hello all, hope you are all well. this school is much more work than the last one. and so am having to take more exciting weekend trips to compensate! went to puerto viejo on the caribean side last weekend. we had really good weather and was able to sunbathe for a lot of the weekend. the town has two beaches, a white sand beach and a black sand beach. they were both beautiful and literally next to the main road through the town. the town had the best atmosphere, everybody was really nice and so laid back. and being the caribean they had regae nights in clubs on the beach plastered with green red and black, they reminded me somewhat of hombres, oxford street! i finally tried surfing, although i did give up when i realised i would never stand up and my knees were a little raw. my friend anastasia wanted to stay in rocking j's, this is a hostel with hammocks instead of beds although i was not convinced by that idea and so cat and me rented one of the few rooms thay have. we still had to use the communal showers and toilets which i did not like. so it will be nice hotels from now on. this weekend i am going to manuel antonio national park but alone because nobody else wanted to come. so am staying in a nice hotel with private bath and a double bed all for me. apparently there is restaurant that is a plane on some rocks so will go there for dinner one night. and of course there are more beaches to top up my tan, although i did burn my bum yesterday so will have to be a bit cautious. only have slow internet here so am having trouble putting new pictures up but will try. have fun in the uk and unfortunately i return in two and half weeks so will see you all soon. vicki