Jungle Adventures in Costa Rica 🐒
Life as we knew it changed while my family was in Costa Rica. Before we left the situation in the U.S. hadn’t escalated near the point that it is at today. Soon after we had already arrived safely, travel warnings for the elderly and people with compromised health, and bans on large gatherings, developed quickly into cancellations of virtually any group activity, school closings, and recommended quarantines. My own school first cancelled class for two weeks after spring break and a few days later announced classes were cancelled for the rest of the year! All of these changes were so sudden and hard to wrap your head around.
We were very fortunate to be in a remote location and spent most of our time enjoying Costa Rica’s incredible jungle and wildlife. I am acutely aware of the tragic nature of this pandemic, so I am focusing on gratitude in this post. Despite all of the uncertainty our world is facing, there are still so many things to be grateful for.
As the sun rose over the treetops, streaks of color soared across the morning sky. The macaws were awake. They stopped to snack on the tree by our deck overlooking the mountains. We hoped to see them return at nightfall. The monkeys enjoyed the same tree and would swing from branch to branch while chattering with one another from time to time. A short distance away was the Manuel Antonio National Park with more animal sightings including sloths catching some z’s in the trees, large lizards on the run, and incredibly colored butterflies that danced on the slight breeze that made the heat bearable. The sea shore stretches for miles and miles, with lapping waves and a sometimes strong undertow. There are many ways one can appreciate the natural beauty of Costa Rica. From zip lines high in the trees we spotted my favorite bird, the Toucan, and wild pink pineapples grew among the palms. Costa Rica is known for its waterfalls, and our hike to the Nauyaca Waterfall was one of my favorite excursions. Boulders perfect for climbing were scattered at the base of one of the falls. Jumping from rock to rock was exhilarating, but even better was the spray of cold droplets that would fall onto your face from the tremendous vertical river that seemed to flow from the sky itself. It was easy to lose sense of time and reality as we spent the days breathing in the crisp air, exploring the jungles of thousands of creatures, feeling the adrenaline of jumping off a Tarzan swing with just the hope that it will catch you, and soaking up the last bits of freedom before a long quarantine. The hanging bridges in the Rainmaker Rainforest Reserve provided more incredible views of the jungle with more small waterfalls cascading into pools perfect for taking a dip. Watch out for poisonous frogs and snakes, though!
The indoors blends into the outdoors, and all dining is al fresca. We spent the week only eating beans, rice, veggies, fish, and fruit smoothies. While maintaining the most isolated and healthy lifestyle possible, the pandemic loomed in the back of our minds. While we were in a remote, beautiful place, we realized that this was not the case for most people. No one knows when it will be safe to travel again, so we tried to savor each moment. We also knew that we must travel home as safely as we could and took extreme precautions in the airports and airplanes. We immediately went into the 14 day recommended quarantine when we came back. The Kansas governor has since put in place additional stay at home orders.
Looking back on this trip, I am so grateful for the time spent with family. My brother- in -law, Dale, was unable to travel with us as he was busy with his doctor duties at the hospital. We are all so thankful for all of the doctors, other health care workers, and people in essential jobs that are still going to work. I’m not sure when we can all be together again, so for now I am relishing in these memories from our jungle life in Costa Rica.
~ GPF
