September 25th, 2013 (InsideCostaRica.com) The oft-cited travel magazine, Travel & Leisure, is still “hot” on Costa Rica. The publication said that Costa Rica is one of its top five “hot” destinations, along with Hawaii, Paris, New York and…
September 27th, 2013 (InsideCostaRica.com) Four armed and masked men burst into a church where family members were mourning the death of a loved one, stealing cash, cellular phones and credit cards. The incident took place during a wake on Tuesday…
SAFETY TIPS FOR TRAVELING IN COSTA RICA FROM A TAXI DRIVER
If you are traveling to Costa Rica or any other country in Central America, you might hear people telling you things like:
- It's not safe, Are you sure you want to go ?
- I heard that there is a lot of crime.
- There is a lot of tourist being robbed.
Let me start by saying that I have driven a Taxi in Costa Rica since 2006. That's right I'm a Taxi Driver, my area is Jaco Beach, Herradura, Playa Hermosa and where ever a customer wants to go. I've Traveled just about all of Costa Rica, from the Nicaraguan border to the north and have driven down to Panama City, Panama.
Well the truth is that Costa Rica is just like most other countries in the world. There are very nice and safe places and also dangerous places
I have worked for all kind of tourists and the local population in Costa Rica, having worked in the tourism industry for over 7 years, I have seen people do all sorts of smart and a bunch of stupid not smart things.
I have seen tourists carrying lots of cash in their pockets, taking it out and showing it to everyone whenever they need to pay for something. I have also seen tourists leave their belongings in the back seats of taxis, then get upset when their new iPhone 5 or their $600 camera is gone. The truth is most taxi drivers never see the items left in the back seat, we don't check the back seats every time a passenger gets out, we look for another client or respond to a call form dispatch, the next person that gets into the taxi usually is the new owner of your iPhone 5, it is what it is.
I have personally returned more cellphones than I can remember, most of the time getting a tip for being honest. Most cellphones never come back to you especially if it's a smart phone.
I love Costa Rica and the people, Having said that, keep an eye on anything of value you bring with you. I have to be honest, it is very likely you will be a victim of theft, weather you know it or not, with a smile on there faces Costa Ricans feel you are in their country and they have the right to your belongings, money, and anything else of value they can steal from you.
I have been going there since 1998, I have lived there and worked in Costa Rica since 2006. I'm not your average tourist, I worked the night shift in a legal RED Taxi sometimes from 3pm to 3am, I loved it. It's probably the best way to meet people from all walks of life. The night life is jumping in the pacific beach town of Jaco, there is lots of restaurants to chose from, there is casinos and clubs/bars. The Cocal Casino is where you can pick up company for hire. Prostitution is 100% legal in Costa Rica. This is my advice for those who are traveling to Costa Rica to participate in this activity. You can hire a professional from any one of many places, (ask any taxi driver) or you can try to meet a regular non professional that will charge you to have sex with her, either way your going to pay. Make sure the person is over 18 years of age, Very important, I never condone any kind of underage exploitation of minors and neither does the Costa Rican government.
Costa Ricans say ( Pura Vida) it means Pure Life, you should visit Costa Rica at least once in your life, I have lost count, it's been over 50 times for me, Have a great time just be prepared to come back broke with lots of good memories after all that's the most important thing. Have fun.
This is a good way to save money when your traveling and just want to get some sleep
Basically it means that you park your vehicle someplace where it will blend in and you sleep there.
If you Google “Vandwelling” or “Stealth Camping” you can find many sites devoted to this type of lifestyle.
Some states are more tolerant of urban campers than others and it helps to know the regulations for wherever you plan to try this.
For instance, if you were in a state that allowed overnight parking in their rest areas you could just go park there, for the rest of the night.
Or you could find a truck stop or Walmart.
Important tips I’ve learned from searching some of the websites and personal experience
1) Be sure that your vehicle blends in. If you’re driving a beat up old van and park on a street with lots of nice cars— you’re going to draw attention. If you have suitcases bungee corded to your roof rack— you’re going to be noticed. If you get in and out of your van lots of times or turn the lights on, inside, or use your laptop or television with large screen you might get unwanted attention.
