In the post that follows I am asking for feedback. Here’s some background: Over the years many of our past guests have written me asking for advice about travel in general or travel to places other than Costa Rica. I have found it very satisfying to help with advice on anything from, “where should I go for [...]

In last week’s post and comments we looked at this topic from the point of view of the traveler.  I thought you might find it interesting to look at it from the other side of the fence. One of our lodges, Tortuga Lodge has no road access.  Guests often arrive by boat and leave in light [...]

We get a great many requests to arrange tours and activities from people who have already booked a week at the beach. Responding to these has been a challenge because the amount of work involved to learn enough about the guests to give them personalized advice is more than we can charge them for if all [...]

W [...]

We interrupt the spellbinding saga of Yolanda’s and Michael’s return to Cuba to bring you the brand new Tortuga Lodge Video and ask for feedback. This is the first version fit for human consumption. It is exactly 3 minutes long.  If you have the time, please take look and suggest ways to improve it. [...]

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This post was published on May 6 in a slightly different form in the Huffington Post. The Atlantic Green Sea Turtles have just started to nest on the beach in Tortuguero. To start only a few turtles nest each night.  In July and August, at the peak of the season, on a good night as many [...]

In late March Wendy Perrin, Conde Nast Traveler’s Director of Consumer News and Digital Community, published her A-to-Z Guide to Traveling with Kids, and asked her readers to do the same, offering a prize for the best one. Since then she has been published her favorites. Now Wendy has announced the winner along with a compendium of [...]

I don't usually cry at the end of a vacation, but when it came time to say goodbye to Kenya Mendez, our guide in Corcovado, I did. She not only showed us the wonders of the birds and plants of the rain forest, but she treated the four members of our family as friends and went out of her way to fix whatever problems or issues that came up. I hope all is well with her and that our paths will cross again.

Dear Michael, I think this is a great idea and I do feel that the trip I took to Costa Rica was the best trip I've ever had. I'm still recommending it to people if they are looking for a honeymoon idea. Unfortunately, due to the economy my traveling has been very curtailed and Costa Rica is the last place I've gone to for fun that wasn't accessible by car. Even the travel funds for work are rare, so I feel like my advice would be too dated to help much with the blog. But I'm sure you'll get some good insights from lots of other people. I wish you the best, as I think you have a great company.

Good point. The idea is not to reward people for saying wonderful things about me, Costa Rica Expedition, or even the blog. The idea is to use the blog to select a few people who together would create a magical few days. I am working out the idea as I go along. More in a few days

I think this is a great forward thinking idea to share yours and others traveling experiences. One of me best trips ever was to Costa Rica and have recommended it to many people. One of my most fond memories is the white water rafting on the Pacure River and the 2 nights at the Pacure Lodge. I am an avid armchair traveler and all the time wanna be real time traveler. I recently completed the Tour Du Mont Blanc, a 105 mile hut to hut hike around Mont Blanc through France, Italy and Switzerland. This was a trip of a life time and another one I would highly recommend to folks that love hiking and something different in spectacular surrounds. Again kudos on this new venture. I hope to learn more from this blog in the near furure.

Hi Michael, I'm a neophyte at blogs but I'm happy to support it and contribute what I have learned leading groups for Cincinnati Nature Center for 36 years. Our nature center has used your company every time we come to Costa Rica, and with supurb leaders like Charlie Gomez, and driver guides like Nino, we'll continue to use you guys. But we only come to Costa Rice every 5-10 years, after all there's a big world out there, so there are plenty of other destinations I can share my two cents. I'm looking forward to seeing (and learning) how this develops.

Hi Michael, This is a great idea, I rarely make a significant purchase without looking at customer reviews on line, the insight gained by reading about the experiences of others is extremely valuable in my decision making process. Our Costa Rica vacation was the most relaxing vacation my family of four has ever experienced. Costa Rica Expeditions took the stress we took the vacation. If you made a recommendation I would trust it with out a doubt. I look forward to reading the wealth of knowledge to come from your blog and will gladly spread the word to my friends.

Hi Michael, Would love to help anyway I can. I have traveled quite a bit since visiting CR in 2002. I have traveled across the USA (both coasts) as well as international travel to Canada, Southern Africa (Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe), Italy, Peru, Ecuador, Australia, Greece, Spain and soon to China. Some trips were with an organized tour company and others were just on our own (which we researched heavily using the internet). Currently planning trips to Vietnam/Cambodia and East Africa. I would welcome any info this blog can provide as well as assist any traveler with information I learned from my travels.

Happy to help. Most of my travel is for business, but that takes me to some pretty interesting places (Papua New Guinea, Australia, China, Malaysia, North Sulawesi ...) and I usually take advantage of some down time to get a flavor of the culture. You may be delighted to learn that despite exposure to some of these exotic places, we have returned to Costa Rica for our family spring breaks for the last nine years. We still find new things to learn and do during every CR visit. Happy trails.

Great idea, I'm willing to help. Like many others on here I had a great experience with CRE a couple of years ago. I've travelled abroad a couple of times since and I'm always looking for information from people who really know the area. I always look for much more than what I can get from a guidebook and I've always found people who have gone through the experience already are usually the true experts.

Michael, I am pleased to participate. I have long believed that the Internet is the best way to share travel information--anytime, anywhere around the world. I also believe that travelers' most valuable information comes from frank, inside assessments from travelers just like themselves. I loved the trip we did with CRE last March. I have high standards, and, like most travelers, high expectations. I was delighted with the service we received through CRE. I will be planning expeditions in Africa, India, and Southeast Asia over the next few years for my family and would appreciate the "inside knowledge" this group can provide. In particular, I am looking for the travel expert on the ground in the countries that I will be visiting. Again, most of us can find the international travel brands; it is the local company, like yours, that can often provide the authentic experience at the reasonable price. Good luck. I look forward to participating in this venture.

This sounds like a good idea. We loved our CRE trips and even converted a friend who is a world traveler and always avoided "group tours" like the plague. He came to Costa Rica with us and we traveled with your fabulous company...he was floored by the experience. One of my interests is combining travel with language learning. We've done it in Costa Rica, Panama and Mexico. I'd like to get to some other Latin/South American countries as well. It might make a useful blog discussion!

Three generations of our family have enjoyed Costa Rica under your guidance and thank you for it. We have traveled to almost every part of the world and our major advice is to try to fit in with local customs and strengths--if all you're looking for is creature comfort, stay home.

