the mossies bite you in your sleep

Aussies and Brits call mosquitoes "mossies". I know, what a cute name for such an annoying insect.
The mosquitoes here are about as bad as the ones in Texas during the summer. What's worse is since no building is really built air tight, they fly around and bite your ankles as well as other exposed or even sometimes non exposed flesh in your sleep.

When I first arrived in Costa Rica and lived off the Caribbean for 10 days, I thought about the 8 dollars I wasted at Academy for this useless can of mosquito spray. I got bit maybe once or twice down there. In the extremely humid jungle, there weren't nearly as many mosquitoes as there are here on the Pacific. I don't know why that is. The investment of 8 bucks for the repellent was well worth it. Plus the spray down here will cost around 15 dollars for a small can. The same goes for sunscreen...starts around 12 dollars for a small bottle. I didn't bring any of that but so far I haven't needed it. Yes that's another thing that's strange. I can be out in the sun all day here and not burn. I thought being this close to the equator my skin would fry in 10 minutes but so far all I've gotten is a nice dark tan that seems to be enough for protection from burning. Still not nearly as dark as I was after only a week in South Padre earlier this summer. THAT sun was ridiculous. When I went out in the morning for only an hour or so I'd have to return to the hotel room to grab some 30 spf sunscreen and reapply it throughout the day. Even then I still turned slightly red and dark like an Indian.

There's just something wrong with the sun over Texas and Mexico. There must be a hole in the atmosphere right over it. It's the only reason I can come up with why it is so much brighter and hotter there.

The last few days there has been a group here doing yoga sessions all day on the boardwalk outside the hostel. They wake up at 5 or 6 am to begin and are very loud before they start, most of the noise coming from this one rather large and loud American girl. "She has a foghorn of a voice" my Australian friend Ally said.
This made for a really unpleasant morning after coming home at 2, staying up til 3 as the drunks stumbled home from the bar, then being awakened by that loud obnoxious howler-monkey-in-training yoga student.

I move into my own private apartment Monday and it couldn't come soon enough. While I will miss meeting people at the hostel and having a place to chill, I won't miss the lack of privacy and the noise. If I want to sleep past 8 I will be able to do that then without someone turning on the light and making all kinds of nose. If I want to take an afternoon nap, which I haven't yet since landing in Costa Rica, I will be able to do that on my peaceful patio on my hammock.

I brought with me a sleeping mask that Sarah got as a gift from her old boss at metro animals dog daycare. It was included in a little gift box they give you when you fly first class. Charlsye gave the package to Sarah.
I figured maybe I could use it on the plane a couple of times but that's it.
Turns out it was one of  the most useful items I brought. It starts getting light here a little before 5 am and that really makes it hard to stay asleep. I always wake up if I don't wear it. The mask blacks out all light and makes it easier to stay asleep or go back to sleep early in the morning after the yoga beast wakes you up.
I haven't seen one for sale here so I protect it with my life. The mask is very valuable. Just like mosquito repellent. Now if could only get some earplugs....