2) When you’re ready to sleep for the night, drive to your spot, keep the lights out and got right to bed. Don’t put your tent on the back of your van or your window screen over the passenger window. You want your vehicle to look just like everyone else’s. Provide yourself with whatever ventilation you can without compromising your safety.
3) A plastic 5 gallon bucket with some kitty liter will take care of middle-of-the-night bathroom requirements. I like to park near a 24hr place, like a gas station, diner, and use their bathroom, if needed.
4) Don’t sleep nude, If law enforcement officer/security gaurd knocks on your window with his baton it would be nice if you were wearing something that allowed you to jump straight into the driver’s seat allowing you to get out of there.
5) Curtains on the windows are pretty much a requirement. Black out curtain for the back seperating the cab/front seats works best. Reflextix cut to the shape of each window and affixed with velcro works great or cut to fit.
The most important thing to remember is BE SAFE! If a place doesn't feel safe, if your gut tells you this is not a good place, move and find a better place.
Happy Trails, there is so many beautiful places to see.
My father was not a wealthy man. He never made more than $8.50 an hour. He was a janitor cleaning other people's garbage, My dad was a rich man because he lived debt free.
Being free of the burden of debt is liberating, he would tell me, with his 850 credit score he could get any loan, car loan, home loan on his own. But he would tell me, forget about borrowing money. Stay debt-free and be frugal, and you can bank your income and live a credit-free life.
That’s not the life for many people, of course, because as with anything, there are trade-offs. Sure, you can live without the burden of debt, but it’s harder to travel without a credit card. It’s also hard for many people to rent for most of their lives, instead of getting a mortgage. And in some areas it’s hard to even rent without a good credit score.
However, for my dad, he lived a rich simple happy life.
Here are some ideas for living a debt free life, if that appeals to you, continue reading, if it doesn't appeal to you skip this page.
Save an emergency fund. Many people use their credit cards as a sort of emergency fund — if there’s an unexpected expense, the card comes out to the rescue. Instead, use the money you aren’t paying towards debt to build up a healthy emergency fund, keeping you out of debt when something unexpected comes up. Living without credit can be risky, but having a strong emergency fund (aim for $2,000 initially, then build it up to 6-8 months or more of expenses).
Save for goals. Once you’ve got the emergency fund adequately covered, you can start saving for other things. Set savings goals for yourself: do you want to travel, or buy a car, or save for college, or renovate your home, or buy a house. Decide on your highest-priority goals, and set a dollar figure. Now save towards those goals. Without debt, it should be fairly easy.
Get a debit card. If you need to use a credit card in certain situations, such as buying something online, often you can use a debit or check card instead, if it has the name of a major credit company such as Visa or Mastercard. I went seven years without a credit card, but using a Mastercard debit card, and had no problems at all. It actually worked every place you would need a credit card, but I wasn’t buying stuff on credit it was taken straight from my checking account, meaning I would need to have the money first before purchasing anything.
Earn interest instead of paying it. The problem with debt or credit is that you waste money paying interest. It eats away at your finances. Instead, make your money work for you by investing it.
My father use to say the when owe interest it will eat up your savings. Invest in real assets, real estate, gold and silver. will grow over time.
Buy a car on cash. For those who have been buying vehicles with auto loans all their lives, it may seem impossible to buy a car on cash. But it’s very possible, and many people do it. My grandparents, for example, always buy their cars with cash. So instead of making loan payments, and paying double the price of the car or more over the term of the loan, they make savings deposits, and end up with the amount it costs to buy two cars in their bank account over the course of five years. I’m going to use my current van as long as possible.
Invest for retirement. This is just common sense, no matter what your credit or debt situation, but without debt payments, it makes sense to accelerate your retirement investments (as one of your savings goals). Then you can retire early, thanks to not being in debt.
Travel without credit. It’s a common belief that you can’t rent a hotel room or a car without a credit card. This is false. It’s easy to rent a hotel room, for example, with a cash deposit. You just need to call around to find the right hotels.
Use PayPal online. I’m not a big fan of online shopping — well, actually I love to shop online, but I think it’s bad for your finances, only because it’s so easy to do. You end up buying stuff online that you might have resisted in the real world. But if you must buy something online, and don’t want to get a credit card (or a debit card), in many cases it can be done with PayPal — meaning that you have to have the money before you make the purchase. I’ve heard of people who don’t like PayPal, but I haven’t had a problem so far.
