actual canal. $8 an hour....
We are bargaining experts now!
Eventually got a taxi to take us to the canal for $6. Once there, we bought entrance tickets and walked around the museum that was inside. We even got to see a short movie in a little theater about the canal. VIP’s only, yes a whole mini theater with just the three of us, and maybe 4 other people. After we watched the “movie” we made our way up to the fourth floor and watched the canal in work. Jono recored it all with his new camera, so I’m sure that shall make it even more interesting.
Having done all we could do and see at the canal, we then caught another taxi to the bus terminal. Kari and Jono had decided that they wanted to see the real Panama, the real city, so to do so, we would all catch a random bus and ride it around the city. Sounded like a nifty plan to me, but this meant some adjustments to the bandaged ankle I limped around with. Jono was kind enough to document this with his camera as well... much to my disapproval I might say.

Yes, so all 3 of us boarded a random bus and set off. It took about 30 min before we got to some other destination. Yes it was yet another shopping centre. Kari suggested we go buy some snacks for the trip back, so we did. Coco Milk, biscuits, crackers, high lighters, an ice tea. Yes, this trip was certainly verging on rivaling “Super Size Me” and you know what, it’s not to say we didn’t enjoy it. Not too long after, we caught another bus back to the city.
Once there, we explored our hotel’s neighborhood and shops in search of an alarm clock for me and .... well whatever else we could find that would be interesting. The key was to find an alarm clock that would ring loud or annoyingly enough to work. By 6:10pm we were back at the hotel to pick up our bags and head over to the bus station.
Albrook Mall, I believe it’s called, is across from the bus station, so we were going to go watch a movie in order to kill time because the bus didn’t leave until 11 pm.
Quickly finding the movie theater, we were forced to settle on our second choice movie, 10,000 B.C. There is so much to say about that movie, but anyhow. We bought our tickets for the 7:40 showing, and the cool staff at the theater agreed to hold our bags for us until after the movie.
Lots of time to kill before the movie, I suggested we go into the arcade. There was some discussion about wether or not playing arcade games vrs gambling at a casino was worse or not seeing as how in one you might actually regain some money and in the other... well, you don’t. I think we unanimously decided that arcade games enhanced some .. random skill, but I can’t recall which.
After the arcade, we bought movie snacks and went to watch our movie. The movie was....
Okay, let me quote some of our reactions instead: “ha.. ha ... ha... wait are they serious?”
“Can we go into another theater?”, “This is so.... corny”
Now some random, though probably not entirely correct, lines from the movie: “That star represents the feelings in my heart for you”, “Your father was a great man”, “She may not have been there, but her spirt never left their side.”

We left the theater after, got our bags back, changed into warmer bus clothes, and set off for the bus station. Jono wanted postcards, but it was already late and all the shops seemed to have been closed. He and I walked around for a bit in search, but it was pretty clear we weren’t going to find any. We hoped instead to snag some at the Border when we stopped at dawn.
Yup, so at about 10:45 pm we boarded the bus, got reassigned to new seats in the middle of the bus, and were off.

3ish am. Jono seemed to be unhappily sandwiched between his and the person in front of him’s seat. Kari, sitting next to me, was freezing, and I... gave up sleeping. Grabbing the toilet paper in my bag, I handed it to kari and showed her how Jono and I had stuffed up the AC vents on the trip to Panama. A while later, Jono and I traded seats so he could actually “move.” I was just fine in the seat he was in because it felt warmer, but maybe that was the effect of the reclined chair in front that created a warm...nook?

Friday....

At sunrise we arrived at the border of Panama and Costa Rica, watched dogs sniff our bags, checked our passports, then continued our journey to San Jose. There, there were no busses running, so we caught a taxi back to school. It sucked going from paying $2 for a ride to $12. Alas, I guess this is Costa Rica for you. At about 3pm on friday afternoon (march 21st) we were back at school. Yeay?

Day 3 in Panama - By Karina Fernanda Rodriguez

2008-04-08T12:28:00.001-07:00

Well... after the whole adventure in the hospital last night -"bandaging" Lex's feet-, the plan for wednesday was uncertain. Proposals of going to Taboga (an island), or to see the "aquarium-shark" place where around. But at 11 a.m. and each one of us in bed still, it was ovbious that we were not going anywere at that moment.
Personally, my only concern was to find a drugstor to buy some medicines for Lex's feet. And food, of course. Every single day, some different kind of fries were part of our unhealthy diet. Today, no plans and hurted feet included, we were going to follow the tradition.