I think it's very valuable to have a forum to connect with fellow travelers. I think the key is to make sure it's organized for easy navigating by geography. I'd be willing to post my experiences from various places around the world and would also see the advice of others for my new adventures. This year we are headed back to Costa Rica and plan to rent a villa somewhere south of Dominical. We are still hunting for just the right place This will be our 5th time to Costa Rica (in 6 years). Last year we went to St Barths. It is a nice place - but the weather was iffy and not so warm in March.

Michael I think a blog is a great idea. I usually do extensive research before I travel and find that people who have been there have pearls of wisdom and insider knowledge that can't be found on websites or in travel guides. Reiterating what others have said, my experience with Costa Rica Expeditions was unsurpassed and I would be very grateful to find other organizations with a similar philosophy and equally high standards. Thanks!

I think this is a great way for people who enjoy the CRE experience to share a variety of travel recommendations. I feel so overwhelmed by electronic communication, however, that I am not sure how active I can be. I always tell friends who ask about my adventures in Costa Rica and recommend CRE for a quality, no-hassle trip. Diane

Hi Michael, Yes, this is a great idea, as long as you keep it small, personalized and focused. Otherwise you run the risk of becoming too much like all the other web-based travel site forums.... overwhelmingly large, no consensus, and tainted by marketing and sales pitches. I plan an adventure trip every summer for my family: so far we've been to Hawaii, Costa Rica, the Canadian Rockies, Vancouver Island, the Swiss Alps, and Tanzania. We want to have these experiences as a family before my kids, now teenagers, leave home. This summer, I'm looking at the Galapagos Islands or Australia, or possibly Vietnam. People are always interested that I'm able to research and plan these trips online, and often say that they couldn't figure out how to do that. It's difficult to find good information on the web, and even harder to find trustworthy opinions. Something like this blog would be a valuable resource. I'd like to participate, both to share my knowledge, and to benefit from other people's experiences.

Michael, Great idea! I love to travel, but since I have small children now and less money to spend on travel, I haven't had the chance to take a great trip in a long time! I've been to a lot of great places (Europe, Morocco, Israel, Jordan, Indonesia, The Philippines, and my favorite, Costa Rica). With each new adventure, I keep wanting to try new places, yet the one and only place I've felt the need to return to is Costa Rica. I've been there four times, although I haven't been since 2002:( I'm probably biased about Costa Rica since I lived there for a few months in 1992 and still have some friends I keep in touch with. I used your agency to go to Tortuguero in 2002. It was a great experience and I would highly recommend CRE to others. I don't usually travel with a tour company but I was very pleased with my experience with CRE. I don't know what else I might contribute to the blog since I haven't done much traveling since 2003. I'm new to blogging as well, but it should be a great new learning experience. If nothing else I'll be dripping with envy while reading everyone else's more recent travel experiences. Good luck with your blog!

We had a marvelous trip to Kenya and Tanzania with A&K, knowledgeable professional guides, lovely accommodations and excellent arrangements throughout. Just like CRE.

Thanks for your portrait of Bill Mackenzie, whose life and work inspires me and I'm sure other almost-retirees to start thinking more about what's really important in life. You mentioned favorite guests: I want to single out a favorite CRE travel planner! Priscilla Jimenez helped plan the first trip I took to Costa Rica several years ago and not only organized an unforgettable trip for me and my daughter and answered all my many questions patiently and promptly, but also treated us like friends: we were staying in CRE's tent camp in Corcovado and one day at dinner someone arrived with a platter of tamales, sent to me from San Jose by Priscilla, just because I had mentioned to her that I loved tamales but had never tried the Costa Rica kind. My daughter and I shared this delicious treat with others at the table and we all toasted Priscilla for giving us yet another reason to love Costa Rica! I'll never forget her warmth, friendliness and professionalism.

I know my father loved to visit Costa Rica! I am sad I never got to travel there with him. I am touched that he left such wonderful memmories! I enjoyed seeing Costa Rica through his eyes. He is greatly missed!

We were very enamored with Costa Rica on our first two trips; the people, the natural resources, the whole experience. On that second trip we were introduced to the excellence of CRE. This led to three more trips with CRE and guide Jonathan Sequiera. We connected with him --he is now a good friend. Twice we were accompanied by 10 or so fellow natural resource professionals from NH. We wanted to share what we were learning/seeing with them. We still hear "Trip of a lifetime" from some of them. Many of them want to return. We will return. On each visit, all of the people of CRE were excellent representatives of the company, and of their country. But perhaps most importantly, they were good, solid people. We enjoyed getting to know them. They and the company never missed a beat and never let us down. A trip to Costa Rica helps put life in the US in perspective. The pace of life, the priorities and values. Refreshing. The country is special in many ways, and CRE makes sure that you see it as such.

As others have pointed out, I agree that the relationship between a tour agent or guide and the guest can be mutually enriching for both when the two parties bond, or at least have a friendly relationship. When my family took our trip with CRE, we loved all of our guides. I remember one particular gentleman who was in charge of the horses during our stay on the Osa Peninsula. My husband is originally from Mexico and the two of them chatted in Spanish throughout the trail ride that all of us took together. That evening, after learning from my husband that I had been having trouble sleeping at night, he brought a special pot of herbal tea to help me sleep. I will always remember that thoughtful gesture. Another time, while on safari in Tanzania, our guide talked often of his wife and small daughter. He had a number of photos of them, but no album in which to keep the photos. He said the albums are very hard to find in Tanzania. When I returned home, I sent him an album and included a photo of all of us with him that had been taken on the safari. I got a lovely thank you note from him and felt that we had made a friend. When you think about it, isn't every experience more enjoyable when you reach out to others and feel them reaching out to you? When this effort transcends language and cultural barriers, it becomes all the more rewarding.

So wonderful to see video of Priscilla! We were not used to using travel planners, but because of the language barrier and my concerns about traveling with our 5 year old who has special needs, we decided to find an established service. Not that it was easy for me to stop worrying! But Priscilla handled all of my concerns beautifully, before and during the trip, and upon our return we exchanged pictures of our kids. I'm pretty sure I invited her to visit us if she ever came our way - that's how much of a host I felt she was in her home country to us.

My trip is still in the planning process and I cannot imagine a more thorough, patient and knowledgeable travel planner than Priscilla. I must confess that in the inital contact I felt like the process was slow but soon came to realize that a bit of patience on my part would yield a wonderful upcoming trip to Costa Rica with my granddaughter. I have made changes, had additional requests and e-mailed Priscilla alomst every day. She has been warm and seems to have everything about my trip in front of her. I am very relaxed now and feel certain that this will be a very special trip for our family. Gracias, Priscilla! Marylou Austin (Santa Fe, New Mexico)

Alicia, Good point. I forgot about starting them young. Since Costa Rica is close and relatively easy, many of my friends’ children’s first trips were to visit us in Costa Rica. Some of the kids are no in their mid twenties. When I see them now they remind me of their visit.