I’ve been camping for 25 years, there is a lot of free campsites. You just have to plan ahead and with the Internet it's never been easier. I used to camp at pay for full hook up campsites when I owned a travel trailer, but the fees are almost as much as some motels. Here are some free of charge sites that I have found.
If you go to http://www.freecampsites.net you can find tons of places that allow you to camp completely free of charge.
Top of the list for “scenic-but-with-limited-amenities” are many of the places managed by the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
Many states allow you to park, overnight, in their rest areas. (We did that, recently, in Arkansas.)
States that allow you to overnight in their rest areas include:
Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Illinois (only on Illinois Toll-way), Indiana (only on Indiana Toll Road), Kansas, Nevada, New Mexico, New York (emergencies only), Ohio (only on Ohio Turnpike), Oklahoma, Oregon (14 hour limit), Texas and Virginia. Check with your state.
If you choose to overnight in a rest area in a state that does NOT permit it, you could always try telling the officer that you were too tired to continue. I think it would be rare for an officer to insist that you drive while you’re too tired.
You’re also welcome to stay overnight in the parking lots of most Walmarts, Flying J’s, Pilot Travel Centers, and other assorted truck stops, as well as some casinos and other 24hr businesses. (It’s always a good idea to check with the manager when you do this in case there are any local ordinances prohibiting overnight parking or in case he or she has a certain place that they’d like for you to park. I always look for busy parking lots-shopping centers. just to park and sleep. No getting in and out in the middle of the night. I will go inside to buy something then call it a night.
Obviously you would never make a parking lot your ultimate destination but they can be perfect for brief overnight stays.
The list of places where you can camp for free is incredibly long— and we’ve already decided to start making use of BLM properties, where you’re typically permitted to stay for up to 14 days.
Free is always my favorite way to camp. There is plenty of other things to spend money on, enjoy the journey more when your not paying fees, that's why I have a camper van.
Replace the air filter. A clean air filter can improve gas mileage by as much as 10%, and nearly 25% of all cars could use a new air filter. Replacing a dirty air filter can save you 39 cents a gallon or take you 22 miles more on a typical tank of gas.
Check wheel alignment. Poor wheel alignment makes tires wear out more quickly and forces your engine to work harder, reducing gas mileage by as much as 10%. Aligning your tires can save you 39 cents per gallon.
Tune up your engine. A properly tuned engine can improve mileage by 4% and save you 14 cents a gallon.
Check tire pressure. More than one-quarter of all passenger vehicles on the road are under-inflated. And the average under-inflation of 7.5 lbs results in a loss of 2.8% in fuel efficiency. Properly inflating your tires can save you 10 cents a gallon.
Check your gas cap. It's estimated that almost 15% of all cars on the road have broken or missing gas caps, which reduces gas mileage and possibly harms the environment as well. Fixing or replacing a faulty gas cap will save you 3 cents per gallon.
Buy your gas in the morning or evening. Gasoline becomes denser in colder temperatures. This means that if you fill up your gas tank in the cooler morning or evening hours, that you’ll be getting better gas price economy.
Slow down!For every 5 mph you knock off your highway speed, fuel consumption is reduced by 7%. So if you typically drive 70 mph on the highway, slowing down to 65 mph will save you 27 cents a gallon.
Be a smooth driver. The smoother you accelerate and decelerate, the better your gas mileage will be, with potential gas savings of 33% on the highway and 5% around town. Drivers who take off like a drag racer and approach lights at top speed before hitting the brakes can save 68 cents a gallon by taking it easy on the gas pedal.
Keep your foot where it belongs. Driving with your foot on the brake will wear out your brakes and reduce gas consumption by as much as 35%. If you stop driving with your foot on the brake, you'll save the equivalent of $1.35 per gallon.
Using Cruise Control. If you’re like me, your driving speed tends to fluctuate. Cruise control takes the human element out of the equation, and keeps driving speeds steady. It’s the easy way to drive at a constant moderate pace. I set mine at 67 mph.
With the high price of fuel these tips can help anybody get more miles for their money.
It's a beautiful country we live in, get out there and see it. Happy Trails.
Theres has been a lot going on in my life, I really am working toward The Simple Life and a big part of that is down sizing, I have been selling things that I don't use or need any more on eBay.
