The beginning of a trip is always filled with excitement for the potential things you will see, places you will visit, people you will meet, etc. Unfortunately, there is also the potential to get lost. That is what happened at the very beginning of our journey in Costa Rica. We arrived at the airport, rented a car and got on the road, filled with the excitement that every new journey brings. That excitement quickly turned to panic once we realized that the main highway was closed down. The only way to get to our hotel was through the mountains. This also happened before the era of smartphones, Google Maps, and Waze. So instead, we had to rely on outdated maps and broken translations in Spanish to guide us to our destination. After nearly 3 hours, we finally made it, although to be honest, the only direction that I properly understood from a local was “make a left at the church.” Needless to say, the lemon infused water provided at the lobby upon arrival never tasted sweeter.
Pro-tip: Navigation is very important while traveling. Don’t just expect to figure things out when you get there, make sure that you pack the proper tools to help you troubleshoot.