In my experience, international travel has always brought out the very best in my kids. Sure, at home I have days where I can't imagine even taking them around the corner to the local park, but put them in another country and watch them rise to the occasion. Since we have traveled to some pretty far-flung destinations with our three children, starting as early as two years old, I wanted to add a few thoughts: 1) If you can, involve the kids in pre-trip planning. Get them to help you look through websites, picture books, and field guides to learn what you are about to see. Check out fiction books from the library that deal with your destination-- whether it be Anne Of Green Gables and Prince Edward Island, or a picture book about the Okavango Delta like Honey, Honey, Lion!, books can set the scene for what you are about to see. In the non-fiction shelves of the Children's section of your local library, there will be a state-by-state, country-by-country set of books about destinations. See if you can get them to put in opinions about what they want to see. Sometimes they have strong negative feelings, too-- my 8 year old staunchly refused to go anywhere near a volcano on our trip with Costa Rica Expeditions. We're saving that for our next visit. 2) Never underestimate the value of postcards and local guides. Upon arrival in the airport, while you are waiting for bags, one parent can pop into a newsstand and buy a few postcards of places you are likely to see. You can use these as a sort of treasure hunt when motivation seems to drag along. In Costa Rica, you can buy wonderful waterproof field guides for the rainforest in the airport, and the kids can use them all over the country. This also works at the entrance to a museum-- stop by the gift store and buy postcards of things within, and then embark on a treasure hunt to find everything. 3) Have them record the experience however they can. Everyone should have a journal. Travel art kits can be wonderful for long bus rides-- think watercolor pencils and a brush with a water-fillable base to draw that scarlet macaw or statue. Bring along a small scrapbook and a glue stick and tiny pair of blunt scissors and let them glue brochures and maps right into their journals. Encourage some time each day for reflection, drawing, and writing about what you saw and what made you laugh. 4) I have a bag of tricks... actually a set of opaque drawstring bags, each with its own trick-- a card game, some dice for yahtzee, new crayons, finger puppets, the above mentioned art supplies, a favorite snack. I keep these hidden in my day pack. I try to label these with some incomprehensible code so the kids don't know what's in them. At low points or that excruciating 15 minutes after you order in a restaurant before you are served, grab a bag and voila! a new activity that they didn't know was there. 5) Technology: I agree with Michael that unplugging is good once you get to your destination, with one possible exception. Audiobooks and quiet music on an ipod can buy a kid some space from an irritating sibling in a hotel room or bus ride. Mine have to ask to plug in to their headphones, but sometimes if gives them a little regrouping time and reduces pre-dinner whining. 6) Language: every child should know "Hello", "Thank You", and "Please" in the language of your host country. It is amazing what doors those words can open. Encourage your kids to ask questions on buses and subways, in gardens and on tours. If you are lucky enough to have a wonderful guide like CRE provides, get your kids to come up with three questions for the next day. Four years later, my three can all give you the names of the tour guides who introduced them to the magic of the rainforest. 7) Money: For some reason, our kids lose teeth in every country we visit. It's great fun to have the tooth fairy bring new coins. Older children should try to manage currency and purchasing in the host country as well-- from making change to calculating tips, they can learn a lot from being involved. Our 11 year old learned the art of barter in Zimbabwe and has never been the same. 8) Play. This is important for everyone in our family. We need to remember to schedule some time to just play. My kids have made friends in playgrounds all over the world with kids who don't speak a word of their language, and had a great time. Our trip to London (when our oldest was four) involved a visit to two playgrounds a day, often with a picnic. A swim in the pool can accomplish the same thing. Again, four years after a great guided trip with Costa Rica Expeditions, my kids are torn between wanting to return to places they have been, and wanting to explore new territory. We can't wait to return!

I think the idea has potential, though it will be interesting to see what can make it unique compared to other interactive travel resources such as Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree Forum or Trip Advisor. Obviously based on the amount of feedback here already, there seems to be a nice starting base of participants. Since we're posting our "résumés" here ;), I'll go ahead and mention my own experiences and places I'm happy to provide information about. My photography has been a good excuse to travel internationally, and it's what led me to Costa Rica in the first place. I'll be returning to Costa Rica with CRE's help for the third time this February, heading back to Corcovado again (one of my favorite places on earth). I'll finally be trying something "new" as well by stopping at La Selva, but the big park keeps drawing me back. If I'm lucky, I'm hoping to meet up with some of the folks I befriended at Sirena last year. :) Other places I've visited and can provide insights on include Yellowstone National Park in the US, Canada's Great Bear Rainforest, New Zealand's South Island (been twice and was married there this past March), Tanzania, Rwanda, Ecuador & the Galapagos Islands, as well as several spots in Europe (Greece, the UK, Spain, Russia, Belgium, Holland, Sweden... and some decade-old memories of France, Germany, Switzerland and Italy). I also spent a week or so in China, but any advice I could dole out there would be limited. My next journey is a photo trip to Patagonia starting next week, so that's a new location to add soon. Anyway, I actively participate and enjoy providing feedback and advice in other travel-related forums, so I'd be happy to participate here if needed!

What a lovely story, Michael! I wish I'd had the chance to meet Bill. As I have said to you before, Costa Rica puts a spell on certain people. It certainly did that to Jim and me. We return in 2011 for our 4th birding trip with the outstanding and amazing Charlie Gomez! Last time we were there was for his 50th birthday party at your place. That was an evening which will never be forgotten! All the Best to you and Yolanda, Ruth Marie Lyons

Also, it's never too early to travel with your kids. We have taken our daughter to Costa Rica since she was 2, our son was 7 mths on his first trip and we're planning on taking baby #3 with us this August and she will be 2 months old. Our now 5 year old daughter still has fond memories of her trip as a 2 year old remembering how the crocodile splashed her and the monkey swiped our cheese in Manuel Antonio. It is a fabulous thing to expand their minds when that young, they pick up the language amazingly quickly and there is no school to even worry about during the preschool years.

