1 Day Countdown!

Hola,

Me llamo Sir Nicholas Stephen Schlag, perro mucho gente me conocieron a "Señor Francisco" (it was my spanish name freshman year of high school, I figured i'd return to my hispanic roots). I, Señor Francisco, am about to embark upon the trip of a lifetime. A classic tale of the post collegiate, last-ditch, final "hoorah" adventure-fest featuring myself and two of my best friends in the whole wide world, Señor Robert White, and Señor Ioven Fables. Also joining us is a fine fellow by the name of Matt Perlstein, an east coaster by nature who comes very highly recommended via Señor Fables. Señor Perlstein is an accomplished cage fighter, therefore there is nothing to be worried about...cough Dad, cough Janna. We will be traveling to the magnificent paises known as Costa Rica, and Nicaragua. Collectively, they become one destination known as "Costaragua, Nicarica", hence the name of my blog. The initial adventure begins with Señor White arriving in Denver for about 12 hours of debauchery before we have to finagle a ride to the airport at around midnight. 5 1/2 hr flight, cake walk for da Hawaiian braddahs. Still, let us pray for an exit row. After arriving in San Jose, Costa Rica, we'll journey north, making our way to a quaint little town dubbed San Juan Del Sur, or "Saint Juan of the South", known for its awesome people, epic waves, and magically delicious Hispanic beverages. We'll spend about 10 days in this area, meeting up with Señores Perlstein and Fables midway through. We will seek shelter at various locations, including two hostels, one of which is located on the infamous Playa Maderas beach (epic surf), and the other in the town of San Juan Del Sur. We will also spend a few nights at Parque Maderas (http://www.parquemaderas.com/), a sustainable living development promoting clean living and a pure heart, and a few more nights en la casa de Motha Natcha herself, camping on the beach with the help of mine and Rob's easy-to-use, stylish, and oh-so-Costaraguan Skeeter Beater Hammocks (Campmor.com, $46). Along with the hammock, I'll be living out of a brand new Eagle Creek 90L Thrive backpack. This pack is the ultimate in luxury backpacking equipment, fully functional and featuring a steam room/sauna, assorted hot and cold mineral baths, a hot tub, a shiatsu masseuse (20 years experience) and a full-time, live-in chef. The detachable day pack is great too! So much room for activities.

Post SJDS, we'll all journey south together, back to the good ole CR. Señor Fables' grandfather owns a hotel called Hacienda Pinilla (http://www.haciendapinilla.com/), located on the Guanacaste Peninsula where he has been kind enough to invite us to enjoy a complimentary room, food, golf, nude horseback riding (because that is what you do in Costa Rica), and whatever else the resort has to offer. I guess this is one of those opportunities in life that you just don't pass up. Señores Fables and Perlstein will exit around August 6th, and Señor White and I will venture south for about a week before returning to the homeland with sweet tans, jacked backs and tris, maybe a couple parasites, and some epic tales of travels abroad.

Seeing as how this trip has a large surf-chasing component to it, Señor White and I will be purchasing boards in SJDS, which we'll keep for the entirety of the trip and then resell them in the popular surf town of Tamarindo, Costa Rica. Lets hope neither of them break.

In my travels I hope to find thrilling adventure, spend much needed quality time with some very old and very good friends away from all of the distractions of everyday life in the U.S., surf epic waves, meet new and interesting people, explore my socks off with my socks off, if you know what i mean, as well as learn about new cultures, traditions, and lifestyles. Wish me luck. The Journey begins 7/12/2010......Stay tuned, beeches.


Disclaimer: plans subject to change......