What to Wear.

Please do not bring more than 1 large suitcase and two carry-on sized bags per person!

Seven days is a lot to pack for! I like to travel as light as possible while still having everything I need. There is laundry service available for a small fee, and I find it easier if you plan to have some clothes washed at some point. That way you can pack for four or five days instead of seven and have more room for camera gear 🙂

Most of the clothes I wear these days are from Kuhl, but there are many products in each category that work just as well.

• 2 pairs of long pants. Lightweight, quick-drying cargo pants are great for traveling.
• 3 pairs of cargo shorts. Look for quick-drying fabric and handy pockets.
• 2 long sleeve button-up shirts. I like lightweight shirts like Colombia PFG or REI Sarah-tech shirts. They are light enough for wearing the sleeves down to keep the sun off of you, or you can roll them up for short sleeves. They are most likely warm enough for anything we will encounter.
• 3 short sleeve button-up shirts. I like button up shirts in hot climates so I can adjust the ventilation if I need to. The Kuhl brand shirts are my favorite. They are comfortable and durable, and they don’t look like fishing shirts.
• 3 quick-drying tshirts. I like the Haynes cool-dry or similar.
• Shoes: I bring a pair of lightweight hiking shoes (or boots if you prefer) and a pair of Keen sandals. You won’t need any “serious” hiking boots.
• Hat: I LOVE my Tilley ventilator hat. Something to keep the sun off of your head makes a huge difference.
• Jacket. I have a lightweight “rain shell” jacket that is generally the only jacket I need.  
• Naturally you will need socks and underwear, I won’t bore you with my preference.

Computer and Software Suggestions

We recommend the following equipment to take advantage of the image processing sessions. Rob will be using Adobe Lightroom CC and Snapseed on an iPad Pro, and backing up images using a GNARBOX V2.

• A laptop computer or tablet. Any brand is fine, but if you have a PC be sure you know how it works because our instructors are Mac guys 😉 Don’t forget your power cord!
• An external hard drive. We recommend keeping all of your photos and other media on external hard drives. We recommend the GNARBOX external drive for it’s ease of use and rugged construction. 
• Memory card reader. We recommend you download and backup your images every day, so please bring your card reader. Using a backup drive like the GNARBOX also eliminates the need to carry a seperate card reader , since it has a built-in SD reader.
• Software. There will be demonstrations using Adobe Lightroom CC  (adobe.com)

What to Expect

1. You probably have some pre-conceptions about what your trip will be like. You may have seen documentaries, read books or articles on the flora and fauna of Costa Rica. Remember that those films and/or photographs were taken over a long period of time. The forest vegetation is thick and lush and it takes patience, a good guide and a keen eye to spot animals. We can not over emphasize the importance of a good guide to point out animals and plants in the forest. That is why you’re coming with US!

2. Part of the fun and at times the difficulty, of traveling to new regions of the world is trying to adapt to various environments and situations. Try to look at it as a positive, interesting and exciting experience. Observe and appreciate how the people of Costa Rica have adapted to their particular environment. 

3. The “Tico system” was inherited in part from their mother country, Spain, and as many “Ticos” will quickly tell you, it is even less efficient now. Try to understand and make the most of it. Translation: Be patient, things happen a bit slower in Costa Rica.

4. Mother Nature may affect your travel plans. Be patient and calm, everything eventually works out just fine. 

5. Part of the fun of traveling is trying to communicate with the local people. Whatever Spanish you know, use it! In any case smile, smiles are a major means of communicating everywhere in the world. I can’t stress this enough. You will have more fun if you try to engage the local folks. Start by learning how to order breakfast in Spanish. It really makes a difference!

6. More people have to change their vacation plans because of sunburn than any other reason. The sun’s ultraviolet rays are direct and stronger in Costa Rica because of its close proximity to the Equator (10 degrees north). Please bring sun block and use it. 

7. Cars do not yield to other cars or pedestrians! Be careful crossing our streets.

8. Make every effort to have a minimal negative impact on the natural and human environment that you encounter and to conserve natural resources both during your stay in Costa Rica and when you return home.

9. Be a safe traveler.  Statistically, you are probably safer from crime in Costa Rica than in your home country. On the other hand, tourists are better targets for petty theft than local citizens, in part because their attention often is focused on new sights and sounds rather than personal security. 

• Leave your valuable jewelry at home.
• Wear your day pack on your chest when walking around San Jose.
• Don’t flash large amounts of cash.
• Make copies of your passport before leaving home, leave one copy at home, and take one copy with you. If possible scan your passport and email it to yourself, so you will always be able to access a copy on line in an emergency. I always have a copy in my DropBox folder
• Keep your passport in a safe place while traveling. 
• Don’t leave any valuables in your gear in the car-ever. 
• Do not accept any unsolicited help. Generally you will be fine if you are the one that asks for help. Costa Ricans are generous people always willing to assist a person in need. 
• Beware of bargain guides or bargain tours. You get what you pay for. That bargain tour or guide can put you in an unsafe situation with poorly maintained equipment, unsafe, poorly cared for horses or even in the hands of a criminal.  
• The Costa Rican government has a new police force specifically dedicated to tourism. They are there just to assist tourists and assure our tourists are safe and protected. Their presence in areas heavily traveled by tourists lets criminals know that crimes against tourists will not be tolerated by the Costa Rican government. 
• Most of all just use common sense. 
• Pubic phones take phone cards that you can purchase in many locations. Public phones are located all over the country. 

10. Finally, one of the justifications for travel is that cultural exchange leads to understanding and brotherhood. Please remember that things that are different in Costa Rica, not necessarily better or worse than those in your country, they’re just different. There are ideas and attitudes in all societies that might be beneficially adopted by others. Look for them!!