I would reccomend that if you liek to go white water rafting, which I have done with friends and family at least 5 times with CR expeditions to go on an overnight trip. We went last year with Natu as our guide and the trip was amazing. It always amazes me that the rafting team can put togehter such a wonderful lunch out of a couple barrels, but their ability to put together a wonderful dinner in truly mystifying. The trip is much more relaxing and you will sleep like a baby along the edge of the river listening to the rush of the water and no bugs at all during the nights sleep. You wake to a wonderful breakfast and then back on the river for another fun filled day. We were joined by 4 elderly ladies from Italy and they were wonderful and did the hiking to the waterfalls and swiming and whatever came up. The trip is for all ages, except maybe the little ones, the white water is not for small ones. The guides are always friendly and very knowledgable. I have been on the river with Natu many times and never disappointed. Thanks to the CR Expedition team for the memories.

This email was great. I have been to most of the places described and the detail was spot on and you can tell it is first hand and not just a sales pitch. I have been going to Costa Rica for 27 years and will provide my experiences as soon as I can.

I remember many years ago being told by someone at Las Tortugas (Luis Wilson's hotel) that a fun thing to do very early in the morning (just after sunrise) is to go out and find a turtle nest that already has hatched out at Playa Grande. You dig out the baby turtles that didn't make it to the surface. They are going to die from dehydration if you don't dig them out, so you aren't harming anything. You can find the nest from all the mini tractor tracks from the bably turtles that made it. Then you set the baby turtles in the ocean and hopefully a few more make it than otherwise. We called it turtle rescue squad a few years later when we came back with our young children. Unfortunately sometimes the frigate birds swoop down and get a few of your rescue but that teaches another lesson that it is a dog eat dog world out there in the natural world. That was a cool tip. Las Tortugas is my favourite hotel by the way. The food is good, the vibe is relaxed there is so much to do on Playa Grande. Also it is staffed by alot of local people.

I love the questions Annie Ellicott raises - perhaps because most of the "traveling" I do now is what I imagine or what I remember from past trips. Reflecting on what "quality time" means or our "wildest dreams" may be as interesting, if not more, than nuts and bolts travel advice for those who have been grounded for a while. I would love to discuss how traveling brings out hidden, or new dimensions in people. When I went to China with my mother and got to see her in her home country and native language for the first time, it was like seeing her pop out in 3-D. Here she was, a funny, confident woman - not the shy immigrant I grew up with. For her, it was like everything she had read in history books - the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, becoming real under her feet. How do vacations liberate people? In what ways are we willing to try new things, take risks, when we are out of our element? This is of particular interest to me because my own blog is about how with my special needs kids I expect them to go out of their comfort zone all the time and yet as an adult I let myself chicken out of things with excuses "not enough time/money/childcare." My commitment this year is to learn the things I expect my kids to learn - diving, biking, boogie boarding, ice skating, handstands, etc. no matter how nervous or afraid of embarrassment I might feel. What is it about vacations that makes it so much easier to try sports/activities/food/customs that you ordinarily might shy away from? On the question of bringing spouses, I think any permutation could be valuable. My husband and I have traveled together since we were teenagers. We are an interracial marriage - Asian/German/Estonian/American between us - and have always viewed cross-cultural understanding as the great hope for world peace (what a huge statement! but true). We brought our daughter to Costa Rica with CRE when she was 6 years old - it was an unforgettable journey for all of us. Since then we have adopted a second daughter from China, and I am at home with them full time (while teaching yoga to children with special needs and doing some public relations consulting as well). Because of how intense it is at home, I think the idea of a solo trip as a way to rediscover the person inside the wife and mother could be the trip of a lifetime. Also, for those with children, it may be easier for one spouse to stay at home. But any opportunity to travel with this group would be "the time of our life"!

Six years ago when my Costa Rican students insisted their beautiful country was safe and friendly we found CRE online and booked. When we arrived early in the morning at the little airport and saw the 4 seat plane we just took pictures. OMG! The pilot and ground personnel were so friendly, I figured they were competent, tambien. The grass strip is a bit daunting from the air but so are the sad tracks of the turtles turned away from their egg laying journey. I think I viewed the boat with more suspicion. Then you are greeted with an incredible breakfast (gallo pinto, ummm) and the serenity of the Lodge. People who balk probably are not particularly well informed travelers. The second time we went to Tortuguero a larger plane seemed disappointing. But I did get to ride in the seat next to the pilot.

I certainly understand the reasons for your editing, but must say that I do not select trips based on the sales copy. I am used to the flowery descriptions, usually literal translations from Spanish, and take it all with a grain of salt. I have come face to face with all of Costa Rica's monkeys, and had a troop of squirrel monkeys traveling across my open air lodging at Tiskita Lodge every afternoon. I have had minimal success Arenal (lots of rumbling and steam, mainly) in spite of multiple trips there. Seeing natural phenomena is so much a matter of seasonal timing and good luck. Corcovado and Monteverde are magic places I will never tire of visiting.

No,Michael, you're not too picky at all : the first version immediately aroused my suspicions & gave off a distinct scent of insincerity. The language is florid & suspect, like those menus in certain restaurants that talk of dishes "succulently prepared just for you in an out-of-this-world sauce & nestling on a bed of perfectly steamed aromatic rice.....". Makes you want to run a mile ! Your version is in good taste .What you're offering doesn't need overstatement.Your company ,your lodges & Costa Rica stand on their own merit . By the way, we did come face to face with a white -faced monkey that was on the roof of the boat when we went on a tour of a mango swamp.He was not at all pleased when my husband tapped the roof from underneath .The monkey postured menacingly & glared at us murderously.It was impressive primate behaviour. We immediately backed down

My one and only trip to Costa Rica was a 50th birthday gift to myself. I designed the trip as a way of snubbing my nose at the aging process and planned a number of "scary" activities. In addition to planning to travel solo, staying in a tent camp far removed from civilization, being hoisted up to a platform in the canopy of the rainforest and zip lining, one of my biggest accomplishments was flying in one of these planes - not once but twice!!! I knew in advance how small they were. I knew in advance that they had propellers. I knew in advance that the "runway" at Corcovado was an unpaved strip next to the beach. I acknowledged in advance that I was scared to death to fly in small planes, especially in bad weather. So there I am in Tortuguero, taking the boat across to the "airport" in the rain (and fog, no less). I was quaking in my boots but determined to do it. With lots of deep breathing and conscious relaxation, we took off. Not 5 minutes out of Tortuguero, the rain vanished, the sun came out and the most beautiful rainbow appeared. I took the rainbow as a sign and immediately calmed right down. I actually enjoyed the rest of that flight. Changing planes in San Jose, I found myself looking forward to the adventure of flying to Corcovado and was rewarded with the most beautiful views of Costa Rica and its coastline that I could ever imagine. That flight was one of the highlights of my trip. ps thanks for the referrals to the San Juan Island. I've sent an email.

