San Jose California, to San Jose Costa Rica - Monday, May 4th.

I start most trips in a sleep deprived state and this morning is no exception. I set my alarm for 2:00 A.M. to administer John's pain medication and refill his ice therapy machine. I try to go back to sleep afterwards, but my mind checks and rechecks the scrolling list in my mind and I eventually tiptoe down to the office to resume work. I reheat coffee in the microwave which beeps loudly, startling John who snarls at me to turn off the light. At 6:00 A.M. I administer John's medications, kiss a sleeping boy good bye and Art drives me to the San Jose Airport.

I have abandoned ship, but it is not sinking. My "Boys" will be fine and I will have a week's adventure in Costa Rica with a friend. I expect to return, renewed and inspired by the jungle and ready to dive into the daunting move ahead of us.

I enjoy almost all aspects of traveling including the journey. The smell of an airport exhilarates me and I accept the long lines, cramped seats and mediocre food all as part of the adventure. I enjoy watching other travelers, imagining what their lives might be like and why they are traveling. I especially enjoy watching couples and families reunite at the airports. I am fascinated with the security check points and with just one carry on bag, I sail through both check in and security. I purchase a salad for brunch and wait for my flight to depart from San Jose, California, to Fort Worth Dallas. Onboard, I devour the inflight magazine but once airborne, when electronic devices are allowed, I resume this narrative. Whenever possible, I secure a window seat, since at 5' 3" leg room is not an issue so I am frequently torn between looking out the window, writing on the computer, or taking a nap. (remember, that my first wake up call was at 2:00 A.M. this morning.) I succumb to a nap but awake abruptly when the pilot announces that we are flying over the Grand Canyon. I slide up my window shade to the breathtaking view of a burnt sienna and fiery orange terrain, sculpted with undulating rivers of turquoise, transitioning into narrower rivers the color of pea soup. As a geologists daughter, I know that the landscape below is three dimensional, but from 20,000 feet it is reduced to a spectacular two dimensional painting. The three hour lay over in Dallas is painless enough and I splurge on a pedicure at a day spa. The flight between Dallas, Texas and San Jose Costa Rica is less than 4 hours and the time passes quickly.

We land at 8:40 P.M. and with just a carry on bag I am quickly through immigration and customs. I change a $100 bill into Colones, and catch a Taxi from Airport to Hemmingway Hotel. It's 10:00 P.M. when I arrive at the hotel and the desk attendant is expecting me and shows me upstaris to our room. I last saw Tabra when we visited her in Bali last year. We are both jewelers and avid travelers; we have a lot to catch up on and talk into the night.