Journey to San Jose (Pt. 3): First Day Adventures

A Secrt and money adventure

Sep 19, 2025

The ride to our Airbnb is smooth and uneventful. Pookie is still under the influence of his calming meds and doesn’t make a peep. We never told the driver we had a dog with us, and he never mentions it. It feels like we’ve gotten away with something.

The car pulls up to the front of a tall building. A guard is waiting behind a gate ready to let us in.
He pulls open the gate, says “Buenos días,” and we maneuver our luggage towards the entrance – at this point we’re luggage pros.

Everything about this condo is shrouded in elegance and mystery — fitting for a place called Secrt.

The entryway has three blue doors:

A tiny one.
A human-sized one.
And a giant one with an oversized handle, propped open like it’s daring us to enter.

We walk through it.

As we enter the lobby, we’re immediately transported into a new world. Striking decorations everywhere. Dark walls lit up with neon accents. Pops of color pulling our eyes in every direction.

Off to the side of the front desk is a bar and lounge. Just like the rest of the ground floor, it’s moody, atmospheric, and full of carefully chosen plants that make the whole place feel like an urban jungle. The next day we’ll be sitting there sipping our first celebratory cocktails.

The check-in process is smooth and simple. The man at the front desk hands us keys and tells us to go down the hallway on the left.

We walk towards the hallway, turn the corner, and see that it’s blocked off. That’s odd, but we keep going. Just as we reach the end of the hall, a door magically slides open. Our jaws drop.

There are many tiny surprises like that at Secrt Sabana. And this is just the beginning.

The quirkiness of Secrt is found in every detail. Instead of the usual door numbers to mark your room, the numbers are inset inside of a hallucinogenic plate.

We find our room, open the door, and are treated with a spectacular view of the city. Exploring the rest of the building and city are near the top of our list, but for now it’s time to crash.

Four hours of sleep the night before and a full morning of travel left us completely wiped.

When we wake up from our naps, it’s time for food.

We head down 21 floors to the ground, pass the security guard, and walk a few blocks to a mini market. After grabbing some supplies, we come back up to whip up a simple meal – or so we think.

The apartment has a detached two-burner cooktop and some pots and pans. We put water on to boil eggs, but minutes later… nothing. The water is still cold.

Okay, let’s scramble instead. We swap the pot for a pan. The oil sizzles. That’s when we realize it’s an induction stove. And only certain pans work with it.

After we scramble up a quick breakfast, we’re ready to move on with our day. There are so many little hiccups like this throughout our journey, but they make the experience all the richer.

Now that we’re recharged, it’s time for our next mission: pick up the rental car and finish some errands.

Luckily for us, Grace has volunteered to keep Pookie company while we get the car.

One of the first things we learn about driving in San Jose: it’s not for the faint of heart. Drivers here are fearless.

Cars park wherever they want, hazard lights flashing. You have to swerve in and out of lanes with little notice. If you don’t move the instant the light turns green, people blast their horn. And motorcycles? They appear out of nowhere, weaving right beside you.

And of course, this is where we need to go pick up the money I never got at the airport.

Every downtown is a little rough around the edges, but here I also had to factor in the language barrier. I can understand a lot of Spanish, but when it comes to responding? That’s harder.

Anita drops me off at the exchange and parks the car on the other side of the road. Hazards on, nerves high.

I stand in front of the window. No one is there. Ten minutes pass. Still nothing. Anita calls to say she has to circle the block – she’s not comfortable sitting in traffic.

More waiting. More nerves. What if they’re closed? It’s Sunday. What if I can’t get the cash?

Finally, someone shows up. After a phone call and some paperwork, I walk out with colones in hand. Relief floods in. But not for long. I’m standing on the sidewalk, pile of cash in my pocket, and no idea where Anita is.

Meanwhile, she’s having her own mini adventure. Later she tells me how stressful it was trying to navigate San Jose traffic solo. Eventually she pulls up, I hop in, and we drive back to Secrt as fast as we can.

At the time? Stressful. Looking back? Just another funny story. One of those “first week abroad” moments that now feels like part of the adventure.

Two more little outings cap our first day: Walmart and Soda Tapia. Our first grocery haul. Our first official meal in our new home.

The most remarkable thing about these trips? How unremarkable they were. Aside from a few wrong turns, they were the calm we needed after a whirlwind of a day.

After another long and eventful day, it’s nice to let the calm sink in. We get to relax, unwind, and relish the fact that we actually did it.

This moment has been years in the making and it feels like the perfect beginning to our new lives. A beginning with many more adventures yet to come.