Who needs coffee?

Coffee may be one of Costa Rica's main exports, but even with one of the highest caffeine content, one cup can't compete with going out surfing first thing in the morning. I practically sleep walk my way down to the beach, but as I'm walking the board out into the water there's usually one good, solid wave that gives me my 'good morning!' smack in the face and I'm wide awake.

I've decided to switch up my routine and go surfing in the mornings for a number of reasons. First, I got tired of hearing my friend Kimbo tell me how good the waves were in the morning when I saw him later in the day. I've also found that waiting until the afternoon has the potential to drive me insane, as I count down the hours until the tide to comes back in (usually around 4) and pray that the good weather keeps up so I don't have to surf in the rain. I also started the English classes yesterday and have to be in town by 5pm, which even with the quad would be cutting it a little close.

Speaking of my favorite mode of transportation, I've had to invest in a bicycle because the quad has been a little tempermental as of late (read, not turning on).  I probably haven't ridden a bike since I was 8 and played 'keep up with my brother and his friends' as they took every steep hill through Alley Pond Park after school. I had a sweet little Diamondback that I got for my first communion with hand brakes and those little pegs that you could do tricks on (not that I did). 

The one I bought today is a 'Sydney SuperPro' and was almost certainly manufactured before I was born. It's in the bananaseat family, minus the basket - and I actually have to paddle backwards to break. Yep, forgot about that too, eh? With one purchase, bike riding has been transformed from a social activity (if you can call chasing my brother through the park an activity) into a mode of transportation - effectively taking almost all of the fun out of it. This is especially true as I'm walking the bike up the hill, gasping for air. The fun part comes in when I'm dodging the Nosara-style pot-holes that are created when it rains (think the opposite of mini-moguls).

In the meantime, my quad is safely parked at home, where the cats are using it as a playground until it decides to start again. As you can see from the photo, I'm also mastering the art of chasing the sunshine down the clothesline -- taking full advantage of the sun while we have it. I've learned that after it's rained for a few days, things that haven't necessarily been exposed to water (books, clothes, etc) take on this psuedo-damp quality and can benefit from spending some quality time out in the sun.

Stay tuned for more lessons from the rainforest! :-P