Daydreaming: Costa Rica

I've started daydreaming about at least a visit to Costa Rica.  I've always wanted to go, and posts from an old friend living there keep it popping back into conscious thought. So, I'm going to dedicate time to researching this possibility.

I think, first and foremost, a visit is in order.  I may message the friend above in a few days.  The problem is always money, but by January, we should have saved enough to go.

I think it should be a family trip.  Said friend has a child.  I know that will make the trip a little more stressful, but I also think that we can enjoy this with the kids.
Then again, it makes me think we should wait until they are just a bit older.

About.com says to visit sometime between November and April.  We can't use vacation time this year, so it's perfect to wait until after the beginning of the year to do so.
Flights look to cost about $670/person, so about $2800.
I would think we would stay in hostels.  This one is owned by Argentines, http://www.lonelyplanet.com/costa-rica/peninsula-de-nicoya/mal-pais-and-santa-teresa/hotels/funky-monkey-lodge.


Wow.  I get a little bit into this and I already know that I cannot sacrifice going on the DR mission trip to do this.  So, maybe this is still on the roster, but not for 2015.

It's funny how many other things this brings up, though.  One sentence in a very touristy article resonated with me:
If you’re traveling with a good deal of luggage and not visiting any remote areas, it may be worth it to rent a car. 

When I said that I couldn't really put my finger on what goal I wanted to reach for this week, this sort of touches on it.  I want to not travel with a good deal of luggage, and I mean that literally and metaphorically.  I don't want my kids to be burdens; I want to be in a place that makes me ready to connect with them.  I don't want to be connected to my iphone; I want to be free of the burden of that.  I don't want to constantly worry.  I just want to enjoy. I don't want to have a garage full of stuff that needs to be gotten rid of.  I don't want to have a closet that looks like it threw up.  I don't want to worry about what people think.  I just want to be.

I think that's what Costa Rica symbolizes to me: freedom.

huh.

I'm not saying a visit is not in order.  I will still research about working there as a nurse.  But I think this daydream plan has shifted focus to how I can get ready to go to the DR next year.