Shopping and Packing for the Trip

I have just spent the last two days shopping for my trip. I had to dip my steaming Mastercard into ice water, before it melted from overuse. Most of the stuff I had to buy was boring: some new clothes and toiletries, some gifts for my host family, and other assorted miscellaneous items of every type.

Every time I go on a trip out of the country, I take at least two paperbacks, preferably a novel and then some kind of classic work. Traveling always involves waiting. Whether in the airport, or on a bumpy road in a bus, or in a government office, at the side of the road, changing a tire, or just waiting for something to happen, you need to have a book ready. Here's what books I am taking:
Paperbacks:
"Dies the Fire" by S.M. Stirling: A thick novel that is set in a modern world where all things electrical and mechanical have stopped working and the U.S. is thrown into a new Dark Age.

"The Power and the Glory" by Graham Greene. A historical novel set in Mexico when Communists are taking over the states of Chiapas and Tobasco and the Catholic Church has become illegal.

"Robert Frost: The Road Not Taken and Other Poems". I bought this great little Dover Thrift Edition of poems in order to get the "super saver shipping" from Amazon.com . I also always liked what few poems of his I had read before.

Travel Books:
The Lonely Planet Guide to Costa Rica. Very informative. I have been reading it and other books up til now to prepare.

The Lonely Planet Costa Rica Spanish Phrasebook. One of the best phrase books out there. I have the Latin American Spanish Phrasebook, but Costa Rica has a lot of unique Spanish, so this book is a god-send.

Spanish Study Books:
501 Spanish Verbs. You do not study Spanish without owning this book.
The University of Chicago Spanish to English Dictionary.
Spanish Bible
Grammar and Vocabulary "cheat-sheets"
I am also taking my Webster's electronic Spanish translator which I have depended on for years. It has paid for itself ($49.95 @ Target) many times over.

Here is list of the snacks I am taking. Whether I am stuck somewhere I can't get a meal, or just want to eat something besides Gallo Pinto,(national dish of Costa Rica-fried black beans and rice), once in a while, taking a stash of familiar food can be a great way to ward of homesickness. Here's a list:

1 bottle of Franks Red Hot Sauce(Costa Ricans do not cook with chili like Mexicans do. This sauce is my insurance against any bad food. It tastes great on everything, including eggs and spaghetti. It does not need refrigeration, and has garlic and vinegar and red chili in it. It adds flavor, not just heat.)
4 Clif Bars, cherry almond with white choclate and almond fudge (Clif bars are protein bars that are like cookies, and they actually taste pretty good. They also don't melt in hot temperatures. A Clif Bar and a handful of nuts or some jerky is not a bad meal replacement.
1 bag of Combo's Pepperoni Pizza Pretzels
1 bag of Hanover's Honey Mustard Pretzel Pieces
2 Teryiaki jerky packages
1 six-pack of Sun-Maid raisins
1 package of instant lemon iced tea powder(not sun tea-but it will do in a pinch)
2 packs of smoked almonds and cashews

One of the things I am taking to ward off homesickness is my 1 Gigabyte MP3 player. It holds over 300 songs, and I have rechargeable batteries for it. I'm still putting my play list together, but this should be really nice to have.

Here's the list of "GI Joe" survival stuff that will go with me.
Duct tape-pocket pack
Parachute cord
Ziplock Bags
Black Plastic Trash Bags
Cable Ties
Swiss-Army Knife
Maglite (2 AA Battery style)
Compass (I really have a lousy sense of direction, I forgot which side of the mall I parked in today.)
Whistle
Rain Poncho
100% Deet Bug repellent
Bull Frog 35SPF sunscreen
A full bottle of Immodium AD
A full course of Cipro Anti-Biotics

And, always remembering the sage travel advice from that great book, "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", I have not forgotten my towel.

It's a Sponge Bob Squarepants beach towel, thank you very much...

-Juanito

Next Costa Rica Entry: Research About Costa Rica-Part I