You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows. – Bob Dylan

Who Do I Look Like? Al Roker?

One of my roles at the hotel was to manage reservations. This involved answering a lot of calls and emails from potential guests and booked guests who had questions prior to their visits.

One question I’d get repeatedly was, “How’s the weather this time of year or month?”

Now, I can appreciate their concern as of course most people would want to plan a trip to a tropical location when it’s ‘perfect weather’. However, we also had quite a few guests who came specifically for the rainforest experience.

For those guests that weren’t as enthusiastic about the potential for rain, the question I’d get right before their visit was, “Is it going to rain the entire trip? The weather app on my phone says rain every day.”

They were in a panic because every weather app would say rain- 100% of the time, 100% of the year. I think not.

The problem was that the weather apps don’t have detailed data about the location of our hotel, so they seem to just use a “guesstimate”. There wasn’t a big town near enough that the weather apps could pinpoint, so for sure the weather forecast on your phone for our area couldn’t be farther from reality. Basically, the weather apps would give the same generic weather forecast for a large and geographically diverse region. 

Really, there was no good source to predict the weather in our small part of Costa Rica.

I always thought the best source was to look outside. Being at 2000 feet elevation on the mountain, the weather could change wildly in a very short period of time. One moment sunny, clear, and in 5 minutes, the fog and clouds roll in. Or vice versa.

We could be at the hotel in clear sun and see down in town at the beach under complete cloud cover. At night, sometimes we dined under the stars while watching incredible lightning-filled storms play out over the ocean.

But when I’d get questions like this below, I’d put on my best Al Roker and temper what I really wanted to say!

“I was looking at the forecast and it appears likely that thunderstorms may be persistent for our trip starting the 10th of November.” 

In my head: Um, you mean 14 days from today? Ah ha.

What I really said: You might see some sprinkles later afternoons that time of year, or not.

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“I was wondering if you had any suggestions for things we can do in those types of weather conditions?”

In my head: Um, yep, we WERE named the World’s Most Romantic Retreat…use your imagination!

What I really said: All activities happen regardless of weather, and there’s plenty more to do: spa services, hot tub, reading, and yes, the bar is open all day!

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“We initially were interested in the boat trip to the mangroves and the four wheeling but I wasn't sure if those can even be done in bad weather.”  

In my head: Um, BAD WEATHER? You mean, rain? Oh, you haven’t seen bad weather!

What I really said: see previous ‘what I really said’ answer above

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Costa Ricans have a saying that goes, “Mañana oscura, tarde segura.” which literally means if the morning is dark, it’s a sure, good afternoon.

You know what? They lie. Well, maybe they don’t, but the saying does.

Sometimes the weather is “Mañana segura, tarde oscura” or “Todo el día oscuro” or “Todo el día seguro”, but whatever, it can change on a dime.

So, if I were Al Roker, I’d say, if it’s a clear day, jump on that opportunity. Get out and hike, pop to the beach, walk the dog, practice yoga, play tennis, whatever! Enjoy it!

But if it does rain, there are also plenty of things you can do. Read a book, meditate, get a massage, play a game of cards. And yes, it’s also nice to hike in the rain, refreshing even in the tropical humid climate!

So, take advantage of it all. Life’s too short not to.

Are you a ‘perfect weather’ traveler or a ‘I like a rainy day here and there’ traveler. Leave a comment and let me know!