We had to go back to San Jose to get our bus to Tortuguero. We arrived back there yesterday afternoon, and our hostel (Pangea) took us a bit by surprise! Our taxi dropped us off outside what looked like a little prison! Instead of a nice entrance, the hostel had a large solid metal gate/wall covering the front and on top of it was spiral barbed wire!! To complete the prison look the door itself had a little peephole for the guard to look through and check to see if you should be allowed in. I was getting the impression we were not in a very nice area. Thankfully once we were in the hostel we didn't have to leave!

Inside was clean and comfortable which was the main thing. Unfortunately we were to discover that it was a bit of a party hostel and that the very loud staff arrived at 4am to stand outside our room and talk very loudly.

After a very rough nights sleep we were very relieved to find a very posh coach waiting to pick us up the next morning and take us on our tour of Tortuguero national park. As they drove up to our hostel the other passengers must have thought they were letting convicts out on day release!!

It took us 7hrs total to get to our hotel in the rainforest (Panchira Lodge). A few hours on a nice roads, a couple more on a very bumpy dirt track and another couple wizzing through the jungle canals on a boat...that was definitely the best part! The hotel itself was our little bit of luxury for New Year. It was gorgeous! We were given a welcome cocktail when we arrived before we set off through the winding wooded walkways to find out room (which was huge, had a lovely bathroom and HOT WATER!!!)

After a buffet lunch we all piled into a 12 seater speed boat which again drove at very high speed through the canals. Once we reached the national park we spent two hours sailing through the forest seeking out some wildlife, of which there were loads! (Howler and spider monkeys, Loads of really amazing birds, 4 huge iguanas including two males who had made themselves all colourful to entice some lady friends for breeding season. Several Jesus lizards and a small turtle. The best thing we saw though was a caymen!! We were so close to it you could reach out and touch its head. Though I have grown rather fond of my hands so decided to keep them safely in the boat.

The way back was equally as fast as the way there, but this time we were doing it in torrential rain. Everyone had their hoods of their ponchos pulled over their faces and were desperately holding onto the rest of their ponchos, which were flapping uncontrolably in the wind...it was quite an experience!!

We made friends with a lovely couple from Boston who helped us bring in the New year (along with some champagne and cocktails of course!). The hotel had laid on a bit of a party, with live music a limbo competition, and lots of drunk spaniards!! Just before midnight we were all given silly hats, masks and some party horns, which probably woke up the entire jungle (or was a strange mating call for the lesser known speckled breasted wood finch!)

A good day all round!