Last night we went over to Cindy's to thank her for looking after us while at Monteverde. Beverley had also returned and was spending the night at Cindy's before moving back into her casa. She lived in New York for 6 years and gave us a list of things we could do when we were there. She warned that it was very expensive. Also she did not know how I could get seats for the Late Show. We stayed and chatted and were soon joined by Liz and her partner Stu. Liz is also a teacher at Cloud-Forest. They were a lovely couple and we all got along very well. These Americans are ace, and I was saddened for not having gotten to know them better.
Next morning the shuttle picked us up (and 6 others) from around Monteverde. It dropped us off at the ferry terminal (Us and a Greek couple Olympia and Antonio,who were headed for Montezuma). At the other end we boarded another shuttle that took us to Santa Teresa. Surf Casitas is not well advertised so we had to do a few back and forths before finding it. We found it and I ran out to open the unattended gate. The path led up a gradient with the 3 casitas neatly lined up on the left which I followed to let Ugo (host) know we had arrived, the bags being unloaded behind me. Shuttle guys left (there were 2 guys) and we started putting our stuff into the very nice looking casita. I looked for my backpack (We have 2 travel packs, 2 day packs, 2 surf boards and a plastic bag with food) but could not find it! I panicked! It must be still in the van! Ugo called "Quality" shuttles, who said would return our call after calling the boys in the van. 5 minutes.. 10 minutes.. Ugo called back and this time conversed with controlled indignation. Operator said they were checking the van and would call back. 5 minutes.. 10 minutes, Ugo calls again and operator says they haven't called back. I felt sick. Ugo warned that he was calling the police, and operator says to be patient as "they are usually pretty good with these things." (Ugo explained the conversations to me after each call.) The more minutes passed the more I felt I would never get my day pack back. Finally, the operator tells us they've found it and are on the way back. Amber and I breathe a sigh of relief. He explains to us that passive crime is rampant in Costa Rica. Give the opportunity, and they will take it. Amber and I wait outside the gate for the shuttle to return. Ugo tells us to call him when they get here. He wants to make sure we get our stuff back. 5 minutes, 10 minutes.. Ugo appears from behind us on his motorbike and asks me to hop on. This guy's awesome! There is a single unpaved road that makes up Santa Teresa and we keep a look out for the shuttle as we zip past other motorists and pedestrians without helmets on (apparently we don't need them). The longer we ride, the more worried and apprehensive about the intentions of these shuttle guys from "Quality Shuttle." We spot them! I wave my hand to stop the oncoming van. I take my time to check that it's all there. Wallet with cash there, yep. Travel book with passport, two wads of cash behind the passport totaling 270,000 colones (approx. US$550) and plane tickets. All there! We left and I noticed that the driver didn't look too happy. Ugo told me that as I was checking my bag that they had asked for $20 "recovery fee." Basically Ugo told them to shove it.
I'm pretty convinced that we were only able to recover our pack through Ugo's efforts. He knew how things work around here. This could so easily have gone so badly (and it would have too!) and ruined our holiday. Running through what had happened from alighting the shuttle, I know the driver used the confusion of locating Surf Casitas (Amber and I jumping in and out of van) and unloading to take our bag when we were't watching. We were the last 2 passengers to alight. I know he even used the lackey to deliver our surfboards to the casita door (which I did think was peculiar). I'm not certain if both of them were in on it, but I know the driver was crooked. I know they took so long to return because they were probably deciding what to do. Gross.
All that said and done, we're back at the lovely beaches of Santa Teresa. It truly is beautiful here, and it did take us (me, at least. Amber seemed rather unemotional about the whole thing) a while to get over that very traumatic episode. I feel sympathy for every other person/people who have had their belongings taken from them. It's a terrible thing. Yet I think about the environment the shuttle guys have been brought up with. Stealing was probably just another way of surviving for them. I don't know. And I wondered what their lives were like, and how not-so-good it must be for them to have to resort to stealing. What would Gandhi do?
Here is a picture I took just now of our casita. http://www.costaricasurfcasitas.com/
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