Costa Rica

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I had heard from fellow travellers and read in my guide book that Costa Rica was one of the most advanced Latin American countries. There is evidence of this as I make my way along the 16 hour coach journey from Panama City to San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica. However, there are aspects which indicates that the country is not as developed as it should be. For example, the border crossing for one was like pulling teeth - 4 hours just to cross the border, and it wasnt even busy! One of the most surreal sights was a huge deisel locomotive chugging its way along a track which I had not previously noticed in the middle of a main street - for a moment I wondered whether the malaria tablets Id started taking that day were something from below the counter! As ever, there are also poor areas, particularly in San Jose, but not as evident as most other capital cities of Latin America. San Jose has the museums and parks typical of any capital city but very little to keep you interested in the city. As such, my time is restricted to two days (one of these being influenced by a Liverpool game being played in my hostel!) My reading had not ignitied any interest in pursuing anything in Costa Rica (largely because it contained many similar excursions which I'd done in other countries) but I was determined to do something otherwise it would feel like a wasted journey. I had recalled the recommendation of a friend to head towards the central highlands, so I hop on a 4 hour bus to La Fortuna.

La Fortuna is a quite a touristy place with many agencies vying for your attention. However, it seems the best (or at least cheapest) agency is at my hostel, Gringo Petes. Through the hostel, I head out on a hike of Arenal Volcano which looms over the town. Whilst the volcano is still classed as active no lava has spilled out for over four months. Despite this, we have a nice hike up the former lava flows and catch a great sunset. The guide advises that whilst the volcano is quite inactive at the moment it does remain dangerous and talks of the last time tourists were allowed to visit its peak. This was back in 2000 when two U.S. tourists were badly burned when caught in the midst of a small eruption from one of the many chimneys. Whilst they survived the burns and hiked back to the village, they later dies in hospitable owing to inhalation of noxious fumes. On this sombre thought and knowing how susceptive we are to the might of mother nature we hastily head back to the village stopping en route at some hot natural springs (i.e. a small river) to soothe our limbs in near darkness.

I catch a mini van - boat - minivan combo to Santa Elena set amongst a cloud forest. The main reason for my visit here is to do the zip lining. After many recommendations I opt for Extreme Canopy, which turns out to be a very apt title (check it out here - http://www.monteverdeextremo.com). I had not expected the lines to be nowhere near as fast, high or as long as they were. At times it is quite unnerving to be attached to a single steel wire hurtling across a revine at high speed. Some in the group avoid some of the lines as they were also unprepared for how extreme the lines would be. Most of the lines require you to sit back in your harness holding the attached ropes in your weak hand and curling your thumb and fore finger around the passing wire in readiness to brake (you wear leather gloves!) Variety is also added in the form of a rappel (i.e. an abseil from the branch of a huge tree), a tarzan swing (you jump feet first of a tall platform, although I was prematurely pushed by the guides!...this not being as bad as the first guy that ´jumped ¨{read: pushed} after being told to turn around by the guides so they could tie him up!...needless to say, he was quite shaken up!) The last zip line is the superman - yes, you guessed it, attached to the line so that you are horizontal whilst ´flying´across a high gorge on a line that is over 1km long! All in all, a fantastic day and definitely one for you adrenline junkies. Oh, the scenery was nice too!

The following day, I catch a 6am bus destined for the Pacific town of Puntarenas, merely to catch a connecting bus to Liberia, merely to catch a connecting bus to the frontier town of Penas Blancas, merely to walk across the 1km border between Costa Rica and Nicaragua. My days travel did not end there. Read my next blog for more.

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