Tuesday, August 5, 2014

The Best Last Weekend: Hot Springs, Waterfalls, & Zip-Lining

This past weekend was absolutely incredible on all levels. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was happy that we were staying in hotels instead of hostels. We departed for the Baldi Hot Springs on Friday at 1 PM. Those of us on the trip had no idea what to expect of hot springs. We assumed they were natural and not man-made. We checked into our hotel and immediately left for the hot springs. The springs were man made but still extremely cool. There were about 20 pools total, with the majority of them being over 100 degrees. There were also a couple that were only about 62 degrees. Baldi had a few awesome water slides. I only went on one because one was for kids and the other was super fast, and I was not about to lose my bikini. After we relaxed in the springs, we had dinner in the restaurant connected to Baldi at 8 PM. It sure does take a while to get used to eating dinner so late. We were all ravenous by the time we ate.
Baldi Hot Springs with Jill, Layne, Shannon, & Lettice
Saturday we woke up and had a delicious breakfast in the hotel. It was typical Costa Rican food (gallo pinto, eggs, toast) but it also had avocado, plantains, and cheese. It was fantastic. I will miss some of this food when I go back to the states. After breakfast we headed off to the LaFortuna waterfall. It was an amazing sight. We hiked down about three-quarters of a mile to see it and then back up the same distance. It was intense. I guess it just proves how out of shape I am getting here. It was also difficult because I was wearing flip flops. I didn't want to wear tennis shoes because we went into the water. If you ever come to Costa Rica or plan on going hiking in muddy/water-filled areas anywhere in the world, I suggest getting a pair of chacos. I had no idea what they were until I saw people wearing them. They are basically adventure sandals suitable for wet environments. They are also good for ziplining, but tennis shoes are fine as well. They'll cost a pretty penny though. (About $100). After the waterfall, we left for Monteverde. The views heading to Monteverde were magnificent. The lush green mountains and windmills were spectacular. The only part that wasn't particularly enjoyable was the ride. The road was so bumpy we were practically smacking our heads off the windows and seats. It was entertaining to say the least. We got stuck in the mud so all of the guys had to go to the back of the van and jump up and down. I'm not sure what that did, but it got us going and out of the mud.
LaFortuna Waterfall
Sunday was the day I was looking forward to the most. At 7:30 AM, we departed for our canopy tour (zip-lining). I was so excited. When I saw how high off the ground the platforms were, I got quite nervous. Also, the guides went over all of the rules, and I was afraid that I was going to mess something up. It wasn't difficult, but if you do something wrong you could end up seriously hurt. We started on two quick and easy ones and then moved on to the 600 meter zip-line. After that, we went on the longest zip-line in Latin America (1590 meters, nearly a mile long). It was exhilarating! We were even able to go with a partner. Being above the cloud forest and seeing so much of nature was breathtaking. I can't even describe how awesome it was. The final activity on the canopy tour was the mega Tarzan swing. I was so afraid to do it. It's a free fall from 295 feet off the ground. Talk about an adrenaline rush. It was probably the most frightening thing I have ever done. I felt like I was going to die at first. My fear of heights is most definitely something I got over on this trip. I still can't believe I zip-lined in the rain forest of Costa Rica. I'm so thankful for this experience and all of the opportunities I have been given! Only four days until I say good-bye to the happiest and most beautiful country on earth.
Hanging Bridge after zip-lining with Jill
I survived the Tarzan Swing!
 Pura Vida, Chicos!

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