Dear Michael, Instead of "SuperBlogger", how about "The Time of your Life"? This fits in with your idea of vacation-time being precious time when we all want to have what we call "the time of our life". Yet there's a more serious connotation : the awareness of Time passing.....What are you doing with your Life, which is Time ? As for travelling with a partner, I enjoy it. Didn't always! But life has a way of coming at you from all sides when you're young or even in your 40's & 50's .Struggles are many - work,desire for success,money,children,ups & downs......Sometimes it's tough.Yet now, more than 30 years later, a kind of contentment sets in,together with a interest in doing & seeing new things together - a wonderful reward for having stayed the course. So, yes, I'd prefer to share new experiences with my husband..... However, if only one of us was able to go,he's the one who has the most to offer in the way of environmental passion & knowledge.His enthusiasm is contagious! He was in heaven in Costa Rica,talking to all those like-minded people .I could never begrudge him that experience again,if there weren't room for spouses & partners this time.

Hi Michael - I think that the blog is a great idea and I'd be interested in participating. I travel fairly often and blogs are a great tool for researching and getting ideas. I don't have a set style, sometimes traveling with a group and sometimes traveling independently. I don't think that there is 1 perfect style. Alot depends on the location and the people that you are traveling with. I have found that traveling independently has made me open up even more and put myself out there and has led to some amazing experiences that I probably would not have experienced had I been traveling with a group. My last 2 independent trips were to the South Island of New Zealand and kayaking in Micronesia. I plan on trekking through Central Asia this year with a friend that I first traveled to Costa Rica with. It will be interesting to see how the experience compares.

Michael, I think this is a great idea. I have never been to much of a blogger but love to travel and enjoy sharing my travel experiences with others. We took our first trip as a family to Costa Rica in 2004. We used Costa Rica expeditions to arrange the trip. They made the whole experience from start to finish easy. When we arrived in San Jose there was someone from Costa Rica expeditions there to met us and take us to our hotel. Everytime we moved to a new location we were met my a rep to help us. Our first night we spend at Xandari Resort a coffee plantation. From there we went to Bosque Del Cabo for a few days. That was an amazing resort full of wild life. We really felt the full range of being in the rainforest on one of our first hikes when we heard a puma cry. It stopped us dead in our tracks. It was a surreal moment realizing we were in a place like no other. Than there was mornings, waking to the sounds of the howler monkeys, going for coffee and watching the forest wake up. We saw so many different animals. We kayak at sunset in the Guelfo Dulce. We surfed at Pan Dulce. Than from there we went to Corcovado Logde Tent Camp. When the car dropped us off at the end of the road we had a 2 mile walk to camp. My kids thought we were entering some kind of reality show like survier. Tent camp was an amazing. We ended our trip in Tamarindo. Since this trip we have been back twice more and look forward to going again. There is so much to tell about each of the places we went to and we love to share more. I will be happy to participate in this blog.

I'm not a blogger but this seems like a great idea--esp. for connecting travelers with similar tastes. My husband is Tico but, having grown up poor in San Jose, had never explored his own country so we've used your services for some adventures. We went to Turkey this past summer and had a wonderful trip--tho self-organized, largely.

Hello. Our Costa Rica trip was our first, after having spent many years raising our family. Now we are approaching retirement, and hope to do many more trips, to a variety of destinations. I love the idea of being able to access such a great pool of expertise in the travel realm!

What could I add to such an illustrious group? I have extensive experience birding with professional guides in Central and South America and one of my favorite trips was less formal, arranged through CRE with the Monteverde Lodge as my before and after stay. I was privileged to see some very rare birds that happen to frequent private land nearby during the breeding season. Last June I saw a jaguar on a limb, less than 20 yards away. I was with a group staying at a lodge in Brazil. Seeing a jaguar has been on my "bucket list" for many years and they are difficult to see in CR, except mounted on the wall of someone who is tired of losing livestock. I have a passion for seeing wildlife, talking to the guides in Spanish, and learning when I travel. Diane

This is the first blogging I've ever done--so bear with me! My husband and I have done a lot of travelling, independently as a couple, solo and with groups. We loved the tiny glimpse we got of Costa Rica when you arranged a few days for us and hope to go back soon. We're both working but have flexible schedules and would love to see more of the country and meet with more of the welcoming and patient (with our Spanish) Costa Ricans! Since we both want to enjoy more of Costa Rica I think we'd like to go as a couple. We enjoy meeting people from all over the world and would be happy in a mixed group or just couples. I'm particularly excited about all the wildlife and would love to see some of the more remote and/or ecolodge settings.

Hi Michael, Well, you roped me in. I do not blog but this in itself will be a new journey. Why do I travel? My life is spent dealing with the internal-being a professional pianist, and teacher. hours upon hours are spent at the piano. With every trip I take with music, I have a "companion" set of experiences that add to my musical images. These come from my travels. Can you picture the view from Manuel de Falla's home, looking down on the vibrant city of Granada? Last summer I was in that very room, playing Falla's piano. Now when I play "Evening In Granada" by Debussy , I can bring my self right back, as well as bring Granada to the music. On the same trip, after blasting through Tangier, and boarding 2 trains to Fez, I found myself in yet another world. After returning home to Montana, my husband and I cooked a Morrocan dinner, complete with outdoor patios, jalabas, fragrant gardens, and brought our experiences to our friends. Travelling is an expansion of the senses,reality...the whole "sheBANG". 30 years ago, my sis spent a year in Costa Rica as an exchange student. After her slide presentation, my fire was lit. It took 25 years to get to Costa Rica, and less than a year to return. All I have to do is make a cuppa C.R. Joe, and I am ready to pack. You know how unique Costa Rica,it's people, culture, and natural beauty are. I can show you through my eyes,ears,tastebuds,responses, just how I experience Costa Rica and what I think many travellers going via Costa Rica Expeditions are looking for. Consider my name in the hat. Thanks. P.S. Living in Montana is a huge travel adventure... it is so big, I will never see it all, even though I am out many weekends a year. But it brings back so much to my daily life, which in turn I pass on to others.

