Monteverde

There are brief moments where I wish I was the type of person who always managed to capture beautiful photos of their experiences for later use in illustrating their stories and inspiring envy. But I'm not. Oh well.

After my week in Bocas del Toro, it is refreshing and invigorating to find myself in a town nestled in the mountains with a high of 75 degrees everyday and nights that are chilly enough for blankets. The opportunity for adventure is above average as well. Yesterday was my first experience on a zip-lining tour, something I began this trip intending to accomplish. I enjoyed it immensely, although I did not find it necessary to pump myself up and display my toughness quite as much as the two guys I was with.

The experience is rather surreal, as you are looking down into the valleys it's as if you are floating easily from one mountaintop to another. The views from the top were magnificent, unbelievably green jungle and mountains straight out to the ocean. Looking out over everything I had to draw a deep breath and feel the intense pleasure in silence. It seemed utterly useless and demeaning to try to put any words around it at all.

This morning I went on my second Monteverde adventure. One I would actually define as an "adventure". Zip-lining is fun, but the danger is calculated. Rather like going on an intense roller-coaster. You pretend not to know if you will make it to the other end, but you know you will.

I signed up for a canyoning tour of series of six waterfalls that run down the side of a mountain. You hike the trails to the top and rappel down from one to the other. When I found myself standing backwards at the top of the first falls, I realized that the outcome depended entirely on my strength and skill in reaching the bottom. If I got stuck it was my own fault and I'd have to figure out how to get out of it. That feeling is addictive, I recognized that I had experienced it before......when I decided to travel to Costa Rica, in Bocas, when I accepted a ride from a trucker.

But this was even better, and it brought a rush of adrenalin and a feeling of pure joy.

The largest waterfall was 114 feet from the top and by the time I reached the bottom I was in such perfect rhythm with my body that it was unbearable to stop.

Note to self; add waterfall rappelling to list of activities to continue on a regular basis.