[mmessier2]

http://www.drivemeloco.com/

[mmessier2]

We just booked our tickets today. We prefer LIR, but we got tickets for myself, my wife, and my infant son (lap child) for only $770 to SJO (total including all taxes) from Sacramento, CA.

We are flying Frontier airlines, Continental wanted to charge over $500 just for my boy to sit on a lap, and $770 a person for tickets- so over $2000. Crazy.

Any experiences with Frontier airlines?

[mmessier2]

I just priced a trip in December from Sacramento, CA to Liberia, and it was only $568 through Delta. Not bad, especially since Sac is a smaller airport and so is LIR.

[mmessier2]

Actually Mel’s farm is in Esterones, which is about 10 minutes north of Samara. His property surrounds a beautiful white sand beach, Barrigona. There is still a public access road to this beach, its my favorite in CR.

I hope all this publicity is good for my property value, I have a 1/2 acre lot about 5 minutes from his… 🙂

[mmessier2]

You can also look up much info yourself from Registro Nacional’s website at

http://www.registronacional.go.cr/rn_catastro/catastro_consultasfincaoconcesion.jsp' defer onload='

[mmessier2]

Ive been to CR 7 times and have been “radar’d” 5 of those seven times. I have never received a ticket, although one officer tried to get some money out of me. 4 out of the 5 stops I was not driving over the speed limit, they just knew I was a tourist by my car.

Its kind of a pain, but at least I’ve never had to pay. One time I left my passport at my hotel and had NO I.D. on my at all. I was nervous then, but the officer was polite and let me go with a warning.

[mmessier2]

Thanks for the info! Here is a direct link to the Bevmo website:

http://www.bevmo.com/productinfo.asp?sku=00000057315

[mmessier2]

It tasted the same to me. Even though it was raining and 40 degrees Fahrenheit at my house , when I took that first sip my mind took me back to a warm beach… It was worth every penny.

[mmessier2]

The link I posted was owned by the same place as your link:

consultas.registronacional.go.cr

Hopefully I will be able to find the same information on your link. Thanks!

Mark

-EDIT

Here is a link to what I was looking for. With this link and the finca number you can look up any property in Costa Rica and verify the owner.

http://www.registronacional.go.cr/rn_catastro/catastro_consultasfincaoconcesion.jsp' defer onload='

Edited on Dec 28, 2007 09:20

[mmessier2]

I have friends that have lived in CR for 10 years fulltime. They just take a trip to Nicaragua or Panama every 3 months, when they are not visiting in the US. I really dont see the need for residency.

Edited on Nov 13, 2007 08:19

[mmessier2]

If you put it on your Visa Debit Card, there are no “Cash Advance” charges.

Also, I remember their being a sign clearly posted in English that said the charges were made as cash advances. This was in Liberia.

Edited on Sep 05, 2007 07:53

[mmessier2]

Costa Rica was made for wheeling… thats part of the reason why I love it there so much. From my experience in CR, its a different type of wheeling than rock crawling. Much more mud, many many many more high water crossings, more winching, but just as fun (if not more). Ive got my property purchased and when I move down there I’m already facing the same dilemma as you- I want to take my 4runner with me. Here is a link to 2 pics:

http://www.markmessier.net/albums/042707_CP_wheeling/CIMG0289.JPG
http://www.markmessier.net/misc/4Runner/CIMG0469.JPG

I know that at least toyota engine components (22RE) are not THAT hard to find , but our specialty offroad parts would be very hard to get our hands on. Fortunately, you break a lot less parts in mud than on rocks.

Good luck, and if you find a good 4×4 club in CR, post it here.

[mmessier2]

How about shipping an older car? I have an 1985 Toyota 4runner that I have rebuilt myself, and I know inside and out, swapping in a new engine. Where can I find what Costa Rican import authorities would consider the value of my vehicle?

[mmessier2]

Lotus-

I completely agree with your ideals on life. Im 26 and I see fmaily members living for their retirement at 65, working 60 hour weeks and killing themselves so that they can be living rich….. at 65! And then, if they do live to 65, they are so cheap from pumping all their money into retirement accounts and ‘protecting’ their investments, that they live sheltered lives. Or even worse, they get some kind of sickness that limits their activity. The best years of their lives were spent in the office. What a shame!

Thats why Im doing my best now to enjoy myself while making smart financial decisions. Ive owned my house in California for 5 years and have been fortunate enough to have quite a bit of equity built up already (no skill on my part, just the market). I also am in love with Costa Rica and have bought a piece of land in coastal guanacaste, which I hope to pay off before Im 30, then build a modest house on it, and pay that off before Im 35. All the while, enjoying my family and friends and working to fund a more immediate realization of ‘retirement’.

Some may even say my way is too materialistic. I have friends that sold their few items in the US (car and electronics) and moved to the Caribbean island of Dominica with just a few thousand dollars to do charity work. They are having the times of their lives, just living very modestly.

Im a firm believer of “The things you own, own you”. And all our investments and assets need to be kept in their proper place. We need to live responsibly, but life is too short to be spent worrying about money.

[mmessier2]

Jerry- Thank you very much for your reply, it was very helpful. Does capital gains apply to foreign property the same way it does for US property? If I had my house in CR for 2 years would I be allowed the same exemptions as if I owned a home in the US?

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