My bride and I have been married for 36+ years, more than 30 of those years I was in the Army. I have traveled to enough exotic places without her, and would find traveling in a singles experience to be quite selfish and not nearly as enjoyable. In the years since I retired, we have traveled with several companies to great places and would be happy to share our comments with other like minded travelers. CRE was the first company we used and it set the standard for our expectations for what a company should provide and what experiences we should look for. Just coming out of 100% cloud cover in a small plane and looking down at the tire tracks that comprise Carate Airport was a great adventure! I'll be glad to add comments about our travel expeiences, but traveling without my wife? No, never again. jd

I am very interested in the blog trip with or without my partner, Pau, He was there on the first trp and loved it as much as I. I would love to know more of future trip plans to see if we could be a part, we loved Costa Rica and want more time toknow people and mahke friends, Meg and Paul 4699391107

hello just received your email, however seeing as it is just a day before the christmas holiday season I would be happy to engage more in the New Year. blogging is not new to me, yet i rarely find the time to engage perhaps the topics have not been that interesting to me. however traveling is something that is very high on my list of priorities and I would welcome the time to engage in such a discussion I have no marketing experience, and I dont work in the travel industry in fact I rarely stay in 'lodges' of anysort, unless I think that it will enhance my experience in the country that I am in I brought my 70 year old mother to your resort, a few years back and it was one of most memorable experiences in the 2 months that we spent in Costa Rica, prior to that we were circumnavigating the country by public bus and staying in rooms along the way. I flew her down to meet me in Costa Rica, a break from the 16 months that I had spent traveling from Mexico to Punta Arenas in Chile, solo and only by land and sea. It was overall a great experience, one that I had always wanted to do but did not get the chance till my mid 30's. Look forward to engaging more if you feel the input of someone who usually travels independently would enhance the debate. HAPPY HOLIDAYS for those who are celebrating at this time of year.

Hi Michael, Traveling alone can be intimidating for the single crowd. The idea of traveling to another country ALONE can be daunting to say the least. Costa Rica Expeditions brings together an eclectic group of people both singles and couples in a fun environment where you never feel alone. Very few travel experiences offer this opportunity making what you offer unique. I think you need to explore this market further. Therefore I feel companionship is already provided and will enhance your traveling adventure. Warm wishes for the holidays and a happy and healthy new year. RLC

I have traveled with CRE bringing groups of 15 birders from my nature center, and I have traveled with CRE when I just wanted to get away with a few friends. Of course the most enjoyable was with life partner and shared experiences. Partners often have a different perspective from travel professionals. In terms of a name, "Time of Youe Life" works for me, but a catchy Spanish name might also have a nice ring to it.

Hi Michael, Cool idea. Sometimes we all need a carrot to really inspire initial participation. I'm an actual customer by the way. Although I usually plan my own trips as an ecotourism buff and TIES member, I must say that your team took the hurt out of doing all the legwork to book my 3 days in Corcovado. I just got back home to Tahoe from a monster roadtrip that took me to the Responsible Tourism conference in Belize and as far as Nicaragua. I had hoped to reach Panama and visit CR again but just got warn out...and ran out of Pesos, Dollars, Cordoba, Quetzales, etc. I love to share my experiences and would be happy to chime in if my expertise is requested. For instance...what's the best place to take a nap or do some yoga at Tikal, Guatemala? (on top of the Castillo overlooking the Main Acropolis of course!)...or how do you climb a coconut tree and open up your prize? (you can email me for a link to a sweet video of the "Coconut Man" in Placencia, Belize for that one :) As a marketing consultant attempting to work full time in Ecotourism, my specialty is North and Central America. My suggestion may be a selfish one, but what about focusing on Latin America...or Central America. Of course, most of us active travelers are happy to hear the occasional off-topic fun stuff...like where to take a cooking class in Spain...but it seems like your customers and many contacts might find it more useful if there is a tighter focus. Aloha, Pete South Lake Tahoe, California, USA

I use Trip Advisor in conjunction with several other sources - Frommer, Fodor, Lonely Planet, Orbitz, etc. I try to find consistent recommendations , so I'm not relying on one potentially skewed source. My hope for this blog is that it will be an exchange of ideas as much as specific restaurant and hotel recommendations. I usually have to travel within pretty tight time and budget constraints ( I work in the non-profit theater industry - enough said). So, for example, if I'm looking at a destination, I like to know if there is a time of year when rates are lower. Or, when I was researching Kruger National Park in South Africa ( haven't gotten there yet), a friend told me that during national school holidays the park is packed with South African families. That's not necessarily a pro or con, but it is good to know! I also have a particular travel planning issue: I don't drive. So anywhere I go either has to be accessible via public transport or I need to make arrangements with someone like CRE (of course, driving wouldn't have helped in visiting Tortuguero - and I'm not a pilot or a river boat operator either). My tendency is to make my own general arrangements and supplement with local tour companies. I'm a big believer in exploring on foot, but sometimes it's not entirely possible to do it without a little expert help, or it's enhanced by an acclimating guided tour.

Finding the right balance between independent and "planned" or "guided" travel is always a struggle for me. I have a history of enjoying planning my own trips and winging it to an extent. However, the more trips I plan around my photography and the more remote my destinations get, the more I find myself relying on others (travel agents, companies and guides). This doesn´t always work well, but in many cases there is no other choice. My perspective has been skewed a bit by my background, which means that my travel goals are often centered on getting to remote areas to find wildlife, such as Corcovado´s Sirena Station. I have also learned the value over the years of hiring a good local guide to explore some of these areas. Not only is the knowledge and insight you get from these guides often unmatched by solo exploration or guided group tours, but there´s more freedom when you are able to work on your own with a guide. My first trip to Costa Rica was more on the independent side. We booked a stay at the Corcovado Tent Camp lodge with CRE´s help, but planned the rest of the trip on our own. When I decided to return to the Osa a few years later, I remembered the difficulty we had taking care of the park permits and Sirena booking on our own. That and the fact that I wanted to hire a guide for my stay led me to hand over all the planning to CRE. It was much easier getting the transport taken care of, the guide arranged and the Sirena stay booked. Overall, my interactions with CRE have been extremely positive, but I´ve found that this is not always the case when handing over planning and booking responsibilities to agents or other companies. My wife and I are already experiencing such issues during our current trip in Argentina. So what are the positives and negatives to using "professional help to plan and arrange vacations?" In my mind these are some of the things to consider: Positives: -Obviously it takes much less work for you to let someone else plan things ;) -They can arrange for guides or stays at locations that otherwise may not be accessible to you. -Hurdles that may be causes by language barriers, poor international communication, etc. are easier to hurdle with a local company´s help. Negatives: -By handing over planning responsibilities to someone else, you are ceding control of your trìp, which is often an uncomfortable prospect to independent travelers. You cannot be 100% sure of what´s going on beforehand, since you are not personally making arrangements. -Something may inevitably be lost in translation/communication. I don´t know how many times I was expecting an arranged tour to be one thing, and it turned out to be entirely different. -It´s often more expensive. Agents and travel companies have to make their money somehow, right? ;) I´m sure there are more... those are a few considerations off the top of my head. The choice between independent travel and enlisting help may ultimately come down to what you want to see and do, where in the world you´re going and your budget.