Finally, after 30 minutes more or less, I got ready to go hunting a Mannak... hmm, no, inside joke xD. Took monney, took recetas (receaipts) and went to adventure by myself, through Panama City. As soon as I got out, i noticed the "excess of clouds". i claimed for my umbrella by telephone, and a direct delivery from Alexis (throwing it from he 4th flour's window) was the answer.

To the adventure! I love walking around the city. Specifically, downtown, surrounded by the hectic movement of a weekday. Panama City was in that mood. I followed the way I remembered of last night to find a drugstore. But after 7 minutes and more, I could not stand it anymore. I went to some unknown street. I found a drugstore, I got the medicines, I went out, the rain started. Opening the umbrella, I was surprised by the discover: I was in the main point of an encounter of important-colonial buildings, mixed with a modern touch of reovery and people rushing around - running away from rain.

"Now what?". Easy: find a McDonald's!. Alexis was kind of... tired, let's say, of so much junk food. But neither Jono nor me were. "What do you want to eat, guys?" I asked before leaving. "McDonald's?" I said, hoping to receive a positive answer. A prototypical modern man (laying on bed, remote in hand, computer, no activity for the day) answered enthusiastically "yes! there's oe down the street. " Now my mission was to find a McDonald's.

On that search, I ended up in the other side of the city, literally. I found an interenet cafe, talked to my mom, checked mails, checked McDonald's adress in the city. Ha, a block and a half from our hotel. It was not a long way - only 10 or 12 blocks. But it started raining! And this guy that was woring in our hotel started following me! How could I get rid of him? He was just a boy, being nice (he was respectful) and I was the arrogant tourist who didn't want to play attention to him. What kind of social injustice woul I pretend to denounce if I was ignoring someone at a human level?. Hmmm, too much thinking, it was raining and I was scared. =) I rushed to the McDonald's, ordere three sets of cheeseburgers+coke+fries and came back, grabbing the bags as a mother protects a baby of getting wet under the rain.

I got back exactly in the moment in which Alexis wanted to take a shower -muahaha-. We ate, we chilled ou, we attempted to leave the room but it didn't work. Instead, we planned thursday (our last day). We enjoyed the cable option as much as possible - with memorable moments such as watching Arrested Development, and night came.

TV, chill out, McDonald's, plans. Food was necesarry again!. The option? What a question! This tiem, Jono came with me. Lex was doing better, and she asked only for a milshake. Canguro and me get to the McDonald's then, and chat a while about the impact of McDonald's in our lives (he worked there, I helped for a day with a masquerade fundraising operation). In the end, two big macs, a pechuga crispy, and sodas and ice cream after, we went back to the hotel.

"What do we do now?". "Watch TV until we fall asleep?". So we did. Was it a waste of day?
... not for McDonald's xD

Day 2 in Panama - By Karina Fernanda Rodriguez

2008-04-06T01:41:00.001-07:00

Second day, yes. But it seems like the 4th one already. The mall+taxi driver+basic beach adventure added a lot of points to the "time usefully spent" rank. But there were no excuses to low it on tuesday. So, guided by our characteristic "adventurer spirit" (we previously asked the hotel lady were to take the bus), we got to got to this place called "Panama Viejo" (Old Panama).

I don't know what was I expecting for, but Lex's dissapointment was obvious. She was looking forward to see the "Panamenian-Mayan Ruins". There wasn't such thing. Our beloved ruins were some random shapeless pieces of history, broken, spread around and divided by a semi-highway. Nevertheless, the bus trip (in a typical Panamenian engangering-lives bus), the artcraft store that we found and the interaction with some natives of the place made it a nice moment. I personally like to walk around shapeless ruins and read their story. But if you are sleepy, and you had to pay 2$ to see such thing (we were planning to sneak in through a hole in the fence)... well, I think you reader understand my intention =).

The interaction thingy deserves a special mention. We met this lady (saying that she was pissed is implicilty understood), who made us pay the entrance and yelled at us when she thought we attempted to do it without paying. The other lady we met (oh, wow, she was not pissed!) was the lady of the juices. What a wonderful juice she made!. Lex chose the watermelon/pineapple, Jono got a melon/pineapple and I went for the banana/pineapple (I'm not that sure those were the elections). The last interaction was with this guy sitting next to the juice place, who told us about beaches and ways of getting there. We got to know that to get to an island we needed to get a plane for 50$ or a boat for 4 hours. Other option were the in land beaches, an hour bus from the city.

