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Costa Rica is a land of adventure

By: Owen Reid (Owen’s Column)

When we flew into the San Jose airport it was an amazing sight to see all the kids that were by the fences looking at the airplane as we came in. We got off the airplane and almost immediately began what we thought would be a four hour drive that would turn into a seven hour drive to the mountain town of Monteverde.

The next day we woke up at six to start the hanging bridges tour. Basically you’re on 800 foot long bridges that have no cables underneath just the top cable that stretches from the start to the end. That was the tour that we probably saw the most nature of Costa Rica. Then we went on the horseback riding tour which was a two hour ride through the area which has the most dangerous deadly snakes in Costa Rica. And I was very sore afterwards.

Then my favorite thing we did on the vacation was the zip lines through the tree tops. We had 18 zip lines and one Tarzan swing just for fun. The first ones were short and easy but the last two- oh my. It was the big one. It was about one mile long, they said, to the top of what looked like an old television tower. When you start the swing you’re just holding on and just hoping you’re not going to fall. It was scary- but not that much. So, for some strange reason I stopped in the middle and they had to come and get me. They said it was because I did not weigh as much as an adult. So I got on the tower which was so windy that I almost felt like I could have fallen off. Now, imagine two coffee tables that are how big the platform was to stand on, but way up in the air. It was scary.

Then we went on the coffee tour, which was very interesting. The tour guide showed us through the Don Juan coffee plantation and showed us how coffee grows, is harvested and roasted. Then at the end they let us sample coffees and appetizers before we left.

          After a short boat ride over a lake, we came to Arenal, and the Tabacón Hot Springs Resort and Spa. It was an excellent hotel. One hour after we got there we went on a volcano hike. It was a fun experience with a great view of the city. The next day, early in the morning (Christmas morning to be exact) we went waterfall rappelling. Talk about scary. The first one you do is the biggest one which is the size of a football field down. It was the scariest because I didn’t know how to do it. Then the last four were the easier. Then to my favorite thing- we went to the hot springs. Talk about hot! Most of the pools were 115 degrees Fahrenheit. One had a waterfall that you can climb in and look out and it feels like a stream room. Then we left the Tabacon and went to our next destination.

After we rode in on a boat through the long river, we checked into our lodge. Then shortly after, my dad and I went zip lining again. The others stayed and swam in the turtle-shaped pool. We saw lots of Howler monkeys and exotic flowers.

The next day we got up at five to go on our animal tour. It was definitely one of the more interesting things we did. We saw tons of exotic birds, turtles, and even a baby alligator. Then were on are way to San Jose and stopped at the Del Monte banana plantations.

Then we went a rather short distance, yet long car trip, to San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica. We checked in the El Presedente Hotel. Then the next day we went on to the airport to say “goodbye” to Costa Rica.