COSTA RICA

Monteverde, Costa Rica

A couple of guys i traveled with in Isla Omepete in Nicaragua joined me to Costa Rica, Edward and Simon. It was a nightmare getting to the mountains of Monteverde purely because we missed our bus connections. We finally got there and it was very worth it. Very green verdant forest with sloths, macaws, butterflies and all sorts of insects. The first day we chilled but the second day we did a Canopy tour in the forest. We traversed 16+ zip lines through the rain forest. Some zip lines were 250metres long going across two valleys and some 150metres high. A lot of fun basically. You better get over a fear of heights! (i am still waiting for the pics).

The worst was the Tarzan swing. One guy didn't do it, stating "i got nothing to prove, i ain´t doing it". Basically he was shit scared, but trust me, we all were. I certainly wasn't mad about doing it, those who know me know i am not too keen on heights.

As i was standing at the top of this platform some 20metres in the air my heart was racing like hell. You had to jump free fall for 10metres until the rope took you out into the swing. I plucked up the courage and jumped. It was scary, the jump i mean. A free fall of 10m. The swing was just a lot of fun. You can see from the pics it was a right laugh. After that i wanted to do it a second time, ...but it wasn't possible.

San Luis Waterfall
Possibly the most magical waterfall i have experienced in my life. Ed, Simon and i took a taxi out of town towards this local waterfall. We got to the park, no one there, Sunday, so walked in for free. We walked through rain forest and along this river for about 45mins. Along the way we saw small waterfalls but we couldn't help thinking there was something bigger further ahead. We were so right. We came across larger and large pools of water when finally we saw this huge waterfall of some 50metres high and beyond that another large crevice hole from where the source was coming from. The reward was simple nature at its most beautiful. The water was pure, fresh ice cold, the sun baking hot, rainbows everywhere you looked. we lay there for hours that Sunday afternoon with no one else around us. Just us, Paradise and the moment. Check out the video below and tell me what you think.

I managed to take an awesome video (see below) and pics. I hope you like them. I hope you have a little day dream while at your office desk and think, this could be you too! ...because it could be!

Manuel Antonio, Pacific Coast
Finally i managed to get in some decent consistent surfing. Its the off season, no one around, a kilometer wide bay of golden sand (no rocks!) with perfect surf. I had found paradise. ...well at least another form of paradise in natures vast array of spectacles.

Tim, this guy i traveled with and i managed to cut a deal for 5 days, two boards, $10 a day. Sorted. We found this cool hostel and just surfed ours arses off from morning until dark for 5 days constant. Catching small and then bigger unbroken waves. We both improved no end. That's not to say i am the demon surfer i want to become, all in good time, but i made some real progress that week. Just awesome. I love surfing and if its at all possible i would like to live near a beach that has consistently good surf. I am sure that can be arranged, hahaha!

Punta Mona, Caribbean Coast
It takes a day to travel from the Pacific to the Caribbean coast in Costa Rica and you always have to go via the capital San Jose. Well i made it to Peurto Veujo, party central of the Costa Rican Caribbean, however when i rolled up at Rocking J´s hostel, well i just wasn't in the mood. Packed with loads of people on a mission to get wasted.
I had heard about this self sustaining organic permiculture farm, further down the coast not far from the Panama border. That was where i decided to head to. I got the local bus to take me as far as he could then i found out the rest had to be made via boat. Having tried to negotiate a deal, price of petrol is high, i got a local fisherman to take me some 45mins down the coast to this farm. The farm was very chilled. They grew all sorts of fruit and veg. The food was surprisingly good even if it looked weird and tasted a bit funny. They had one of those toilets which compost, meaning you have to throw in wood carvings after each time. Ummmm.
I dont have anymore pics yet but this is Shanon and i enjoying some star shaped fruit. it was delicious.