Santa Elana, La Fortuna, Arenal Volcano, and KIM AND RUE LYNN!!!!

Well, we have been without internet access for a while now...so i am going to write an update but so much has been happening that it will be hard to not write a book. So here´s the readers digest version of the last few days = . We made it to Santa Elana and found a Hostel called La Pension where we decided to stay. It was a neat private room for $10p.p. There was a full size bed, a bunk bed, and a loft above. The lobby had rough cuts of wood made into tables, the lyrics to La Vie Boheime from Rent written on the walls, great music played, a Hammock out Front...it was just a really neat place to be. During our stay at this Hostel and in this town we met people from Spain, Germany, Austria, and of course Texas and California (the two main places that people for the USA traveling in Costa Rica seemed to be from) We hung out at the hostel, cooked dinner, relaxed, and later in the evening we went to the "tree house" which was actually a hostel,bar,restaurant built around a huge tree. it was really neat!!! we then spent the night talking to people at the hostel,making new friends,and went to bed.The next day we got up and took a shuttle to the Santa Elana Forest where we took a two hour hike through the rain forest. We looked for Wildlife but saw very little...many humming birds, a domesticated wart hog that was more like a pet dog, and sandy saw a nearly transparent butterfly.It was beautuiful there.After that we returned to our hostel where we waited for transportation to La Fortuna and the Arenal Volcano.That was about a three hour trip by boat and land, but more importantly where we met Kim and Rue Lynn!!! They are a cousin duo traveling costa rica from Texas. They had just gone over to Santa Elana to do some SKY Tram type activities, but were staying at the Tabacon Hotsprings Restort!!! We all had a great chat on our travels to La Forutna and decided to meet up later at the Hotsprings. They were dropped off at their hotel and we went into the town of La Fortuna to find a Hostel. There we were taken to "Gringo Pete´s" where we decided to stay for two days. We dropped off our stuff and headed to the Tabacon Hotsprings...there we decided to treat ourselves to the resorts dinner buffet and the hotsprings!!! One of the most relaxing things we have done here in costa rica. we all have been living off of peanut butter and jelly, spagetti, and beans and rice, so the buffet was like heaven. After gorging ourselves (seioursly we each ate enought for 5 people = ) we went to change into our bathing suits and hit the hotsprings. We finally then met up with Kim, Rue Lynn had decided to stay in the room for the evening. The four of us then went to the bar that you could sit at that was actually in a pool, had some drinks (all but me of course = ) and then went to check out more of the hotsprings.the hot springs are naturally created from a river that runs down into this area from a still active volcano. the volcano itself is just breathtaking to see!!!! at one point while sitting in the hotsprings we could hear the sound of the volcano,as each night and morning it lets out a small amoung of lava. there were several waterfalls, and areas where there was hotsprings that you could sit under flowing water and feel as if you were getting a massage,there were also cool pools where you could go sit and get cooled off!!! it truly was spectacular!!!! after that we caught a cab back to our hostel and all went to sleep.the next morning we all woke up (well russel slept in = ) we went to the supermarket, ate breakfast, and then fell back asleep.the the hotsprings had just been so relaxing!!! we woke up a few hours later and were just getting up and around again when we saw kim and rue lynn at the front of our hostel. they came to spend some time with us, well acutally i think that Rue Lynn had come to make sure we were ok = ) she had such a big heart and was worried about what $6 dollars a night rooms looked like = ) she had to head back and get some work done, but Kim stuck around and explored the town with us and helped us search for a few things we needed to take back home with us. Kim kept us laughing constantly, and has many great stories of other amazing travles she has taken. Later that evening we all met Rue Lynn at a little restaruant called the Lava Lounge. There we all ate very very very well and Rue Lynn (the Texan Earth Angel) picked up the tab for all of us!!! She had also arranged our transportation to San Jose Area the next morning. We would ride in the Shuttle with the two of them (they flew out today). After dinner we headed back to our hostel and got packed up to leave. This morning we met Kim and Rue Lynn and took the three hour journey here to the San Jose Area. We have found a very nice hotel/hostel that was a home built in the 1920´s and has been turned into a bed and breakfast kind of place. we will check out this town we are staying in and then have a free breakfast here in the morning and they will shuttle us to the airport tomorrow. So.... unless something crazy exciting happens this evening this will be the last post for our Journies here in Costa Rica. We will revise this post and put a few pictures up when we can get them uploaded. It has been an amazing journey and one we will not forget!!!! We love and miss you all, and will be back home soon for a few days, and then will start our tour of the US. when we hit the road again we will start up this blog again as well. Must end by saying once more THANK YOU TO THE LOVELY LADIES FROM TEXAS THAT MADE THESE LAST FEW DAYS SO ENJOYABLE!!!! NO LONGER STRANGERS BUT FRIENDS!!!!! (and in twenty years we will give back to some hungery, hostel staying travelers!!!!) Bless you in all that you do!!! stay in touch!!!!