Hola! Well who would have guessed? Me, at my stage of life,
deciding to go zip lining? Today was to be the day. We had booked and paid for
the activity the previous day so there was no turning back. Surprisingly, I
wasn’t very apprehensive. After all, it was a beautiful day and with a GoPro in
hand it was all systems go. We were really lucky as we were the only two booked
for the 10:30 group and were accompanied by three guides and a photographer.
The instructors made us feel very at ease and I guess I subconsciously had
adopted the theory of “don’t over think it and just do it”. After the
initial 5 minutes of basic instruction, we were good to go. Jennifer was the
first to lead the way and then it was my turn into the ibis. Surprisingly all
went well and it was a successful first attempt. It wasn’t until the about the third or fourth
zip line that I found myself questioning my sanity and will to live. I was
starting to have second thoughts but we had only begun and we had another 10
zips to go. Jennifer was having fun as was I so I had to just suck it up and
keep going. It actually became more and more enjoyable and invigorating the
more we did it until the guide asked me if I was ready to go Superman. Knowing
my son Tyler had done this, meant I had no choice. So I threw down the gauntlet
and said “bring it on”. Totally exhilarating, I could really feel the adrenaline
rush and my heart was pounding uncontrollably!! Success!! Totally in a head rush I
couldn’t contain my excitement and I hope the video will demonstrate that. I’ve done some pretty exciting things in my life and this
would rank up there at the top. And this
was only just the morning activity! (the video is taking a long time to upload so I will insert it in another blog. Great stuff!!)
That afternoon we were off to discover the reason for being
here in the first place. Costa Rica is a mecca for volcano enthusiasts. The Arenal Volcano, dormant since 2010, is the
iconic backdrop to the region, with its symmetrical cone, which is what draws
many to the area. It last erupted in July of 1968, killing approximately 80
people due to the methane gas poisoning. There had been prior warnings of the
rupturing, but many of the townspeople, with no guarantee
that there would be an eruption, opted to stay put as they had no other place
to flee to. It is forbidden to climb to the 5200 foot summit and some, who have
tried, have paid with the ultimate price.
We are a group of 8 with a guide and we will do a walking trail near the base.
Lucky for us it is one of the clearest days of the year for viewing, as our
guide says there may be only about 70 days in total throughout the year similar to this. The summit is basically kept enshrouded by the clouds but that adds
to the mystery and legend of this natural wonder. We do a 2 hour hike and the
views of both the volcano and Arenal Lake to the west are stunning by the sheer
grandeur and unspoiled landscapes, due in part because this a protected national
park.
What better reward for an active hike up a volcano, than a
trip to a natural thermal hot springs facility? We had never been to such
a retreat before and by all means this will be the standard that any future
encounters with thermal baths, will have to live up to. What a wonderful
combination of hot pools, and waterfalls to soak away the strains of the day. A
couple of mojitos at the bar didn`t hurt either. Water temperatures hovered
around 103 degrees F and it was recommended not to spend more than 20 minutes
at a time in the thermally heated waters. Bueno Noches. Hasta Luega
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