Top 5 Unexpected Benefits of Costa Rica Weather

By | 2018-04-15T18:19:14-04:00 June 28th, 2016|Categories: Nature, Uncategorized|Tags: , , , , , , |

Costa Rica Cost of Living Update: New iPhone package with 140 minutes of phone calls, unlimited data, & 700 texts—$20

Top 5 Benefits of Costa Rica Weather

1. Creativity

75 Degree weather. Just writing that makes me feel good. When I lived on a mountaintop in Grecia, I was treated to wonderfully cool temperatures practically every day. Aside from saving money on air conditioning, the biggest benefit was a sense of outdoor/indoor living.  The temperatures were the same and  you had no sense of a barrier. And without that temperature barrier, the world feels bigger, better, and creates a swell of endorphins in your brain. You wake up smiling and go to bed happy. It’s the biggest gift Grecia gave me.

These temperatures had an effect on me while I was writing my first book Happier Than A Billionaire: Quitting My Job, Moving to Costa Rica, & Living the Zero Hour Work Week. I would even say they were conducive to the entire writing process. I felt great on that mountaintop, and in a way freer than I have ever been.

We lived so high up on the mountain that clouds actually rolled into our house. Initially, I wasn’t quite sure what was happening. I’ve lived around so much pollution in my life, at first, I thought it was smog. Then this gigantic, puffy cotton ball smacked me square in the face and it was the most heavenly thing I ever experienced. Have you ever been hit by a cloud? I would suggest putting that on your bucket list. However, hanging your clothes out to dry in such high altitudes can be a challenge: This crazy thing happens.

These cooler temperatures come with a substantially longer and more intense rainy season, and the rainy season can bring a substantial amount of mold. It grows on everything and needs to be cleaned… a lot. And then there are weeks in October, the height of the rainy season when there is not one sliver of sunshine for days on end. These were the times I wished I lived at the beach.

Now that I’m living near Playa Flamingo, I’m are fully aware of the difference in temperatures once I step outside. There are times at the end of the dry season I feel like I’m living on the sun. This is reflected in our budget as well. Our allowance for dining out is non-existent, replaced with the additional cost of air conditioning. These are the days I wish I lived in the mountains. (more…)

Secrets of Costa Rica Weather

By | 2018-04-15T18:19:18-04:00 December 19th, 2014|Categories: Nature|Tags: , , , , |

Tamarindo Costa Rica Vacation

Costa Rica Cost of Living Update: 2015 Marchamo on a 15 year old SUV (yearly Car registration and insurance combined)—$220

It’s six in the morning and I’m watching a flock of parrots land in one of the many almond trees outside my house. They disappear behind thick leaves, squawking their way through the branches.

I just moved into our new rental: one rich with dense landscaping and vegetation. Even though it’s only ten minutes from our previous home, it’s remarkably cooler. The almond trees battle back the sun’s rays allowing only a few to pass onto my terrace. When I open all the sliding glass doors, a breeze sweeps through the house carrying the smell of tropical flowers and fruit trees into my living room.

Costa Rica FlowerThis brings me to Costa Rica weather which can vary greatly. You can experience an extreme example of this when driving up into the mountains. The temperature can drop as much as thirty degrees the higher you go. Trees begin to change as well: palms turn into evergreens, tropical flowers turn into thick shrubs. When my husband and I lived in Grecia, we frequently went on scooter rides to the tippy-tip of the mountain just to see the different plants. (more…)

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