I'm in the process of becoming Debt free. Its not that simple and that is probably what has kept me from traveling more. I finally said if I don't start doing it now then when?
There are a lot of steps to making this very major life change and re-invention of who I am, but at age 47 it's not that difficult - I also find it exciting to be able to travel and see new place and meet people that I can share my experience with.
But, here is the basic plan:
1. Sell off, give away or trash just about everything - except necessities, of course, like clothing and such, the basic things that make life easier and a few things of sentimental value (we all have some of those things - they keep us grounded and remind us of where we came from).
2. I'm also looking after my mother, helping her as her mobility is deteriorating, my travel plans are somewhat up in the air, my mother is more important to me than any travel plan. My father passed away last year at the age of 82.
3. Determine what I will do to generate an on going income from new revenue streams. I have a business in Costa Rica that runs its self for the most part with the help of a long time employee. He only steals enough to get by and leaves me with some income. I need to be involved in a virtual businesses that can operate on the Internet from anywhere - whenever I am anywhere I choose to be - including overseas. Technology is always advancing, So, I have to do some thinking and experience into something that is mobil, I have several ideas to work on.
4. Another reason for downsizing and getting rid of all the "stuff" that has accumulated over the years is because step 4 is to move around the world and have a home which will become both my home and my office - probably for the next several years. Yep! The plan is to be a 21st Century gypsy, and relying on technology for taking care of just about all of the normal business and day to day living requirements. I want to "See the USA (and Canada) In my van, I want to criss-cross this nation, visit all the wonderful "off the interstate" places that make up Americana and meet all the people who live there and learn about them. I also plan to spend more time in Costa Rica next year, if my mothers health improves. I want to share what I know and have learned with those I meet to hopefully make their lives better in some way. My life will automatically be better because I will have met so many different people.
So, at the moment, that's the basic plan. I'm going to make plans and write notes to remind me to blog at least a few times a week, just so I can get this adventure down - and make it available for anyone interested in reading it - and I hope, gaining some kind of useful insight from my experiences. Please leave a comment or follow this blog and come along for the ride, Thank you.
I located this, No-Rinse Shampoo online I decided to order it from Amazon.com, I checked Walmart but Walmarts dont carry it in their stores, you can order online and then pick up at the store closest to you. This is a great product, satisfied with the price I ordered three bottles as a bottle of decent shampoo would cost as much anyway.
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Now let’s talk about this No-Rinse Shampoo. This stuff is pure magic in a bottle. It’s really watery, so you just apply it to your hair until it’s soaked through…lather it up a bit…then towel off as if you’ve gone through your normal shampoo/condition/rinse procedure in the shower. and despite it feeling a bit like I had some product in my hair (similar to that feeling after you’ve gotten a haircut, I felt absolutely wonderful afterwards. I highly recommend this No-Rinse Shampoo in a couple of my Youtube videos. You will not regret using it will come in handy when there is no shower or bathroom available, I used one bottle on the road this summer.
The Toyota Previa entered the market in 1991, when minivan sales were just starting to take off. It was meant to compete with popular American offerings, like the Dodge Caravan. The Previa is best-known for its unusual styling, and is instantly recognizable.
The Toyota Previa had an unusual layout, with the mid-mounted engine located under the front seats and the alternator and cooling system located under the hood. The result was a well-balanced van, but it meant that the Previa could not accept a larger engine. It also meant that repairs were very expensive.
The Previa was available in a large amount of trims--in some years up to six. It was also the first van to pass all U.S. safety standards.
The Previa had a loyal following, but most unadventurous minivan shoppers passed the egg-shaped Previa over in favor of more conventional vans. It was discontinued in 1997 to make way for the Sienna, which has more mass market appeal.
The 1993 Previa that I own came with Rear-wheel Drive, Four wheel disc brakes standard. 4 Cylinder 138 horse power 2.4 liter engine and Automatic Transmission with overdrive. The Previa has more interior room than the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna. I chose my Previa for the reliability. If you google Previa owner reviews. I was very impressed with the great reviews. That made my it easier to invest in a 20 year old van.
I've been very happy with my Previa. Hopefully it will provide me many years of reliable transportation, Please comment and share your Previa story on this blog. If you don't have a Previa, that's ok share your van story, weather it's of road trip or how you have customized your van to fit your needs. Thank you.
