This is the morning of our first big Costa Rican adventure -- rappelling down waterfalls in the jungle. All suited up, we were a little scared... but the guides' at-ease and friendly humor helped us keep our fears on the back burner.
|
Well... almost all our fears.
|
This is the first -- and biggest -- drop of the tour. 165 feet.
That's me up at the top about to descend.
The key to not freaking out? Don't look over the side until you're already over it.
|
|
At the bottom of our first drop, a lot of our tensions melted away. We did it!
Now only 8 more rappells to go.
|
Of course, the best part of rappelling down waterfalls is the fact that you are literally in a waterfall.
The guides, of course, are not about getting wet. Especially the number of times they have to do this. They expertly leaped from side to side avoiding the waterfall, while us newbies went straight down the stream.
Thankfully, they gave us super-awesome rain coats.
|
This is one of two dry-wall descentes. No waterfall here... just the ability to do large leaps down the side of the cliff.
|
|
I tried to avoid the waterfall. Either that, or I really had to piss.
|
Rachel descends the platform from above.
|
|
|
|
How far was that drop?
|
Robin, on the left, works at REI. She left her roomies behind to come get some awesome photos.
Her camera is water-proof. Ours, not so much.
|
|
On the return trip, we met Chuck Norris. Well... I met Chuck Norris' foot.
|
At the end of a long journey, comes the best part -- a huge plate of Costa Rican yumminess.
Oh, and I discovered the best condiment ever. It's simply called "Salsa". But this brown yumminess turns any typical rice and beans into AWESOME rice and beans.
|
Some of Rachel's favorite Costa Rican coffee to date. The secret ingrediant... cadremon.
We think.
|
|
This is why Rachel freaked out every time Kris pulled onto the side of the road.
This truck FELL OFF the road coming into the area where our tour guide's offices are. The road was blocked for three hours. (Some pour tourists were just waiting on the other side to get out).
This wasn't the last time we saw mother nature eroding the roadway before our very eyes.
|
Hummingbird!
|
Outside of our room, a few bushes were home to hummingbirds and butterflies.
They're both very difficult to photograph.
|
|
That night, we headed into La Fortuna and ate at a local bar called "La Vaca Muca". It literally means a cow with one horn longer than the other.
Oh, and Rachel got a new tat.
|
|
|
