Covid Cap Pattern

Where I work we have started wearing masks and safety glasses at all times.  As a glasses wearer, this means I have mask loops, safety glasses, and my own glasses resting on my ears.  Not going to lie, it's very uncomfortable.  I saw on facebook other healthcare workers wearing caps or headbands and attaching their masks to them for comfort.  I sewed up a few caps for myself and tried it out.  Attaching the mask loops to the cap really decreases the pressure on my ears.  I followed this video here to draft and sew up the cap.  Later, I realized she has an updated video with even more detailed instructions for pattern drafting!!  Oh well.

I've fitted the pattern to my own large round head and large amount of hair.  I usually put my hair in a bun to make sure it stays inside the cap.

It fits loosely enough that it's comfortable to wear for an entire 12 hour shift.

Here's the pdf pattern!

Happy sewing!!!
And please stay home and use whatever fabrics are in your stash!!

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Added April 5th:
Here's jpg images of the pattern.  Might be easier to download?!  Each pattern piece was scanned from an 8.5"x11" piece of paper.

Cahuita

The government of Canada has travel warnings regarding the Caribbean coast, including Cahuita.  From what I read, it stems from a series of robberies dating back to 2011ish.  As per tripadvisor, robberies still happen, but it seems moreso towards Puerto Viejo and south.  Anyhow, you might be asking, "Why Cahuita then?"  I picked Cahuita as a destination because it was supposed to be a laid back town with a beach and an incredible national park.

Cruising the river from Tortuguero to Moin

From Tortuguero, we took a 4 hr long boat ride to Moin.  The boat capacity must've been around 24, but there were only 5 passengers total aboard!  It gave us tons of room to lounge and stretch our legs.  We traveled with a bilingual Mexican tourist.  It was interesting sharing stories about travel and learning Spanish.

SLOTH!!!

I don't know how the boat captain did it, but he managed to point out monkeys, a crocodile, and 2 sloths!

Bananas ready to ship to a grocery store near you!

From Moin we took a shared car to Cahuita.  I was expecting to take a taxi from Moin to Limon, but it turned out that a shared car was similar in price and much more convenient.  Along the road from Moin, we past ginormous stacks of shipping containers full of bananas.  Every popular banana brand was represented ie. Dole, Chiquita, Del Monte, etc...

Creative outdoor gym at the beach!

Cahuita was an even smaller town than I expected.  Basically only one road with shops and restaurants on it.  There were 2 grocery stores, both run by Chinese families.  I talked to one shopkeeper, and he said he was from Guangdong!  Small world (or big province)!

At Playa Negra (no the sand isn't actually black)

We were told to be careful with bag snatchings, especially when leaving stuff at the beach.  So, we took turns watching the bags and swimming.  I had finished swimming, and came back up to the shade to watch the bags so K could swim.  As she headed down to the water, a guy on a bicycle stopped and looked suspicious, and was making a weird hissing sound (think like a snake).  Of course I panicked and yelled "THERE'S A WEIRD GUY HERE"  Turns out hissing noises are the equivalent of catcalling.  And many people in Cahuita are fluent in English due to their Jamaican background.  So at least this guy knows he is weird now.

Beach/Jungle walk

On one of the days we walked the length of the trail in Cahuita National Park.  Spotted tons of capuchin monkeys, and one sloth.  Along the trail there is a lovely beach.  Unfortunately when we were there there was a group of middle-aged German tourists skinny-dipping.  Actually the real reason we didn't swim there was the lack of shade.  The sun is HOT in Cahuita, and sunbathing in the sun isn't an option.  In order to not melt into a pile of goo, you need to hangout in the shade.  Near Puerto Vargas there was another lovely beach and we swam there.

What do you do when your clothes are super sweaty? Dry them on a tree, of course!

Our days in Cahuita started early and ended early.  Costa Rica has 12 hour days, with the sun rising around 5:30am and setting around 5:30pm.  So we followed the sun and woke up early.  Most nights I was tucked into bed, fast asleep by 7:30pm.

Beachtimes!

We ate most meals at Kawe, a local favourite where they cooked their rice and beans over a wood fired stove.  We tried many of their dishes and all were quite tasty!  I especially liked the pork rib casado.  mmmmmmm...

Capuchin monkey!

Tortuguero

As you probably know by now, I'm a budget traveler.  Not a shoestring budget traveler, but a budget traveler nonetheless.  Most of my research goes into finding the most economical way to do things, without sacrificing too much comfort.  For Costa Rica, I wanted to keep my total trip budget to less than $1000CAD, not including flights.  While this sounds like a healthy budget, in a country that uses the American dollar extensively, it doesn't go THAT far.  Nevertheless I'm pretty confident I managed to stay within that budget.

