Alarm was set for 5.45 am simply to get me up and see what the 6.02 am sunrise will bring. Well, wasn't that marvellous but it was a nice way to start the day sitting on a concrete seat down at the sandy beach in the on shore wind, listening to the waves of the lake come in, watching the morning walkers, dogs, cattle coming down for a drink, bird life and then the sun rise for another day. As for the rest of the day ... well let's just say it was a much needed R & R day with not much done at all!

The alarm went off at 4.15 am. This is the earliest so far wake up for a 4.45 am departure from the hotel. Why so early? We have a border crossing which is notorious a lengthy one plus the need to travel half way across Costa Rica to San Jose. Even leaving so early, the locals were out and about in the pitch darkness. The ferry left at 6 am and then the sunrise … and yes, it was well worth while getting up this early to capture it from the near empty top deck.

Landfall at 7.15 am, aboard our van with the border reached an hour later. Yes, it was a crowded border, duty free shops, money changers outside the van again. Hammocks, pen and food hawkers trying to earn a living. Then the immigration officer came out and we had to line up outside the van while she identified us and returned out passports. It was a bit comical with some of our names. All good humour. With a cheerful smile and wave from her we away over to the Costa Rica side.

Costa Rica and we had to individually go through immigration. We needed evidence of our outwards passage from Costa Rica or Panama (airline ticket was sufficient) and as I was travelling through to Panama was on Bec’s 'bus’ ticket into Panama! Our bags had to go through the X ray machine. Well the guy wasn‘t even looking at his TV monitor! Waited for the driver to complete his formalities which included the immigration or was it custom lady coming out and checking the empty van for any contraband / smuggling.

The Costa Rica side took an hour then the 5 hour trip to San Jose. First impressions, cleaner, countryside and houses more developed, roads being redone in that I could not see anything wrong with the current tar seal road. A dual carriage concrete road was being built. In some ways it felt like ‘home‘. I was sitting on the sunny side of the van looking into the sun so didn’t take many photos of this long trip into Costa Rica.

Into San Jose and the auto parts dealers plus new car sales yards. Next the fast food signage and high rises just like any western city. It was the barb wire fences surrounding many of the buildings that I will remember.

Capturing San Jose by night light: Parque Central with the green lit dome in the middle and some street performers, Catedral Metropolitana where a service had just finished and street night life in and around the brightly lit buzzing Avenida Central pedestrian mall.