I thought I would leave at 3pm, ended up leaving around 11pm instead, should have given myself a week. Everyone was correct – I am crazy. Thanks to Winnie D. for being a trooper and not complaining about how long it was taking. Maybe you stuck around for the sweet ride? 😉
Yes, we commanded respect with the Commander.
Renting is always fun – we rented a Jeep Commander and it was super fun to drive! (Even if I did have to break down the giant dog kennel to fit all my stuff.)
We arrived at the hotel uber late, and after only a few hours of sleep, I decided to let a comatose Winnie D. sleep in while I took a whiney Mocha to the Continental Cargo Bldg to check-in for her flight. I got her there early, got the kennel together in the rain, and then proceeded to somehow cause the Jeep to go into lock-down mode with Mocha in the car. After a few minutes of absolute terror, I figured it out, or rather the Jeep fixed itself.
I got Mocha checked-in and she instantly made friends with her travel partner – a drug dog that was “too friendly”. The government was shipping him off to Montana to work search and rescue instead…I hope he never has to rescue a pothead. FYI the Continental reps at the other end of the animal help line are full of misinformation and way too uptight about it. The actual guys that processed Mocha’s check-in were very laid back.
Here are some photos of Mocha’s journey. I’m glad I got to see her actually being loaded on both planes – it was kind of like seeing your luggage on the conveyor belt and being happy it’s not lost.
Mocha @ CAE
She sat by herself in the spot in that 1st pic for like 30 minutes
Julio has us all packed up on the Samurai @ SJO
We are home! Here is Mocha making herself at home in Lulu’s bed.
And here is my Moving Day Oscar speech:
Special thanks to friends and fam for helping me move – Sonya and David, Uncle Pat, Uncle Mike, Snatches, the Grands, the Rents, and Winnie D! I could not have done it without you!
RANDOM
I can’t believe someone actually read this 1st post and then took the time out of their lives to comment on it. Incredible! And yes, it’s random, much like a lot of the thoughts floating through my head.
Hi there, I just came across your blog, and I’m hoping you can offer any insight into living in Costa Rica (most likely San Jose or nearby) with a dog, and any tips in actually GETTING there. I’m thinking of packing up and moving, and trying to determine if it would be simpler to just drive (from California) so I can bring some of my own things, or fly and deal with the worry of the dog being cooped up for so long. It seems odd to think about packing as if I’m just going on a long vacation if I would actually be living there! Any resources you’d recommend?
Hola!
Are you planning on moving permanently or temporarily?
If permanent, then you can ship things down here. Driving alone and with a ton of stuff can be dangerous. The dog will be fine. I was totally freaked out about it, but then felt silly afterwards when my dog acted like absolutely nothing had happened. Just remember, when shipping…or bringing anything into the country in any method, you have to pay taxes. The amount they hit you with can vary depending on the agent who handles your case.
If you are moving temporarily, then try to bring as little as possible! I brought 2 full suitcases down every time I went back home and now feel burdened with 2+ carloads full of crap. It’s too much. Houses here are small, the country is small… you don’t need a lot to live here. In my opinion, part of the experience is learning to live with less.
As far as resources go, there is a lot of information and misinformation out there. I can’t really recommend anything without knowing why you are moving, for how long, if you need to work, etc. Hit me up with more details and I’ll be happy to help. Pura vida!