 Costa Rica Adventure Travel-2 |
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 As our adventure progressed, the feeling of slowly moving back in time, toward a simpler way of life, grew. Certain spots, such as the Monteverde Biological Reserve, seemed to possess an almost magical power to transport us to another place and time. We will never forget the moment when we saw a breathtakingly beautiful pair of elusive, rare quetzal birds there, or hiked to the top of the Reserve and peered through the heavy swirling mist at the Continental Divide.
Once you've spent time in this mystical land, you're never quite the same. After you've tanned your soul in Costa Rica, you look at life through different eyes. You'll take home with you fleeting images of beauty, and memories that will replay in slow motion
in your mind for the rest of your life.
We found Costa Rica to be a deeply spiritual country. The raw, primitive energy of its rural and wilderness areas seemed to satisfy our yearning for a simpler way of life. It was during our time in the jungle that we were reminded of the strong connection between the spiritual mind and the physical body and the power of one to affect the other.
Years of stress and
worry melted away during energizing hikes and invigorating horseback rides. Gentle breezes, crashing waves and driving rainstorms slowly washed away the residue of a busy world which seemed further away with every passing sunset. Yesterday's cares and concerns faded quickly.
During our travels, we connected with strangers who seemed
surprisingly familiar, and we communicated more with laughter and actions than we did with our broken Spanish. We met a simple, innocent family who lived on top of an isolated mountain overlooking Arenal Volcano that touched our hearts deeply, and invited us into their home and their lives.
A "homemade oatmeal cookie" sign at the end of a long, bumpy road led us to Tony Nunnery, the most intuitive and interesting guide in Costa Rica. From his National Geographic photographer's hideaway in the
cloud forests, he led us across the country, to the wild, lush jungles of
Montezuma, and to other exotic places that we may never have found on our own.
Our new amigo also traveled with us further south on our second trip to this tiny country, which is roughly the size of West Virginia. Tony led us to the spectacular beaches of Manuel
Antonio, pointed out beautiful birds, and taught us many valuable lessons about life along the way.
Luckily, we never ran into any trouble in this Central American country while we were there, and always seemed to wind up in the right place at the right time. Of course, like every other place in the world, Costa Rica has its share of problems.
Use your intuition and common sense at all times to minimize the chances of
unpleasant experiences.
Be especially cautious when venturing out in San Jose. Any negative stories we heard while
we were there all seemed to take place near this city. In general, Costa Rica is a peaceful country and there has been no national army
there since 1948. We did see some shady characters once riding in the
back of a pickup truck with rifles, which seemed out of place amidst
the sweet smiling children walking along the country roads in their
frilly, colorful dresses and buttoned up dress shirts.
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Our
cozy, inexpensive
Jaco Bungalow |
The
guidebooks are usually fairly accurate when it comes to warnings about crime, pollution etc. Since it is a good idea to do some research before
you go, you should definitely purchase one or two guidebooks, and be informed
about these subjects since no place in the world is immune to crime. We highly recommend Lonely Planet's Costa Rica
Travel Survival Kit by Rob Rachowiecki. We also like "Costa Rica, A
Natural Destination" by Ree Strange Sheck. Lonely Planet's
website is always a great place to check out before traveling
anywhere. One section on Lonely Planet's Website which we found
particularly helpful was the Traveler's Report, where actual
travelers share their tips and advice.
The more informed and prepared you are, the more you can
relax and enjoy the ride.
Once
you arrive in Costa Rica, you will find free copies of touristy type
magazines and newspapers lying around in most hotels and
restaurants. In additions to ads, these publications often contain
helpful information about traveling, real
estate, and ecotourism.
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