Number 1. You need a Van. Cargo vans make great build to suit blank canvas that you can customize. There is a lot of Youtube videos that give you great ideas and how to build it out.
If your going to be Vandwelling (living in your van full time) you might consider a larger van with a high top. I did a lot of research and chose the Toyota Previa Mini Van. I wanted the 20+ MPG.
I'm not full timing it. My needs are for road trips and a comfortable bed with a simple layout was my goal.
MY VANS EQUIPMENT LIST AND CAMPING GEAR
1. Linolium Floor, one piece cut to size.
2. Bed Frame ( made with 2x4s wood frame)
3. Comfortable Mattress (4 inch memory foam or thicker)
4. Sleeping Bag Blanket and Pillow
5. Ice Chest
6. Max Burton Butane Table Top Burner ( great for cooking)
7. Small Pot and Pan
8. Small Folding Table
9. Folding Chair
10. Hunting Knife (Bowie Knife)
11. Small Ax or Hatchet
12. Fire Extinguisher
13. First Aid Kit
14. Flash Light
15. Compass
16. Smart Phone (GPS) phone charger
17. Storage Bins, I have three. Food, Clothing, Cooking Supplies
18. Window Nets ( keeps the bugs out)
19. Black Out Curtain and Rod
20. Tint all Back Windows With Limo Tint
21. Reflextix for the Back Windows ( cut to fit) keeps the heat out, Privacy at night
22. Battery Powered Interior Light
23. Jumper Cables
24. AAA Roadside Membership ( highly recommend )
25. Can opener
26. Tinfoil
27. Camera
I'm sure I forgot to add everything you might need.
This is my list of things I have in my van, You can make your own list.
I was able to buy everything at these places, Walmart-Home Depot-Amazon.com
This is my first full day in Salt Lake City, I called my cousin Manuel he lives about half an hour south in Sandy Utah, I hadn't seen him since my fathers funeral. Manuel and his wife welcomed me into there home and invite me over for dinner, it was great to see them and Dee his wife offered to take me to Temple square and show me the local points on interest the next day.
Brigham Young stopped on July 24, 1847, and proclaimed he'd found the heaven that would shelter his 148 weary followers from persecution because no outsider would covet this barren basin with its salt water lake.
Salt Lake City's wide streets and easy layout make easy to get around. Primary tourist places are Temple Square, that's where Mormon Tabernacle Choir's Thursday and Sunday rehearsals are broadcast to the open public, as well as daily organ recitals.
There is two visitor centers on the square with tours of the Temple Square area starting by the flagpole every 10-15 minutes.
After spending two hours in the Temple Square and walking around downtown Salt Lake City,
we drove to the Salt Place and the U university. It was a clear sunny day perfect for sight seeing.
I enjoyed traveling around the city, very clean and well maintained, I was impressed with all the choices of places to eat, if you drive half and hour south to South Jordan and Sandy area there is every restaurant I've ever herd of or seen, No shortage of places to eat. Liquor stores are harder to come by, they are state run, I don't drink so it wasn't a problem for me.
Another great day, I'm spending the night at Manuel's house and heading to Park City in the morning.
My first week long road trip started from California to Salt Lake City Utah. I bought groceries for a week, packed my clothes, filled up the gas tank and hit the road. I have never been to Salt Lake City.
I have a cousin that has lived there since 1978, so I thought why not visit them and break in my van.
It took about three months to get the van ready. I took my time building it to fit my needs.
I decided to drive to Fernley Nevada and spend the night at the Pilot travel center parking lot.
I'm 20 minutes into the trip and my CHECK ENGINE light lights up bright red. great I couldn't believe it. I knew my van was in great shape even with 215,000 miles on the speedometer.
I pulled over and didn't see or smell any problems, I called my mechanic and told him what was going on. I also said I have a 13 hour drive ahead of me. I thought my road trip was over just 20 minutes into it. He told me don't worry about it, there is a 100 things that could trigger the light to come on. It could be a sensor, If you don't tighten the gas cap hard enough it could set it off.
Ok I'm feeling a little better.
He was 100% right, No problems at all with my van.