Michael, Vacation time is precious to me because it is an escape into another world from my working and family life. A vacation creates life long memories, learning experiences with different cultures, environments and wildlife. A vacation expands ones world and brings one home refreshed and energized. In a way its like reading a book but one is living the part. The lodges, the side adventure trips,your staff and customer service at CRE definitely added a lasting and colorful experience to our trip in Costa Rica.

Su Suits says (December 29, 2009 at 11:15 pm): This is gonna be fun. What makes CRE standout to me, is that it is an "I can do it all" co. It is not like the Lonely Planet approach of access to complete independence, nor is it the guided tour trip. the mix and match aspects are what I find appealing. CRE can get me to where I want to go( in real comfort, with personable drivers)....they can set me up for an educational tour through Monteverde.....I can be on a remote beach and eat like a king, without being in the resort sort of enviroment. CRE can be what you need it to be. As I read and write on this blog, I am looking for more info on companies like this. On my virgin blog, I wrote about a trip to Spain and Morroco this past summer. My husband happened to be my CRE, because he speaks Spanish,Arabic, and French. He was able to make our connections happen with a fair amount of ease and comfort. I like that CRE did that for us on our trip to C.R. We did not have to worry about getting here, yonder, and everywhere. We could focus on all the senses, and had alot more energy to enjoy Costa Rica. I returned on a second CRE trip with a girlfriend, because I had 100% confidence that CRE would be there when we needed them, and evaporate when we did not. Though my husband and I had a fantastic time in Morroco, it was truly because of his language skills that it was a success. (Also the warmth of the people). I could not have done that trip alone, and felt comfortable, and confident. CRE supplies the confidence. That is my brainstorming for now. Feliz Ano Nuevo to all. Gracias.

I've been following all the comments and replies. No one has articulated a description of what type of travelers we are. I think defining that is key to establishing a focus. So here goes on what kind of traveler I am. I avoid tourist traps and most of the places where everyone else goes. I like to delve into the hidden gems and off the beaten track places that usually reveal more of the real character of the place and its people. I like to eat, shop and stay local/native. I don't like chains, fast food, or Americanized places in other countries. My preference is for nature oriented and/or cultural experiences while on vacation. Crowds of tourists give me heebee geebees. I like to get the most out of wherever I am, not just skim the surface. I read and do a lot of research before traveling. I prefer rural to urban, god's creations to man's, active to sedentary and outdoors to indoors. I usually travel independently because I find that most tours try to do too much in too little time and meet the needs of the group rather than the individual. Invariably their itinerary includes places that I don't care about. Costa Rica Expeditions was actually my first experience with a tour operator and I think I'm spoiled for life! I loved that I could determine my own itinerary with guidance from people who really know the country to help me determine how long to stay in each place and what locations were unique in respect to one another. Once there, I could do what I wanted. Everything was of high quality and so hassle free. That is worth its weight in gold to me. Are the other companies in other countries that can match CRE? My travel experiences outside the US have been limited in the past 15 years because of family obligations - Israel, Canada, St John and Costa Rica - but I am looking forward to traveling more as my kids get older. I've traveled a lot in the US. What kind of travelers are the rest of you? Happy New Year. May it bring lots of travel adventures! Cheryl ps I have no problem traveling alone, especially when it means meeting people who I have an electronic relationship with!

Dera Michael , Thanks for the reply . Although this is not about a travel agent , I would like to mention a very pleasant experience I had at a hotel in Costa Rica , in san Jose , as an exmple of the extra mile . We had beeen seated in th courtyard of this hotel's restaurant , when it suddenly became very chilly . Since we were a little unprepared for his we thought of just keeping our jackets on . Suddenly the hostess appeared ,and offered us a pair of soft woolen shawls ! We had a very comfortable dinner and returned them before leaving . It was a small gesture , but gave us such a warm feeling .

This story brought back wonderful memories as I am a VERY big chicken (just ask my kids!) and I actually loved the flight from Tortuga Lodge to Arenal that we took last March. With a husband and a son both over 6 feet (and the husband considerably heavier than the son!), our family of 4 literally squeezed into the plane (I should note that our safety was well established before we did so) for a very memorable flight. It was definitely a highlight of our trip and is at the top of my list as one of the things that I can't believe I actually did! My kids are still talking about it!

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who took a big GULP upon seeing the size of the plane that picked us up at Nosara! But this was an instance where traveling with our 5 year old meant we had to be brave - she clung to her stuffed howler monkey the entire flight while Daddy and Mommy made jokes about Daddy being the co-pilot: "Don't TOUCH ANYTHING DADDY!" and forced ourselves to look out the window and not act like wimps. It was an absolutely exhilarating experience, one I'm glad CRE opened the door to!

I had to laugh at this post, because my husband and I took your little plane to Tortuga Lodge just a couple years ago. I don't remember being the least bit reluctant to get on the plane, so I went back and looked at my travelogue to see if I had expressed any doubts that I had conveniently forgotten. I found just a brief mention of taking a single-engine Cessna to Tortuga and I even shared a photo of the view of San Jose from the plane (http://kara-bay.com/travelogues/costa-rica-2006-day-two-tortuguero-national-park/. I am a big chicken, and I am not about to do anything I think is dangerous, so I was very amused to read that you had people who wouldn't get on the plane. I will happily exit my comfort zone if the reward is worth it, and in this case, it was more than worth it. Tortuga was beautiful and was also probably the most relaxing place I have ever been. I once hiked the Inca Trail with altitude sickness, and it was also more than worth it. Getting outside my comfort zone has almost always paid off, so I have no excuse not to do so. If a person refuses to do so, then there is never going to be a payoff. All you can do in that case is miss out on something that could be amazing.

