I know what mothers and travel books say: a) do not hitchhike, b) particularly in foreign countries, and c) especially if you are a woman traveling alone. Last year in Costa Rica, however, as the midday sun beat down on the shadeless, dusty road of Santa Teresa, I learned to stick my thumb out and have someone take me the requisite 5-10 minutes back to my surf camp.
This year, however, I took hitchhiking to another level. I was not just asking for rides within one town or between neighboring towns: I was asking for rides between towns running halfway up and down the country’s Nicoya Peninsula. Thankfully, I was not alone: accompanying me on my adventure was Jordan, a 6’4” Ultimate Fighting Champion-trained Florida surfer who let me hold his knife the entire trip so I could feel extra safe. And with that, I put on my bikini and stuck out my thumb for the both of us and his 6’4” Erie Peeples board.
I would have to say that the trip was fantastic. It gave me such great hope in humanity. So many people stopped for us, many who didn’t apologized (they were only going a few meters), and even more pointed us in the right direction. I cannot, for instance, forget the vision of the restaurant workers at Don Luisa running and shouting after our departure to catch that bus! that bus! to Tamarindo that just whizzed by. Or the mother on it who told me what stop we needed to get off at in order to get a boat taxi to Playa Grande - this was even after I fell asleep on her daughter’s shoulder. Awkward.
The hitchhike itself was decided on a whim. As Jordan and I thought about what would be a decent hour to get up and get a taxi, take the bus, etc. to Playa Grande the night before, Kim from Solo Bueno suggested that we try hitchhiking. We figured, why not? We wanted to save cash and we weren’t in rush.
The universe totally provided for us on that one and this documents our adventure. I can’t explain how my heart burst with gratitude to everyone along the way. The hike made me genuinely realize it’s not always about the final destination - and often about the journey in-between. Definitely a lesson I want to start the new year with. Muchos besos.