I drove to Fernley Nevada and spent the night, met some very nice people that were there resting from there drive from Utah, they were going to the burning man festival, (very cool) seems like that would be lots of fun.
My first night sleeping in my van was great, the bed was comfortable and I ate a turkey sandwich for diner, I was set for a good nights sleep. I slept good, woke up a couple time from big rig trucks pulling out of the parking lot. Hey it's a truck stop.
Morning comes I'm back on highway 80 east, Cruse control set to 68 mph, I'm in no hurry there a lot of highway ahead so might as well enjoy it.
Eight hours later I'm passing the great salt lake, Very beautiful seeing the white salt as far as the eye can see, Once I get to Salt Lake Im going to look for a place to park and rest spend the night. Ended up at a McDonalds parking lot with free wifi, I went inside to eat and ask the manager if I could rest in there parking lot? He was very nice and said it would not be a problem. It's always best to ask for permission.
Hello again, Today I want to start by saying, I can't change yesterday. Tomorrow is not guaranteed.
So I choose to live in the moment.
A very dear friend of mine taught me to think that way when I get stressed out, It's worked great for me, Just changing how you think about things can do wonders.
Stress is a killer, I know that everyday life can be stressful. It is what it is.
Camping and being on the open road is great medicine for me. There's something about getting away from it all that brings me closer to nature and at the same time lets me enjoy this beautiful country.
If the great outdoors is so great, then why don't people enjoy it more often? The answer is because of the time they have to spend working.
For many the biggest problem is finding the time to go, whether it is camping, fishing, biking, or just getting in the van/car and go for a good drive in the country. The solution believe it or not, is to make your fun time just like you treat your work. I plan my trips in advance, If you get out your calendar and write in the dates you are going, then you will go. If you don't, then you won't. With only a minor change in your life plan, you can get out on the road, see this great country, you can live the life you have always dreamed about.
It's all up to you how you choose to spend your time, because the one thing you can not buy more of is time. I hope to see you out there...
I started this blog yesterday to write down and share information on traveling and living free of debt
I'm going to be posting and sharing videos from my travels in the U.S.A, Costa Rica, Portugal
Please subscribe if these things interest you and feel free to share this blog with anyone.
I have lived on and off in Costa Rica since 2006
The Azores in Portugal is a special place to travel to.
There is a lot for me to learn on how to set up a blog. Please understand this is a work in progress, I'm jumping into new technology for me. I started a youtube Chanel two months ago to share my thoughts and ideas on how to set up a Mini Camper Van. Now I have a link on this blog to my videos
My last road trip was great, The van made the 1680 mile trip with no problems.
I named my 1993 Toyota Previa (Webo) it means egg in Spanish. It's white and shaped like an egg.
Some people call there Previas Beans, Because of there shape.
If you google the Previa you will see that these 20 year old vans are very reliable.
I think they will have a following like the VW Westfalen.
My goal for this Blog is to have a place where people can share ideas on ways to travel and help each other.
I'm planing a few more trips this year in my van, I want to share information on places to visit and stealth camping, The fees can ad up at campgrounds.
Please post any comments advice you have for me. Thank you.
Hello, My name is David Man I'm starting this blog to share my road trip experiences and interests.
I'm Not a writer, I probably will make lots of mistakes with my limited writing skills. I should have stayed in school. But here I am writing a blog at 47. I'm learning a lot on Youtube with DIY videos, That's why I started this blog, I saw a video and thought if they can do I can also.
I lost my best freind last year, My father passed away March 1st 2012
I made a bucket list of places I want to see and things I want to do. Will you join me on this blog?
When I was living in Costa Rica last year, I have my nephew buy a 1993 Toyota Previa Mini Van.
From craigslist, I wanted a mini van to convert into a camper van for my future road trips.
Paid $900.00 it needed a new water pump and much more. After spending another $3000.00 to tune it up, New shocks and struts, New Brakes, All new hoses and belts, Recharge and conver the AC.
I also took out all but one of the back seats and made it into a mini RV with great MPG 19 city
23-24 hwy.
Anyway I'm going to be posting pictures and videos from my road trips and tips on traveling and living in a van.
I just came back from a three state trip, California, Nevada, Utah.
I'm working on uploading pics and videos on this blog.
Thank you, If you have any tips or ideas that you want to share please comment.