DOES IT RAIN A LOT IN RAINY SEASON?

A gentleman called me the other day with this question, “If I go to Costa Rica during the rainy season, will it rain every day while I am on vacation?”  The answer to this question and other weather-related travel questions requires a level of prescience or a crystal ball that most travel consultants do not possess.  When a client calls in a panic because of an inclement weather forecast for the days of their vacation, and they want to know if they should cancel all together or reschedule their travel plans to leave earlier or later, we usually advise them to proceed with their travel plans as they are and be prepared to respond to the situation with a ‘Plan B’.

I told the gentleman who called the other day that I was planning to trek through Costa Rica this summer during rainy season and that I was simply going to do my best to prepare myself in the event of rainy weather. I purchased waterproof Gore-Tex hiking boots that will allow me to slog through the rainy jungle in relative comfort (Gore-Tex boots are more expensive but they are worth the expense as they are truly waterproof). I will be taking synthetic socks for hiking in Costa Rica because they dry faster than wool socks, even though I prefer to wear a light-cushion Smart Wool sock when I am hiking during the summer here at home. I have sprayed my Peace Frogs baseball cap with a waterproof spray, a trick I learned many years ago when I took a birding class, which will allow me to stay out in the stormiest weather and keep the rain off my brain and my glasses.  My daughter and I will pack lightweight ponchos to throw over our clothes if it is pouring, which should keep us and our gear somewhat dry.

These are all the things that I have done in case of a tropical downpour and with my ‘Plan B’ packed in my luggage I intend to go and have a marvelous time despite the potential for bad weather. My attitude is this- if it rains while we are trekking through the jungle, at least we will be caught in a Costa Rican shower and not just an ordinary Virginia shower.  Claire, June 2014