From there we came back (again, by bus) to the airport for busses. We ended up in the mall, had burgers, went to an Anime Store =) and to this toy place. Lex and Jono got there this interesting mind reader toy, and it's helping them with their spanish more than myself. After this, we decided to take a cab to the "Cosway" place: a pathway that enters the canal and has some nice restaurants and places to spend time in. Helped by our recently adquired taxi-skills, we got a ride until there for 4 dolars.

The place was very, very nice. We looked for boats to see if it's possible to get to Contadora Island, but we found the Taboga option for less dolars and less time (6$, an hour away). Then we got to know of the existence of this "aquarium-shark" place and we found this intresting bikes. Jono got a personal one, Lex and Me a double. We had an hour to ride, and we did with the sunset. It was beatifull... until we met the "other" Panama group. Some other students that came here for easter and distracted me when they yelled at Jono and came runing to embrace us. The consequecnce was Lex's foot accident: it got trapped between the pedal and a wall. From there on, we had to get a taxi and come back to hotel, given that she was not feeling god ("How bitter is Pez!").

Sleeping, eating. A couple of hours later, the foot was not better. I took Lex to the hospital and it was the highlight of her night. We got a wheelchair and she had a radiography a=in this freaking cold place. Everything was alright, in the end, but she can't walk for like two days. Will there be beach and aquarium place and everything else? We'll see... but it was a perfect excuses to chill out, anyway.

Check Twitter

2008-04-04T00:26:00.001-07:00

The latest craze, this will be able to keep you up to date with in the moment events, and perhaps will be updated more frequently than this blog. If you are lucky. The grand plan is; here for photos, Twitter for "life"

basically for everyday randomness check:

www.twitter.com/jonojono

Day 1 in Panama - By Alexis Lanza

2008-04-01T15:01:00.001-07:00

By Alexis Lanza

Even though Jono would like this written in poem form, I'm opting for the regular narrative. Yes, so on our first day in Panama, we awoke at 12 am from our "nap" after such a long bus ride. With only four days here, we're trying our best to make the most of every day so we quickly made preparations to get out into the city and see as much as we could.

As we all three stepped outside the hotel (a wonderful $9 dollars a night deal i must mention), I decided to Follow my heart, so we all set off in a rightward direction down the street. Next was Karina's turn and so we made another right on the avenue until we eventually saw water and all ended up on a central street in Panama near the water (i'm still not sure if it's the canal itself or the sea, I'll have to ask about that).

This is where the real fun begins. After crossing the street a few times and almost getting ran over (maybe that was just me), we decided to catch a taxi. Now, rules for traveling kids, always ask the price BEFORE you agree to go anywhere or buy anything. Now the guy begins to drive us to what he says will be a nice tourist-like place with a beach and places to eat. So we drive, go over "the Bridge of the Americas", stop a bit to take some cool photos, then carried on. Finally, we arrive at the "beach" and it's pretty...basic. We get Karina to ask the driver the cost and he says it's $20!
Fine...

Or not?

He agrees to wait for us as we walk along the beach (plotting to secretly catch a bus and not pay all $20 and leave just $5). After a few mins and some more photos, we sit at a restaurant eat and ask about real taxi prices. Apparently we should only pay bout $7. Yes, we were being ripped off. Now Kari is all in her "i wanna fight for my rights, this is social injustice" moods, so we all walk over to the taxi guy and after a bit of "discussion" we settle on $8.

After eating, we walk along the beach for a bit more, catch a bus back to the city then wonder around a mall. Jono bought a cool sign for his aunt and Karina got one for her sister. We also found a dollar store and bout a few cool random stuff, like Jono's "extend-o-claw/hand reacher grabber" (we haven't decided what to call it yet), and a love potion thingy, but that's Jono's story.

Yup, so on our way out we all sit and get $0.25 chair massages, use our wise taxi skills and got a $2 taxi back to our hotel where we are now watching Men in Black.

What a day

Arrival in Panama

2008-04-01T14:47:00.001-07:00

- 50 Dollar Ticket

- 15 hour bus trip

- 2 Stops
- 12 minuets sleep

- 2 Dollar Taxi

- 9 Dollar Hotel

- 2 person beds, (2 of them, and a single)

- 4th floor

- 2 hours sleep until day begins.

February 08

2008-03-30T21:56:00.000-07:00

I still haven't collected some of the photos i want, but here is a good idea of the events of February.
Enjoy.

January

2008-03-24T22:02:00.000-07:00

Ok, so here are photos i managed to gather.
No mine, but just an idea of what happened.
Trying to get some more too.

and yeah its a little late.