The town of Tortuguero from the river.  Tortuguero is a thin strip of land sandwiched by the river on one side and the Carribean sea on the other.

Tortuguero was our 2nd destination.  To get there, I booked a tour package from a highly recommended local guide.  I priced out transportation and tours independently, and found that the package ended up being a bit cheaper.  Looking back, it was 110% worth it to book the package, as he took care of all of our transfers.  It was also convenient to have a local contact.

Rivers are brown with sediment

To get to Tortuguero, we needed to cross half the country to get to the Carribean coast.  We took a shared shuttle, then a boat.

View from the hammock on the front steps!

In Tortuguero we stayed at an oceanfront hotel owned by a Korean lady who lived in Spain for 30 years.  While her English wasn't great we had a good time chatting with her.  I think she was intrigued by us Canadians.  She may have tried to set us up with her son ;)  [although he's only 24... but speaks 5 languages!]

The baby turtles got confused and ran away from the water

We helped round them up and release them back into the ocean!

We went on a night turtle tour and saw a green turtle laying eggs!  Since it was the end of turtle season, there were about 60 people rotating in and out to see this turtle lay eggs.  Apparently it was the only turtle on the beach that night.  I was impressed by the crowd control and restraint that the guides have.  It was fairly orderly and no one was allowed to harass the turtle.

Blurry nighttime pic.  I wish I took a video.  Sloths really do move in slo-mo!

Also went on a canoe and a jungle tour.  Our guide Victor was amazing at spotting animals!  Definitely worth hiring a guide.  We saw 3 types of monkeys (spider monkeys, howler monkeys, and capuchin monkeys), sloths, frogs, snakes (ew!), lizards, and a caiman.

Jungle!  I almost expected to see a dinosaur!

My favourite part of Tortuguero was the beaches.  Endless sandy beaches and warm ocean water.  As you know, I love being in the ocean.  There's something so awesome about floating in salt water (I sink horribly in fresh water).  The weather was HOT while we were there.  The internet said around 41 degrees including humidity!!!  While the ocean water was very warm, it was at least cooler than the air.

Sunrise at the beach

Tortuguero was my favourite Costa Rican destinaton.  You can probably see why!

Picture perfect paradise!

Costa Rica - La Fortuna

Costa Rica was never on my 'next country to visit' list.  However, a seat sale sold me on visiting, and I'm very glad that I did.

Seeing that I didn't know anything about the country, I spent many hours online hashing out an itinerary, even asking the online community for advice.  I knew I wanted a mixture of seeing things and beachtime.  I finally settled on La Fortuna, Tortuguero, and Cahuita.

The Arenal volcano - the main draw to La Fortuna

La Fortuna was supposed to be a 'BIG TOURIST TOWN' according to what I read.  However, when we arrived, I was surprised to see just how small it was.  Maybe it was being in the off season.  

We took the bus from SJO airport to San Jose, then another bus from San Jose to La Fortuna.  The bus into San Jose cost 535 colones (or $1.30CAD), compared to quotes of $30USD for a taxi.  Long distance bus cost 2380 colones (or ~$6CAD); much cheaper than the $50USD quoted for a shared shuttle.  If you visit Costa Rica, you can save HUGE amounts of money by taking public buses to get around.  I thought they were safe and reliable.  We only travelled with 1 carry on bag each, so didn't have to worry about putting our bags in the luggage compartments.  I highly recommend travelling with a carryon sized backpack.  It is SO much easier to maneuver around!!!  You can even use the toilet without worrying about someone watching your luggage!

In La Fortuna, we went river tubing.  It's been a goal of mine to float down a river in an innertube, so I finally did it!  While it was fun and all, it was definitely our most expensive excursion at $50USD.  I'd describe it as white-water river tubing.  It's something that I'd never attempt without a guide, so I guess it was worth it!

Cerro Chato is the one on the right

The other activity we did was hiking up Cerro Chato.  Cerro Chato is the extinct volcano located next to the active Arenal volcano.  You aren't allowed to hike up Arenal due to poisonous gases that apparently killed too many people.  The trail up Cerro Chato was steep and deeply rutted.  We were lucky enough to hike on a sunny day.  I can definitely see how it can turn into a muddy slip n slide in the rain.  I stupidly forgot my runners in the hotel, so hiked in crocs, which I don't recommend.  Crocs have zero traction and I did fall twice and have multiple near misses.

