It was unsurprisingly hot again in Tamarindo. Andy and Anita had asked us to buy some UK currency from them. They had tried to exchange it in CR but couldn't. As they were not planning on returning to Blighty any time soon, we obliged. Though we had only stayed two nights, they were so helpful and kind, we felt as if we had known them years.

Then it was our longest day's driving and the one we had hired a 4X4 for - the ascent into the cloud forests at Monteverde. We had checked ahead - as warned in the guidebooks- to see which routes were passable. In the rainy season some routes get washed away.

On the way out of town we managed to finally spot a Correos (Post Office) and send our postcards.

The roads were flat and through green agricultural land. There were stalls along the way selling watermelons and other fruit and vegetables. Also there were signs advertising Vino de Coyol. The stands seemed to be selling a milky coloured drink in old pop plastic bottles. We didn't stop to buy any but it seems it is the local moonshine - fermented coyol palm juice.

A quick petrol stop and we were on the way up to the Cordilla de Tilleran where the famous Monteverde cloud forest - albeit, today it wasn't cloudy at all. We could even see the three cratered Vn Tenorio clearly, but never had a safe place to stop and take photos

We went through the town of Juntas - which seemed poorer and reminded Joan of the many mining towns we had seen on our travels. It turns out it was - historically a gold mining town.

Reading up on this, the Costa Rican government has taken the rather foward looking view that, given the ecological impact of gold mining and the associated deforestation, the country's future lies in eco-tourism and it has eschewed the short term gains of mineral exploitation. Please take heed UK Government and fracking!!

The roads up to the cloud forest were bumping, dusty and narrow, with the odd crazed lorry rumbling downhill with no regards to the highway. A short distance on paper seemed a long way but we finally made it to the towns of Monteverde, Cerro Plato and Santa Elena - the tourist hubs.

Without drama, we managed to orientate ourselves and found the casitas where we are staying. They are owned by Sarah, an American who married a local lad, Danilo. Pictures later, but these newly built cabins are lovely - and a stone's throw from shops and restaurants. Sarah had made us some of the ubiquitous fruit drink and a lemon drizzle cake.

Her husband, Danilo Brenes, does guided walks and comes highly recommended on Trip Advisor so we booked a night hike with him for tomorrow.

It was already going dark so we walked to the main street and found a restaurant selling veggie options. Kevin had casado - the typical Costa Rican meal which involves beans and rice - an odd choice as he is not crazy about either. Joan had quesadilla which was surprisingly not spicy. So we swapped meals half way through.

The waiter told us there would be live music on soon so that was our excuse to leave.

Interesting fact. From our back garden we often see Orion with his dagger in the southern skies. When we first went to Chile on our honeymoon in 2002, Joan was keen to see the different stars of the southern hemisphere. In the dark skies in Puerto Montt, she looked up and saw Orion, but upside down. Walking back from San Luis restaurants the moon hung like a boat and Orion was lying down.