After 2 days in Montezuma, it was time to leave again. The hostel was grotty and there wasn't much to do apart from beach-walking and day trips, so we hired another taxi for $140 to drive us to Tamarindo, where it was said there is good nightlife, surf and sunsets. The journey took about 6 hours: where there were roads, they were heavily potholed such that the driver frequently had to take them at less than walking pace. And immediately after leaving Montezuma there was a 30 degree gravel and mud slope that the car couldn't manage first time, so the driver opted for a 7 point turn on the slope to go down and try for a better run-up! We passed through a lot of countryside that could have been England, except for some subtle differences: the tree trunk were just a bit too long and spindly and the colours just a little too yellowy green. But overall, if you were coming to Costa Rica to paint, you'd have to bring a lot more green than any other colour.

We arrived in Tamarindo, which is on the north-western coast, at about 3 in the afternoon on the back of a downpour at the hotel recommended in the guidebook. After we said goodbye to the driver, we had a look at the hotel which was gearing up for high season with renovations and the like. All around it, new hotels were being built, so we buggered orf. I don't know if I mentioned this last time, but George and I forgot to put cream on our backs before going snorkelling at 1pm the day before, so there was some pain just sitting in the car. Carrying a pack was excruciating.

And thus we trudged through the muddy streets looking for somewhere better. We passed the Hotel Tropicana but since its reception was up a short hill we trudged on along the beach road. The next place we came to was in the budget section, and since we'd just come from very much a budget place, we weren't keen, but checked it out anyway. The rooms weren't wonderful - only one had aircon, for example, and they came to $60 a night for all of us - so we resolved to get it for the night and look for somewhere better. The rest of the day was spent on some serious lounging, followed by a spot of light beer consumption, a filet mignon for $7 and then an as yet futile quest for the nightlife this place is supposed to be good for. Defeated, exhausted and in pain, we retired to bed at around 10:30pm.

Day 2 in Tamarindo started off with a 'Tipical Breakfast' of rice and beans, which a chicken and garlic fillet. Thus energised we hired out 3 surfboards and a bodyboard and took to the waves, It was awesome, despite being battered by the huge 9 foot beginner's longboards I had. All afternoon I tried and failed to catch a wave and get up on the board until, exhausted, I tried one more time, stood up for about 3 seconds and fell on my arse. The four of us had a brief rest and then simultaneously decided on Pizza Hut. It was the simplest kind of carb refuelling, and it was funny to see the four od us just demolishing these large deep pan pizzas. In order to settle a dispute (don't ask!) I had a Hawaiian pizza which had coconut. Next time I'm going to have the 'Chess Lover's Pizza'.

In the evening, after the pizza had gone down somewhat, we got back out on the boards, with the sun setting over the waves we were surfing. Standing up was much easier, and then the rain arrived, which just contrived to make the scene perfect: surfing in the tropics with a painted sky, the hot rain falling and a violent electrical storm discharging over the distant jungle.

Still couldn't find the nightlife though.