Gave Blood

2008-03-15T14:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I was selected by a Gregorio from Peru to give a few drops of my blood to do DNA research for his Biology class. He was gathering all the different continents. I guess being alone does have its disadvantages sometimes.

2008-03-12T23:20:00.000-07:00

Ecuador part 8 - FINAL DAYS

2008-03-09T14:41:00.001-07:00

The last days we had in ecuador, including a trip to coto paxi.

Ecuador part 7 - NEW YEAR

2008-03-08T12:46:00.000-08:00

Still 2 months old, but getting there.
Now i will go and collect photos, that i didn't take.
from the months of January and February.

NEW YEAR 2007/08

Ecuador more - part 6

2008-02-21T14:48:00.000-08:00

The Ruins we visited one arvo.

ECUADOR - Part 5

2008-02-01T14:15:00.001-08:00

Banos, the town with a name translated means toilet.

ECUADOR Part 4

2008-01-31T14:53:00.000-08:00

The real part 4, (mum will know)

Ecuador Part 3

2008-01-31T09:08:00.000-08:00

ECUADOR part 2

2008-01-25T15:42:00.000-08:00

Sorry, i honestly thought these were up :S

ECUADOR part 1

2008-01-16T14:18:00.001-08:00

The first few days, including journey to the middle of the earth.

and we're back

2008-01-08T17:02:00.000-08:00

Its good because people are here, and its bad because school is still a school. I have read my 4 books over the holidays. Well 3 and half, still reading Spanish book. Its hard, but i did pick up alot in Ecuador. Ill out up some highlights as soon as i have time.

Will talk to you soon.
just let me know when i can call.

Aqui

2007-12-17T20:26:00.000-08:00

Im here, and it couldnt be better. I am staying in the coolest house with the nicest family and Im always meeting new people.
Today we went to the equator. Another thing i can cross of my list.
Tomorrow, the mountins.

Unfortunately the interent isnt so accesible here, so dont expect big photo updates, but I will try keep you informed none the less.

Goodybye

2007-12-14T01:39:00.000-08:00

Hello Ecuador.
3.39 am, almost time to leave.

stay in touch ya'all

Final post before Ecuador.

2007-12-14T00:20:00.000-08:00

CHRISTMAS DINNER!!

Very impressive, and quite a lot of work. The red wine sauce made all the problems disappear.
Also last night together before break.

Road Trip with Costa rican buds into the hills

2007-12-14T00:12:00.000-08:00

We took an eventful 2 hour road trip into the hills of costa rica. It was near a volcano, but we never made it to the volcano because it took us 3 hours to get a barbie going. Plus beans weren't ready.

Read captions for more info.

TEH BEACH!!!!1!!

2007-12-10T09:28:00.000-08:00

I finally made it to the beach. I didnt sleep the night before, becasue after talking to the folks it was the wee hours of the morn, and to get hte bust we had to get up by 4. Half and hour on the bus to San Jose, and other 2ish to Puntaneras - The beach. We arrived at 8ish and walked around the black sands for a bit. We eventually found a nice spot and swam and slept. Couldnt fund a place to buy the sunscreen we forgot, so made the most of having to burn. (as seen in the last few pictures.)

All in all, was just nice to have nothing to do for just one day. or rather dismiss all things you have to do for one day.

Paintball

2007-12-10T09:08:00.000-08:00

We finally got around to paintball on friday, and we got all out gear on, only to walk around for a few hours looking for the place.
On the upside we saw plenty of santa ana. And the hills.

Second attempt tomorrow.

update, to the true meaning.

2007-12-07T18:47:00.000-08:00

and now with these photos, you are up to date.
i really should get into the swing of uploading after events happen, then this wouldnt happen.

feel free to comment.

thanks

Camp

2007-12-04T12:29:00.000-08:00

A weekend of bonding and fun.
was just as corny as it sounds lol

Bonfire for Peace

2007-12-04T10:56:00.000-08:00

This was a fire we had, and well just becasuse its UWC it had to have peace in the name.
was fun. putting it out was funner.

Photo Update Part 1 : Halloween

2007-11-19T14:36:00.000-08:00

Here's the first of 3 installments of this months photo events.

another first

2007-11-16T09:40:00.001-08:00

just got bitten by a scorpion.
still alive,
guess ill go to history after all.

10 weeks down

2007-11-07T17:12:00.000-08:00

Now I have been here, pretty much as long as I was in Germnay.
does it not feel like it to anyone else?
wow.

for some memories check out:
jonojono.multiply.com
handsfreetravel.multiply.com

good times.