The green waters of the Cerro Chato crater.  I prefer turquoise glacial lakes ;)

I wasn't huge fan of the green water; it kinda grossed me out a bit.  Nevertheless, I still swam.  Now I can say I've swam in 2 volcano craters!!! (Crater Lake, Oregon and Cerro Chato!)  The major screw up we did was not bring enough water.  It was hot and humid and we only had 1L water each.  By the time we were making our way down the mountain, K was very dehydrated and dizzy.  It really slowed down our pace and we weren't able to visit the waterfall nearby due to time constraints.  

Steep and deeply rutted trail through the jungle

To get to Cerro Chato, we rented a car.  This is one of the MANY instances where knowing how to drive stick is helpful.  Renting a manual transmission car was much cheaper and cost about $70CAD for the day.  K was the driver, but I think I could've even handled driving, even with my nervous driver tendencies.

We stayed at a place called Allamanda Rooms.  It's family run and felt like we were at an air bnb.  They were super nice to us and offered to spin-dry our laundry, lent us kitchenstuffs, and let us into their kitchen whenever so we could get water.  The little granddaughter tried to converse with us, except our Spanish sucks, and her English was non-existent.

Here we go again!!!

This time, it's..... Costa Rica!

Flights have been sub $400 for a while now, so decided to bite the bullet and go!!!

Almost went solo, but chickened out and got a travel buddy :D 

Also packed the least amount of stuff I have ever packed. Wish me luck!!!

Ps did you know YVR has dog relief rooms?

Cycling the Shimanami Kaido

The Shimanami Kaido is an expressway that hops across the islands of the Seto Inland sea between Honshu and Shikoku.  It was built with cyclists in mind and has dedicated bicycle lanes for most of the route.  Leaving from Onomichi or Imabari, it is approximately 76km long and is extremely easy to navigate.  Some portions are alongside the road shoulder, but the roads are quiet local ones, and it is not too intimidating.

Map shows the route Imabari to Onomichi.  Distance is obviously the same though :)

We cycled the route over 2 days.  The first day was a bit of a headache due to some miscommunications about baggage delivery.  In Japan, they have an efficient system for sending luggage to destinations via Kuroneko Yamato (aka the black cat).  From our research, many travellers send their large packs ahead of them and just cycle with a small overnight bag.  We wanted to do this too as there was no way we were cycling with our large packs.  Most travellers spend a night or two on Shikoku, so just forward their packs to their next hotel/hostel.  However, due to lack of time, we were planning on heading straight to Tokyo via Okayama after arriving in Imabari.  Thus we wouldn’t have a hotel to forward our bags to.  As it turns out, there aren’t any services that accept deliveries for pick up.  So, we actually hopped on the train from Onomichi to Fukuyama, stashed our bags in a luggage locker in Fukuyama (which is near Okayama), and returned back to Onomichi to start the cycle trip. 

The wind blew my hat off my  head here.  Some friendly fishermen fished my hat from the sea for me!!!

We rented your standard 6 speed bikes (with a basket on front!), and set off to the ferry to Mukaishima Island.  The ferry is very short (~5mins) and is inexpensive.  From the ferry dock, all you have to do is follow the blue line.  The blue line is continuous throughout the ride, but does disappear in Imabari.  The first day we rode to Setoda on Ikuchijima.  Our destination was the Setoda Private Hostel, located at Sunset Beach.  The ride was mostly flat, except for the on ramps onto the bridge decks.  The incline was gentle though and I was even able to continue pedalling up the ~1km long inclines.  The route goes through a mix of rural agricultural land and industrial areas.  Being on the sea, shipbuilding and related industries seem to be common.  The route also goes through citrus orchards of oranges and lemons.  We bought some delicious oranges at a roadside fruit stand.  They were seriously the best oranges I have ever tasted!  I highly recommend stopping to pick up some fruit.  There weren’t too many fruit stands, so when you see one, stop! 

View of the Seto Inland Sea

Orange orchard.  But these oranges aren't the yummy ones.

The Setoda Private Hostel is located on Sunset Beach, east of the main town of Setoda.  The facilities reminded me of a summer camp, with various outbuildings where guests stay.  It has a very DIY feel to the place, like something my dad would build.  For 4800 yen per person, we received a large airy room with a private bathroom.  It also included breakfast and dinner.  I highly recommend opting into the meals as they are delicious AND the town is a ghost town at night.  The last thing I would want to be doing after hours of biking would be hopping back onto a bike in search of food.  However, by far the best part of the Setoda Private Hostel is the onsen.  After a long day of sweating, the best thing was to shower off the sweat and soothe my aching muscles in the onsen, which overlooks the ocean and setting sun.  I had my best (and longest) night’s sleep in Setoda.  For the most part I had trouble sleeping when I was in Japan, but in Setoda, I passed out around 8:30pm and slept soundly til 7:00am!  It must have been a mix of the fresh air, sunshine, exercise, and quietness of the place.