Hello Michael, I've traveled to Costa Rica twice... with your firm and have absolutely loved the experience and Country. I have dreamed of teaching in Costa Rica. I am a retired banker, now teaching hispanic children in Massachusetts. I recently completed a second masters in Education. My primary subject is math, I have been recently awarded a certification and teach math as a second Laguage to English language learners. It is within this context that I am replying to your question regarding the concept of guests teaching English to the children in Tortuguero. I think it is a great idea. No doubt there would be great benefit to the community in that Costa Ricans already have a widespread use of English in their country. Over the past few years, I have learned that inquiry based learning is one model that is highly effective in teaching English. As a math teacher, working primarily with English language leaners I have observed how important contextual learning is for children. I think your various tours offer many contextual opportunities to exchange and develo language skills. However, I also understand that increasing and practicing vocabulary is different from attaining fluency. I am certified to assess English Language production and comprehension. In a "revolving educator" environment, I imagine the role more as a guest educator vs a language instructor. Do the chidren study English now? Do they have a classroom language instructor? Do the children study their primary language and attain gramatical fluency and literacy? These are important questions in considering the structure of your "English course/curriculum". There is undoubtedly a lot to consider and discuss regarding this topic. So much, that a blog approach is challenging. Overall, its a great idea and I wish you tremendos success. BJMB

Hi, Mike: First, I want to let you know how impressed I was with the level of service provided by Costa Rica Expeditions. In particular I was blown away by your company's quick response to a complaint that I expressed regarding service. The level of listening and immediacy with which the complaint was handled exemplified the caveats you and your company display. I've long since forgotten why I complained and but am left with the reminder of excellent service. My family and I feel in-love with Costa Rica and I look forward to the future when I can live there permanently. I've become the president of the Costa Rican fan club, constantly referring friends and strangers to your country. I'm intrigued by the idea you presented of using volunteers to teach English to Tortuguerans. The quick answer is of course there is a way to accomplish what you proposed and I'd love to help you accomplish your mission, not only in Tortuguera but throughout Costa Rica. During my career as a Speech Pathologist, I concentrated on not only improving language and speech in disordered individuals but teaching English skills to a variety of second language learners. In addition, I've created and implemented a systematic literacy approach which is multi-sensory and works. I've discovered/developed a needs analysis that quickly assesses skills (less than 5 minutes) to ensure maximum efficiency and effectiveness. Currently, I'm working in an urban education school system in a Chicago suburb, with 11-14 year olds, a most challenging age. Throughout my tenure in this district, I've worked with children, aged 3- 14, including many bilingual children. I've also worked intensively with adults, who wanted to learned English with amazing results, as indicated by their passing the TOEFL, following their work with me. Based on my experience, I've learned that an intense approach works well since it allows sufficient skill practice to integrate the skills into one's memory, quickly. Using a multi-sensory system, individualizes the experience, which allows maximum growth. With children, I engage them in lots of "hands-on" activities, such as soccer, running, songs.... English is used when we eat, play, swim, tell stories, camp-fires..... The adults who wish to "volunteer" could be trained in an hour to three hour orientation session. One of the key benefits of working in a school system is vacation-time- This summer I'm done with my professional obligations on 6/4. I'd love to work with you to make your vision a reality. My sons, who are 16 and 12 would also be available to work with the children of whom you spoke. In addition, I've many colleagues who might also be interested. Looking forward to further dialogue!

Loved your response to Mr. Kristorf! Every country is complicated. My husband, our nephew, and I traveled around Costa Rica two years ago, most of our trip organized by Costa Rican Expeditions. We had a marvelous time, especially hiking in the rain forest at Corcovado with our incredibly well-informed guide, Fillo. Because my nephew is studying to be a nurse, Fillo made sure to tell us about which rain forest plants have traditional medicinal uses. We thought Costa Rican Expeditions did a great job for us! I'm happy to have the opportunity to thank you. In a few days my husband and I will return to Costa Rica to help build a house with Habitat for Humanity. We're looking forward to it.

ABOUT SHARED KINDNESS....I was fortunate to be in Costa Rica with Habitat for Humanity. We worked on a house and a school in Rosario de Naranjo and while I was painting the outside of the school a small child came up and stood beside me without saying a word. I tried to speak with him about his school and his family in spanish , but still he said not a word, though I knew he understood. He had something in his hand and it looked like a tiny deck of playing cards and I thought he wanted to play with me. All of a sudden he took the cards...ALL of them... and put them in my hand...and then he ran off.I looked down at the cards and then read them in spanish and realized they were valentines.This is what he had to share with me for helping his school and his kindness brought me to tears because he could have given me A CARD, but instead gave them ALL to me .I never could find him to thank him...and I'll never forget the fact they he gave me ALL he had.It made me realize that I had so much more than he had monetarily yet, if I were in his place I would probably have given him ONE not all . .I learned alot about myself and his culture from his act of shared kindess and i am so greatful for him.

So, Michael, is that Central Park in the fall? Your essay was very interesting as I'd never even consider riding a bike in NYC! So we learn something new every day! Hope all is well in CR! Can't wait to be there Jan. 2011! Pura vida, Ruth Marie

Kathie, We only arrange and operate trips in Costa Rica and Nicaragua. We have good friends who we can recommend in Guatemala, Belize, Mexico and many other countries around the world. Before you begin to put in the work to plan an itinerary, you should decide on the destination. Please let me know if you would like me to help you do that.

Michael... Over the past ten or so years my wife and I, on occasion with other family members or friends we have invited to join us on a Costa Rica experience - have had the pleasure of staying at Tortuga Lodge (5 times) Monteverde Lodge (3 tikmes) Corcovado (what an enjoyable and scenic location) and have never given a thought to suffering from a food induced illness. True, Corcovado dining was a little less "exotic" than the other locations, but the joy of the location more than made up for a very minor disappointment. My guess is that the folks whose complaint you have patiently surfaced,are what some may call "ugly Americans who complain about everything - no matter hwat! they are certainly not seasoned travelers. I'm amazed that with their comfort demands and obvious lack of respect for local cultures, that they chose to tour Costa Rica. Unfortunately, on our many trips, including your "specials" we had hoped at some point to meet you, but it never happened. Let me say thank you anyway for guiding us through an amazing country and arranging our trip to your, as well as other facilities. We hope to visit again, perhaps some time this fall.

We had an amazing experience in Costa Rica, all thanks to CRE. Specifically in regards to the questionnaires and our interactions with personal guides and drivers. After reading the complaint letters, it is my opinion that the complainant 1) did not communicate well in advance or during the trip their likes and dislikes, and 2) is the type of person who would never be satisfied under any circumstance. For those reasons, it is likely pointless to ask them to understand your position or thought process. Keep up the good work and we'll be going back soon!

Hi Michael, I think this is a case of someone who will NEVER be satisfied. It's my opinion that CRE is probably not the first company that's had complaints from these people nor will you be the last. I know this does not help solve the problem but I think that no matter what you do, these people will always want more. We are headed back in early 2011 for our fourth visit with a group of friends in tow to bird with Charlie & Nino and can hardly wait! CRE has always given good value for the dollar, IMHO.