After struggling through checkout with 10 surfboard coffins and 10 suitcases with a diverse range of surfers, we were well ready to be rid of the excess luggage and lightly make our way into the boarding lounge of Qantas.

Surprisingly, the team’s mood is somewhat nonchalant. With the exception of Daniel Procter that is. I couldn’t quite figure out why this was to begin with…and then a light switched. I am travelling with possibly one of the most well travelled groups of people in the country. With Matt Hewitt having just returned from Bali, Daisy Thomas and Jay Quinn fresh from Australia, and Rangi all the way from a stint in California – this could be considered just another stamp in the passport.  With one large exception – yes another flight, albeit a long one; however we are en route to one of the most anticipated events of the teams’ careers to date. The Billabong ISA World Surfing Games are just a couple of flights away now.

Of the entire 30 hour journey to our Hotel in Jaco, it is the bus ride that undoubtedly deserves mention. We had all heard that Costa Rican’s weren’t the most cautious of drivers – we just didn’t realize how much of an under-exaggeration this was! On a winding, uneven, rain drenched road; our bus was over taken not less than three times. Each time this was on a blind corner; each time with a car on coming in our direction. There were fists thrown, horns beeped and a string of Spanish words (that we have not yet learnt to understand) yelled out.

Throughout the final hour of the trip, it was as if the heavens had opened the rain was pelting down that hard. We had never experienced a thunder storm like this before - with a lighting flash every thirty seconds (no exaggeration) followed by copious amounts of thunder, we now understood what ‘the rainy season’ truly meant. To top the trip off, the boys decided they needed a toilet stop – just 30 minutes out of Jaco beach. As they descended the bus stairs, the only warning they got was to watch out for snakes – big ones apparently.  As it turned out, the only thing they needed to watch out for was the massive dog, straining against its chains only 10m away.

We were told on the bus trip that the only Spanish phrase we needed to know for now was “Pura Vida” (pronounced poora veeda) – it means ‘everything is cool / no worries”. The equivalent, I suppose, of Hakuna Matata. After our first day here, the team has found the phrase incredibly useful. Bit by bit, we are each stringing together a new line of vocabulary. Some people may tell you that Costa Rica is Americanised, however it is not nearly as much to the extent that we had anticipated.

Spanish is spoken before any English and the really appreciate the gesture if you at least try to speak their language.  Now that we are here and settled, the hype around us is starting to build. With the Australian, Thailand and Costa Rican teams staying at our Hotel also; the next couple of weeks will definitely be interesting! Here are a couple of photos to get you going…with plenty more to come…

Laura, Rangi, Proc and Daisy - Image Hannah/Sony	Board stack - Image Hannah/Sony
One down despite the smile - Image Hannah/Sony	Punting into the mist - Image Hannah/Sony