Dinner at the Setoda Private Hostel

Sunset at the aptly named Sunset Beach

Nighttime Tranquility

Day two started with a delicious breakfast to fuel an even longer day of cycling.  Our goal was to make it to Imabari Station by 5pm, so we could shower, pick up bags in Fukuyama, and be waiting for our train in Okayama with plenty of time to spare.  The start of the day was okay, as I had recharged enough overnight.  We made multiple stops for ice cream and oranges along the way.  There are fewer citrus orchards as you progress, so pick up your oranges where you can!  The map suggests stopping on Hakatajima for salt ice cream.  Do it.  It’s yummy, and a nice break from cycling. 

Dedicated bike lane

By the time we had crossed the bridge onto Oshima, it was way past lunch time and we were hungry.  The problem was we could not find any restaurants or even combinis nearby.  So, we continued onwards towards the next bridge.  This was a big mistake.  On Oshima, there is a mountain.  And you must cycle on over it.  This was the longest unexpected uphill stretch of the trip, as the only other uphill stretches were the onramps for the bridges.  In the midday heat, with tired legs, rumbling bellies and running low on water, we tackled this mountain and it was no fun.  I highly highly recommend doing this hill when you are not running on empty.  The hill itself wasn’t even much steeper or longer than the bridge onramps, but due to the circumstances it felt like it took eternity to climb.  Finally, near the other end of the island, we found a Lawson’s and were able to refuel there.  You bet we bought the 2L bottle of Pocari Sweat! 

Final Bridge!!!

The final bridge from Oshima to Imabari is a long one – over 4km long!  The views are spectacular and it is a nice final leg to the journey.  The only problem is, that once you arrive on the island of Shikoku, the JR Imabari Station is actually 7km further still, and all of this is cycling in the city.  With help from Google maps, we arrived at the JR Imabari Station on schedule and returned our bikes with ease.  For 400 yen each, we took showers at the Giant Bicycle store located at the station.  Apparently there is a public onsen only a few minutes away, but we had a train to catch so opted for the showers.  The showers are large and spotless.  A large fluffy towel as well as soap/shampoo are provided.  It was one of the best 400 yen I have ever spent :D

Final views

Squeaky clean and walking a bit funny, we made our way back to Fukuyama via train to pick up our bags, and then over to Okayama to await the arrival of the Sunrise Seto night train enroute to Tokyo!

Tips:

• Spend a night in Onomichi.  Onomichi is a cute, charming, peaceful town.  There are many shrines and temples around and you could be the only visitor there.  There is a lit boardwalk along the waterfront that is lovely to walk at sunset!  Stay at the Onomichi Guesthouse Fuji Hostel – friendly owner, clean facilities, and comfy beds!
• Don’t stay in Imabari.  It’s a large industrial city.  Many travellers stay in Matsuyama or other towns on Shikoku. 
• Do the cycle trip in 2 days.  We met a woman who has been cycling around the world for 6 months.  She even did it in 2 days as it allows you to see more on the islands.
• Rent a bicycle with a child’s seat if you are carrying a lot of stuff.  I barely fit my small daypack, water bottle, and jacket into the basket on my bicycle. 

Links:
Maps: http://www.go-shimanami.jp/global/english/guide/
Bicycle Rental info: http://www.go-shimanami.jp/global/english/bicycle/

Joetsu

One of our goals was to experience cherry blossoms in Japan.  Luck for us, we were present for the cherry blossom peak in both Joetsu and Kanazawa!  

Snowcapped mountains, cherry blossoms, and the castle moat in Joetsu

In Joetsu, we went to Takada Park to see the 4000 cherry blossom trees in bloom.  This park is apparently quite popular among Japanese tourists, but less so among foreigners.  I hadn’t read about it in my trip planning and we only saw one other foreigner there.  The cherry blossoms are planted around the old castle moat and streets.  As my first experience of a Japanese cherry blossom ‘festival’, I’d describe it as cherry blossoms-meet-nightmarket.  There were tons of food stalls selling snacks.  While it was busy, it was not uncomfortably busy.  There were still empty roads of cherry blossoms to be discovered.  Takada Park is particularly well known for the cherry blossom illumination at night, with thousands of lanterns.  We only managed a driveby of the illumination as the little monkey was a bit cranky and we had a long drive home still.  

Nighttime cherry blossom illumination