Traveling Alone in Costa Rica- Alexis Vear

Alexis Vear is a 40 something, singer, song writer and artist in Atlanta, Georgia.  She recently made the trip solo to Jaco, Costa Rica, while her husband and daughter hiked the Appalachian Trail. Check out her adventure here and then read more about Alexis on her website.

It was 10:00 am in Jaco, Costa Rica when I wrote this….Up since 4:30am. Went to a lap pool with my host Brian and swam for 30 minutes, and am now sitting at the Room2Board hostel pool after an  incredible healthy breakfast, resting before I go surf.

I traveled here by myself as my daughter wanted to hike the Appalachian trail alone with her dad for her senior spring break. My baby girl and I had our mother daughter trip out west last summer, so it was time for her to do the dad daughter trip.

Two weeks ago I was at my friends birthday party and commented how I was bummed because I wasn’t going anywhere for spring break. She said why don’t you go to Costa Rica and stay with my family and perform at our hostel, so now I sit here mid week enjoying an incredible day with beautiful RED wild toucan’s flying above me, iguanas fighting over fruit, and a sunsets that far exceed any I have ever seen before.

I am just so thankful. I can’t express my gratitude in words because I am so overwhelmed with the kindness of my friend, her brother Brian, the young travelers I’ve met, the Costa Rican’s, and the beauty this Universe has blessed us with….

Yesterday I awakened at 7:30am to hike Miro mountain with 4 woman I met at the hostel and my friend’s brother Brian. He runs the hostel. He is pure joy to be around!!! I told him that, and it turns out his sister’s middle name whom invited me is “Joy.” How cool is that? I have never met so many young adventuristic souls in my life. The hostel is filled with 20 somethings, but I’ve also met the coolest professional women in there thirties. Last night Brian and I  had dinner with two best friends, one from Denver, the other from New York. I have been invited non stop to do the funnest things by all these wonderful ladies. This is important because there is a lot of talk today about the importance of women supporting each other and being more inclusive, and I can say with my whole heart that Room2board Hostel and Surf School attracts this kind of energy, and is a definite reflection of the family that owns it.

Zach Brown is on the speakers here at the pool, and I have had a blast at the music festival called Jungle Jam

Mike Love making music I loved.

Jungle Jam

Friday night I was blown away by a musician from Hawaii named Mike Love. His songs were beautiful, thoughtful, and they deeply touched my heart.

Jeff Sipe and Otiel Burbride played Saturday night. I am loving how I can travel to another country, be surrounded by beautiful country music and the blues from my fellow Atlantan music brothers!!! The jungle jam was sooooooooo incredible.

When I got invited to come to Costa Rica I almost fainted when I found out there was a music festival. I sat on a blanket in the middle of a jungle and listened to “Fire On The Mountain”, and it was a profound experience. My life is such a “Fire On The Mountain” right now, but the evening brought me a great peace. I literally started falling a sleep as they played, and if you know me, that is a miracle. To close my eyes in a jungle, to a jam of a Grateful Dead song would seem impossible, but the music wrapped me in a blanket of love under some beautiful stars as I sat thanking god for the moment.

A few days ago I went on a monkey tour with some new friends. The monkeys literally jumped on my head. We also came upon a sloth and her baby. They were the sweetest little creatures I have ever spent time with.  The trippiest thing were these little lizards they call Jesus lizards because they walk on the water. I am going to edit the video into slow motion at some point so you can see. I just have to figure out how yet.

I spoke of the sunset’s earlier, but quite honestly they are impossible to describe. Truly they look unreal. I went out to the beach with some of the new friends I’ve made, and we did night yoga. It was INCREDIBLE!!! Soooooo beautiful. After watching  the sun set, one of my very favorite things to do is to just go on the hostel rooftop terrace and lay in the hammock and stare at the stars!!!

Friday morning I went to the farmers market and enjoyed the best coconut water ever. They just took a machete and chopped the top off and stuck a straw in it.

 

Pure heaven in the mouth!!! I could drink a Costa Rican coconut every single day for the rest of my life. Especially after surfing.

I LOVE Surfing!!!

The surfing is a blast but it’s a serious workout. Way harder than running a 5k. I am a bad news bear on the surfboard but I LOVE it. I realized it is 3 yoga positions. First it is cobra, then it is a tree pose laying down….. into warrior 2. Thankful to “Sana” at home in Atlanta for teaching me yoga for the last five months. She was preparing me for surfing with out even knowing it. I can’t wait to get home to atlanta and practice tree to warrior 2 every day, because once I get that down I am going to be catching some serious waves.

I think EVERY woman in there forties on should take up surfing. I want to design a line of surfing clothes for the woman who wants to learn to surf seriously. I wanted to concentrate on the wave and not get distracted. The first day my suit was not appropriate. It was sooooo annoying. The next day I went into town and bought a
men’s shirt. I ended up wearing the guys shirt and my bathing suit skirt cover up on bottom. I know it looked ugly with me in that shirt and that skirt, but I wanted to focus on the wave and not my body parts hanging out!!! It worked too. I felt like WONDER WOMAN riding that wave. I want to design a line for women so they can wear a cool skirt surfing,keep covered and focused, and then walk up to the pool lounge and feel beautiful.

The Art Gallery Tico Pod

One other incredibly cool thing I have found in downtown Costa Rica is an art gallery called Tico Pod. Jaco, Costa Rica is known for the saying Pura Vida, which means the pure life and the gallery is
filled with paintings that ingulf just that!!! If you vista Jaco, you must visit this incredible gallery!!!

This trip is ending but it has definitely introduced me to a new journey I am beyond excited for. If you have not traveled alone, I would highly suggest it because I’ve never felt less alone. The people I am meeting are just incredible. I am inspired and can’t even wait to write some new songs, and paint some new songs, and get into a regular yoga practice. If this trip looks as amazing to you as it was for me to experience, then visit Jaco, Costa Rico. I did not post pictures of the waterfalls or the zip lineing but they have that as well. The Hostel is called Room2Board. I can not even wait to send my children here to visit alone. I stayed in a condo and ate at the hostel. The condo was incredible and is called Club Del Cielo . You can rent a condo for a great price if you prefer. When I go back, I will stay at the condo, and put my children up at the hostel. I Have had several songs inspired by this trip and look forward to sharing them and the art work that goes with them. Thanks for visiting and reading!!!