Run in with Crocs

Sat Mar 3 (cont) - So I left you that we had just survived a night at a $53 place.  We headed to town to get late breakfast, update blog, do 5kilos of laundry for $5 then schedule a 4pm crocodile tour.  We get to the croc dock and it's only Stu and I for the tour.  We had a 30 seater boat all to ourselves with 2 guides.  So we get part way up the Tarcoles river and see birds, iquanas, nothing crazy though.  About 15 minutes in we see some smaller (3 ft) crocs on the side of the river sunning themselves and as we get closer they slither into the water.  We continue on and attempt to make our way to a main bridge that the majority of crocs live near.  They don't usually take people that far up river because the water is too shallow.  Our crazy guide told us if we got stuck "no biggie he'd jump out and push" - mind you into the water with the crocs.  So we get closer to the bridge and there are about 15 crocs that day all swimming around.  We pull up to the bank and our guide jumps out with a cooler of dead fish.  He pulls one out slaps it on the ground and a couple of HUGE crocs (15ft long with tail) slither out of the water.  Both the alpha males crawled closer to him, he dangles the fish in the air and SNAP they gobble it down.  It was crazy.  He maneuvered one close by luring it with fish and he actually let us "pet" their tails.  We hung out and took pics for awhile all the while the guide is just hanging out on the banks with the crocs and finally he jumps back on board and we make our way home safely.  We called it a day after that.

Sun Mar 4 - We survived another night and decided to get out of Jaco.  We left town about 9:30.  For a 45 mile paved road drive it took us a little longer than normal.  We arrived in Quepos 2 hrs later...not because of traffic, but because of the 3 crappy one lane bridges we went over.  All of them seemed pretty unstable and had metal slats that you could see through - we have the video footage so you can all be impressed.  We got here in one piece but it was hot as hell.  We were delightfully surprised at our nice room which is huge with a kitchenette a large balcony and rocking chairs.  We hit the beach yesterday afternoon and played in the surf. Mon Mar 5 - we woke this morning to monkeys on the roof and in the trees. Quite a site.  Stu took a scuba pool lesson in the afternoon and that wrapped up today.  Tomorrow and Wed we're off to do some diving.  Ye-Ha!!!