Joanna Biggar's Blog

1.How We Got Here

Companions Thanasis, the Greek poet, Laurie &

Jim (both accomplished photographers) and Doug

and I, piled into two red taxis to leave the glories

of Lenny’s finca to head for the outskirts of  San

Jose and the “other” airport.  Happily early, we had

plenty of time for the essentials — coffee- and

checking in, which consisted of no bag checks, but

much bag weighing (30 lbs. max), then passenger

weighing with bags to determine who should sit

where in order to assist the plane in actually flying

upright.

The plane itself was a turbo-prop, 15 seater that

flew low and sweet over the towns, green green

forested hills, some cultivated with coffee plantations

until we crested the mountains to see the familiar

sweep of the endless Pacific, its breakers rolling

onto long, sandy curves of empty beach. I’ve not

had such a low-flying thrilling flight since the one

long ago, flying over the Niger River. But this time

I didn’t feel as if I needed to flap my wings and keep

my feet up to keep from getting wet in the river.

Soon enough we left the coast to fly briefly over open

sea to cut down to Drake’s Bay, our destination.

After sweeping in over a beach, the pilot executed

a fine landing on a mostly paved landing strip, wherer

only the edges gave way to sand. We piled out to the airport

such as it was, a tin shack advertising cold drinks,

and a windsock, and prepared for the road ahead:

in a van with two inside banquets and a luggage

rack atop for our alloted 30 lbs.