Nature – Page 8 – Happier Than A Billionaire

SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY

By Nadine Hays Pisani| 2018-04-15T18:19:54-04:00 May 10th, 2011|Categories: Nature|Tags: scorpion|

Costa Rica Cost Of Living Update: Stick of butter- $1.25

Yesterday I awoke with an inflamed, reddened mark on my inner thigh. It later swelled into a shape of a heart, which would make this story cute and adorable if it didn’t itch like nobody’s business. I soldiered on throughout the day but later that night I checked my mattress to make sure nothing was hiding under the covers. My thorough investigation revealed this beast in my bed…a scorpion.

“DO SOMETHING,” I yelled to my half comatose husband. And with the chivalry that is so characteristic of him, he grabbed a tissue off the nightstand, rolled over, and squashed the scorpion. And with the chivalry that is so characteristic of him, he handed it to me, rolled over, and went back to sleep.

I knew there would be creepy, crawly things in Costa Rica. I just didn’t know I’d be sleeping with them.

Scorpions – Rock You Like a Hurricane – 1984 Album: Love At First Sting

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SEXY HOWLER MONKEYS

By Nadine Hays Pisani| 2018-04-15T18:19:55-04:00 April 21st, 2011|Categories: Nature|Tags: howler monkeys|

Costa Rica Cost Of Living Update: New iPhone- $1000 (Something I will never own in Costa Rica)

There are howler monkeys outside. Lots of them. They appear to hang out over my neighbor’s house.

My husband meets the neighbor and asks why so many loiter around his place. “Because my wife is hot,” he says, and goes back to working on his car.

I considered his declaratory statement that his wife’s “hotness” powers attracts all the monkeys in the area. That I couldn’t possibly coax such smitten animals away from the hypnotic effects of this doll-face and over to the other side of the street.

I feel a challenge coming on. I just need to find my lipstick.

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WHERE ARE YOU NOW?

By Nadine Hays Pisani| 2018-04-15T18:19:55-04:00 April 10th, 2011|Categories: Nature|Tags: beach, playa penca|

Costa Rica Cost of Living: A basil-berry martini at a restaurant with sweeping ocean views-$4

I often ask myself where would I be if I was back in the states at this very moment. It usually places me in my office, or stuck in traffic trying to get to the office, or wishing I could take a vacation and get out of the office.

It’s unfortunate that my working years were either obsessing about what happened yesterday or worrying about what will happen tomorrow. I was never mindful of the actual moment. Possibly because the actual moment had me too aggravated to want to live in it.

So now I’m sitting on the beach and wondering where I’d be if I never took this chance. I think about my former self…that overworked person…and tell her it’s okay.

She will soon end up here.

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CLOSE CALL AT CORCOVADO NATIONAL PARK

By Nadine Hays Pisani| 2018-04-15T18:19:56-04:00 March 14th, 2011|Categories: Nature|Tags: corcovado park, crocodile, osa penninsula|

Costa Rica Cost of Living Update: Two AA batteries that were dead on arrival- $1.50

“Does anyone know when high tide is?” I ask as we walk across a dry riverbed.
“Maybe dinner time…I’m really not sure,” my girlfriend says. This is bad. We are hiking into the jungle, on a little worn path, and no one knows when high tide is. It can rise up quickly, unexpectedly, and with dire consequences. Once again, I am ill prepared for what was supposed to be a fun hike into the rain forest.

My husband doesn’t say a word. He’s great if you need your alternator changed or something heavy moved. But he is not the go-to guy for predicting when a flood is headed your way. In fact, when we first got to the park and hiked to the ranger station, all he was concerned about was asking where to buy batteries for our camera. He walked up to a woman bent over holding her stomach; she drank river water in the jungle and was at the beginning of what I suspect was a long and uncomfortable intestinal calamity. Having some guy come up and complain he has no batteries for his camera did not go over well. Let’s just say, Rob didn’t make a friend that morning. (more…)

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WE SHOULD ALL LIVE LIKE A DOLPHIN

By Nadine Hays Pisani| 2018-04-15T18:19:56-04:00 March 3rd, 2011|Categories: Nature|Tags: dolphins, snorkeling|

Costa Rica Cost of Living Update: Private Snorkeling and Dolphin Tour-$40/person

It’s easy to watch dolphins. One of the few species who are just as interested in us as we are them.

Playing is an important part of their daily activities. They’ll joyfully interact with swimmers and surf the bow waves from boats. They often leap out of the water just to simply amuse themselves.

We should all live like dolphins and take more time out to play.

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SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY

SEXY HOWLER MONKEYS

WHERE ARE YOU NOW?

CLOSE CALL AT CORCOVADO NATIONAL PARK

WE SHOULD ALL LIVE LIKE A DOLPHIN

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