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Published: April 15th 2011
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7 years after my first steps into what I fondly refer to as the "Real World", I found myself completely burnt out at work and in desperate need of another dose of "reality". A couple of my friends, Nibbles and Tree Trunk, had just returned from a month abroad in Costa Rica and after hearing about it non-stop for a couple of weeks coupled with pictures and video segments, I had made up my mind to embark on my own month long journey. I figured that with their expert, first hand knowledge of the land and my deep understanding of kitchen Spanish, that I would have perfectly adequate skills to handle this. After I shopped around for a travel buddy and found no one else to be ready for just such an adventure, I purchased my ticket for 1 month of solitary exploration. The trip was amazing and completely opened my eyes to a new way of traveling. Traveling alone in a foreign land in which I didn't speak the native language made such an impact on me, that I have tried to go back every year since then.
Of those many journeys, some were solo and some with others.
I have made numerous friends and even met a few people I now consider Family and visit frequently. There are a lot of stories and highlights that stand out from my CR trips, here are just a few of them.
-My first trip blew me away. Traveling by yourself is a riot (in both the good and bad senses) and I don't think you'll ever learn more about yourself as a person, than by giving it a go; especially if you don't speak the language. You meet a lot of people that you wouldn't have otherwise, as well as experience things that just aren't possible if you travel in a group or as a couple.
-Jumping from a 40ft. waterfall and getting huge bruises on the backs of my arms from them hitting the water.
-Some guy from Texas landing flat on his back from the same jump.
-Trying to surf and getting my ass handed to me. Shortly afterwards, watching Nibbles tempt fate and subsequently be held down for a couple of sets.
-Jam sessions. I've dragged that guitar around far too many times but the jam sessions I've been privy to have been
nothing short of astounding. They are always fun but there's something special about being able to get down with people you've never met and have everything move so fluidly. Music really is a universal language.
- The animals. It would take far to long to tell you all of the stories that these are associated with (and there are some good ones) but here are a few of the animals that I've seen in the wild in CR: Monkeys (tons of them), Sloths, Iguanas, Snakes (Boas), Frogs, Tucans, Parrots, Bats, Possum, Crocodiles, Dolphins, Turtles (thousands), Mantas, Jaguar, Barracuda, Sabre-toothed Squirrels and tons of others who's names escape me.
-The bugs. Not only are they huge (moths the size of a bat and spiders as big as you face) but fierce, like the little black ants that swarm without warning and don't let go, even when submerged in seawater.
-All of the people I've met from other nations. It's always a surprise and a bit disheartening to see how many people just never get around to leaving the US. You're missing out people.
-Getting dragged into the middle of a land dispute between a local and an
outside developer. Sleeping with one eye open because of armed guards hired by said developer.
-Running from the Policia to avoid getting extorted on the highway. This involved a short high speed chase to a local restaurant, at which point we grabbed our gear, ran to the river, hopped in a canoe and paddled like hell for the island on the other side. I don't think the police ever saw us turn off but it was heart pounding nonetheless. (This is where the idea for the title of this post came from.)
-Being catered to by the local and his wife that lived on that island, 100% off the grid. We went out with him to set his nets at night in the river. The next morning we pulled in a fresh haul of snapper, grouper, and a ton of other fish. We also lost something large, he said either a shark or a crocodile but most likely a croc.
-Full moon party on the beach in Puerto Viejo. Jungle Juice in the jungle, could anything be more appropriate?
-Cost of a beer = $0.50, Renting a hammock and locker on the beach = $4.00, Watching
some wasted, loudmouth kick a giant blue land crab with his sandals on and his foot exploding on contact = Priceless.
-Seafood Paella. If you don't know, I can't help you friend.
-Car seats strapped to the back of 4-wheelers and riding beach cruisers around as a main mode of transport. Really slows everything down to the appropriate pace.
-La Tortuga Feliz. This is an off the grid volunteer project, working with endangered sea turtles on an island (more of a giant sandbar) on the Caribbean coast. This place more than any other, really changed my life. I've had the chance to go back several times and enjoyed every one of my visits. The same cannot be said for a couple of my guests but it still continues to be a magical place for me. It is in fact, very hard for me to describe exactly what it is this place does for me. It is an extremely primitive place and I guess it gives me the opportunity to get away from civilization and into nature. It helps opens my eyes to the greed and destruction that man is capable of and makes me wish everyone had
the opportunity to see how we are killing not only our planet but ourselves, one species or more at a time.
-Watching a local, reel in a yellowfin tuna by hand from the beach. This may not sound too difficult but by hand , I mean no rod/reel combo. It was a stick with fishing line wrapped around it and a hook on the end. It had him in the water up to his armpits and took a couple of gentle tugs from others to keep him from being dragged into the sea.
-Eating the tuna that night and packing the rest in salt to preserve it. You do what you can when you're off the grid.
-One night, while walking down an unlit path on an off the grid island to the illegal bar at the far end, I ran across a horse. Only problem was there were no lights except for my headlamp, which was dying. I did not see the horse until I was right in front of it and the dim light from my torch caused it's eyes, the only part I could see, to start glowing. Normally not a big deal but
these eyes were huge and much taller than me. I froze with terror and thought this was surely going to be my end, met by some ravenous jungle beast that I had never seen or heard of. Then it whinnied.
-Having my kayak bumped by a crocodile. We're not going to relive this one.
-Monkeys throwing shit. This is not the zoo so you'd better keep an eye open.
-Seeing a jaguar just ahead of me on the trail we were on. I freeze. Nibbles comes up behind me and asks "What the hell is that?" I almost punched him for but my focus was elsewhere.
-Leaving the Project early in the morning and watching the glowing red eyes of the crocodiles slowly follow the boat into deeper waters before they disappear.
-Kayak surfing in Punta Uva. This little beach is absolutely gorgeous and usually calm and perfect for snorkeling. This day, Tree Trunk and I made use of it for something else. We were the only ones out except a couple of longboarders and had a blast.
-I normally run for cover when it rains but in CR if your not under shelter
when it starts, your already soaked so you may as well enjoy the fact that it's warm.
-The food, the food, the food. It falls outta the trees and jumps into the net.
-The coffee. Reason enough by itself to go back.
-Not having to wear a shirt or shoes is living.
-"A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving. - Lao Tzu" I've seen this quote painted and written in numerous, random locales and it is probably the single most valuable piece of information I would give someone in order to enjoy themselves and their journey.
PURA VIDA
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John
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Pura Vida
Awsome description guy! You sould like there are 1000 stories to be written about this trip.