OCTOBER

2007-10-29T13:25:00.000-07:00

Just before we move into mo-vember thought id give you the photo events of this month.
Enjoy. Captions have a few details.

la promesa

2007-10-05T20:52:00.000-07:00

today we had the first "service" activity.
we went to a village full of disadvantaged kids, and helped them with homework and just hung around with them in general. They seemed to enjoy it too, they ran after the bus when we left. was very rewarding, got one of those warm fuzzy feelings.

PS: mum check out this:
OLYMPUS OM-1

GIG!!

2007-10-02T09:19:00.000-07:00

here are some photos from the first, of hopefully many, shows.
im really happy the way they turned out, but my camera got corrupted and i lost half of my favourite ones. :S

Fire Safety

2007-09-28T20:51:00.000-07:00

we have had wellbeing programs the last couple of days. Activities inclide Yogo, Time Managment, Sex Ed, and the one i did today: Fire Education :)

First Gig

2007-09-28T12:27:00.000-07:00

Last night i went to see Propagandhi, a very political punk band from America that i would be lucky to even see in Australia. It was really good, i had so much fun. Photography was forbidden, which was annoying. I hopefully will be going to another one on sat arvo.

i did manage to get a few photos, i guess your not hardcore unless you live hardcore.

Grease

2007-09-26T15:36:00.001-07:00

The school is doin Grease.
I was going to go for a part, but then i they asked me if i wanted to play drums.
So im doing that instead.

One Month

2007-09-25T20:47:00.000-07:00

Its been a month since i left.
whats changed?

CR theme park, Conservation Park, Parade.

2007-09-24T12:59:00.000-07:00

So here are the photos from the Costa Rican re-enactment village. Basically that invlilved dancers telling a story about a costa rican women in the early days of san jose.

Also are the photos from the conservation park where i saw a sloth. It pretty amazing place, becasue tehy re created the 4 types of jungle in costa rica.

And finally are the photos from the parade. My camera ran out of batteries, so there arnt as many as i wanted. But if i get some more off other people ill put them up.

Thanks for waiting, enjoy.

edit: sorry, i just realised there are some doubles.

attn: Google Earth Users

2007-09-23T16:46:00.000-07:00

For those with Google Earth, here is a link to where the school is.
I just got google earth yesterday, and it is one of the most impessive things i have ever seen. I am trying to get the address' of every student and marking it on the world. so far its really amazing.

UWC Costa Rica.kmz.zip

(note to mum and dad, download it now!)

Lunch

2007-09-23T13:13:00.000-07:00

today lunch was deep fried beef.
another first for costa rica.
lol, that is all.

Ecuador for Christmas

2007-09-20T22:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, i bought a ticket to ecuador. I will be going with Kika from Ecuador and Nina from sweeden. We will be seeying the amazon, and some mountins aswell as stopping at the gallopogas islands for new year. Im really excited.

Also second day of classes was ok, i have to finish my first english text by next thursday.

I will also uplaod photos from the camp and parade, as soon as i can.

So Far

2007-09-15T23:44:00.000-07:00

phewf, here you go.

Ill try to put them as they come from now on.

Chile

2007-09-14T12:00:00.000-07:00

Here are the pictures I have from the week in Chile with Thom.

NB: there is a smudge on my camera and i just cant get it off, I edit the really cool photos with the computer to get it off, but i need to do something, and fast.

Sydney

2007-09-13T21:46:00.000-07:00

Ok so from the start, these are the photos from Sydney.
The rest will come with time lol. more school tomorrow, and a parade.

ahhhh

2007-09-13T18:28:00.001-07:00

all went bung, now you have to wait longer, and i have no proof im even here.

today i saw my first sloth, or at least i think it was. we went to a "biological divercity park" and they had a manmade jungle where ther was the supposed sloth. it was a curled up fur ball at the top of a big tree. but hopefully it wont be my last.

classes were in spanish today, from 8 till 1, and im picking up more and more. they are just 'demo' lessons for now. the real ones start on tuesday next week. after a camp sometime.

jono_

almost there

2007-09-11T12:57:00.000-07:00

sorry, been really busy, but here is a photo to keep you interested.

hang tight.

2007-09-09T16:28:00.000-07:00

all photos so far should be up soon.

ants

2007-09-09T15:38:00.000-07:00

Stepped on a nest and now all my foot a leg are covered in bites. it stings. the ants were like little black dots, not like real ants.

start

2007-09-07T16:51:00.000-07:00

so it works, here it is. enjoy.
ill update as often as i can.