Ziplines!

Yesterday was Zipline day! Otherwise known as the canopy tour of the hills in the rainforest towards the interior of Costa Rica.

We were able to sleep a little bit later today and then woke up to have breakfast and meet up with our driver who packed us into a van with 10 people to the office, where thank goodness, they moved us into a larger bus and started driving towards the hills.

We were introduced to the Costa Rican Car Massage yesterday, its when the car goes off the paved road and continues on the dirt road through the African palm trees and then some teak trees, and then some hills, well lots of hill, and across some creeks. The Doctor who usually gets sick with my driving on American paved roads somehow managed to not get sick on this bus trip. That doesn’t say much for my driving believe me.

Once again we luck out and while we are with a large group we have the friendliest and most informed tour guides we could hope for. Through our one hour trip up the hills our tour guide gives us information about the area and the uses for the palm trees the teak, points out the history behind some areas and what the landscape looks like during the wet season. We even get to see a small ocelot (adorable little jaguar kitty) and a crocodile in the river off the side of the “road.”

When we arrive they give us some fruit and some instructions on what is going to happen during the ziplines and canopy tour. There are 10 lines, one bridge, and two places to repel. The guides are all very funny, they joke with us and make us feel comfortable. The landscape is once again beautiful. We are up in the hills with creeks running down, flowers and vines. The canopy of a rainforest is really an amazing place.

Before they put us on the ziplines and the hike they lull us into a false sense of security by taking us down into a butterfly garden that they have on site. With over 40 species of butterflies in one small area it was a flutter (pun intended) of activity and flashing colors as they flew around the contained area. Then it was time for us to get our harnesses on and “fly” through the rainforest. They gave us a quick instructional seminar and then we were on our way.

I made the Doctor go first when it was our groups turn up, I have to admit this was once again out of my comfort zone but after my first line I was addicted. However, on the first line I did forget to pick up my feet and crashed them into the deck and was lightly made fun of, but it was for my own safety. This first line was the easy one, all the others got progressively faster and if I had done that on another one I could have broken my foot.

By zipline number 3 the Doctor was pushing his limits and doing the zipline upside down. As the adrenaline junkie of the group he was entertaining everybody as he flew hundreds of feet above the canopy upside down. I was not that crazy. Then there was the Tarzan swing, not really scary especially since you are tied in, maybe 85 feet but it was still fun, and it was even more fun to watch them push the man in front of me who was afraid of heights and watch him flail about (is that mean of me?) There was then a place to repel, pretty much a straight free for all down the tree except you are tied up to the lines. This was the only place that I was even remotely scared, but by the second repel I was laying all the way back and letting them drop me.

We finished up and they had a home cooked Costa Rican lunch ready for us complete with Yuca my family would have fought over.

Overall it was great scenery, an amazing experience, and just plain ole fun. And we got two Costa Rican Car Massages included in the price.

Today was white water rafting, I will write about that tomorrow. Until then… Pura Vida!

Again, the internet is a problem today so I will post pictures up on the travel blog... www.travelblog.org/bloggers/gregandjon