- I went to Costa Rica for the first time, and it was gorgeous, but the trip was riddled with mishaps.
- Next time, I'll be better prepared for possible bathroom creatures and power outages.
- I've also learned a lot about dealing with sunburn, bug bites, and dehydration.
At the beginning of the year, I had the opportunity to go to Costa Rica for the first time.
I encountered stunning natural views, new-to-me foods, and beautiful wildlife. However, the trip also came with its fair share of obstacles.
Here are six mishaps from the trip that I think could happen to anyone — and how I learned to prepare for them.
The power went out multiple times.
My lodging experienced full power outages multiple times during my trip, often overnight.
After some research, I learned that this is pretty common in certain parts of the country. The chef who came to work in our kitchen even kept a headlamp with him.
We had plenty of candles on hand, but it would've been very helpful to have a portable battery bank (or three).
Beware of bathroom creatures.
In beautiful, tropical environments like Costa Rica, it's not uncommon for part of your accommodations to be partially or totally outdoors.
In our case, the bathroom for our accommodation was outdoors.
One time, on a 2 a.m. bathroom run, I encountered a scorpion. I was barefoot, which could've ended very poorly for me. Luckily, I spotted it before I got too close, and we just had a staring contest — no one was hurt in the process.
I never wanted to risk that again, so slip-on house shoes became my best friend anytime I needed to run outside.
There are a lot of bugs.
Costa Rica is fairly close to the equator, so the climate is hot, humid, and wet. Essentially, it's a paradise for bugs.
I quickly learned that essential oils, natural bug repellents, and even chemical sprays weren't enough to keep them away at times.
The best (and least sticky) solution I eventually found was keeping a tinned citronella candle nearby whenever I was sitting outside.
The sun can also be really intense.
Because of its location, the sun is also brighter in Costa Rica than where I'm from in the Midwest of the US.
Unfortunately, the sun-care products I found there were more expensive than what I'm used to. I should've stocked up before my trip instead of waiting to buy things once I landed.
Even with sunscreens, hats, and UV clothing, there's a chance you'll burn — I certainly did. I'd also prepare for that by packing some soothing aftercare products.
I know what I'm going to pack for every boat trip going forward.
Being stranded in the ocean was an experience — to say the least.
During a boating excursion, the engine stopped working. We were within eyeshot of the shore, but it quickly became obvious that we were going to be stuck for a while.
Although I didn't intentionally prepare for this, I was glad I had reef-safe sunscreen on me — within 15 minutes of baking under the sun , everyone in the boat needed to reapply.
Between the big bag of trail mix I had and the skipper's cooler of fresh pineapple, no one went too hungry.
We were far enough out that the water was fairly calm, but we also had plenty of Dramamine to help keep people's motion sickness in check.
All in all, it wasn't as scary or shocking as it could've been, but I'm always going to keep snacks and supplies on hand for future boating activities.
Dehydration is not to be taken lightly.
If you're not used to being in a humid climate, it can be hard to tell when you're starting to get dehydrated. My skin was damp with and without sweat, thanks to the tropical rainforest environment.
I was very grateful that a friend brought chewable electrolyte tablets and was willing to share. They helped me stay hydrated while we were stranded in the ocean, and they were super helpful during an hourslong hike to a waterfall.
I also took one before the flight back to America, and I really noticed a difference in my hydration levels on the dry airplane. I don't think I'll ever travel without them again.
