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Published: June 26th 2017
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Geo: 10.3041, -84.798
TIME CHECK: 1654
LOCATION: Cabin 7 Monteverde Cloud Forest Resort
Christmas Internet Radio is playing on the iPad and we have set up our little battery powered snowflake lights for the "BIG SWITCH ON" later.
WEATHER CHECK: Not to dissimilar to Scarfell Pike in February to be frank. Blustery showers with sunny intervals and slightly chilly! At 4,690 feet above sea level the weather changes fast.
However, we are really enjoying the peace and wild tranquility of the superb area.
UPDATE: Today (Wednesday 21st Dec) has been great! We have been mesmerised by humming birds, amazed at huge beetles, scared by scary spiders, swooped on by iridescent butterflies and revolted at giant cockroaches that can live without a head for several days! All this within the little town of St Elena only a short drive from our Eco Lodge.
Perhaps the outstanding place to visit is a small visitor centre at the end of a bumpy track which is populated by vast numbers of Humming Birds. They buzz around you totally unphased by tourists all desparate to "glug' sugar water for the stragically placed bird feeders (that is the birds not the tourists!). Sure they are not totally in the wild,
but they are free......and the deal is that we take photos of them whilst they get their 'fill' and for the owners hopefully make purchases from the cafe and well stocked souvenir shop.
PEDRO UPDATE: He is excellent! Slightly underpowered but very sure footed and sturdy. However, I had noticed from early on in the trip that one of his back tyres was looking a bit "flabby" and had monitored this closely over a 24 hour period. We pull into the local garage where he is immediately descended on by a helpful mechanic who within seconds proudly extracts a nasty looking nail and has plugged the hole with a long soft piece of rubber! Reinflated to peak "off road" tyre pressure we head off for more encounters with the local flora and forna.
At 1600hrs we hear a knock on our cabin door. A rather concerned looking member of staff says something in Spanish about PEDRO.......oohhh eeer!!!!! my immediate thought is that someone has "crunched him" in the Hotel Car Park.......I follow him nervously to Reception only to be amazed that a member of National Rentals has driven a long way to present me with a brand new SAT NAV!!!!!! You may
recall that I mentioned that it asked us to make a u-turn the other day when we were in fact heading in the right direction.......our tour agent Anna must have read this and taken action......THANK YOU!
TIME CHECK: 0450hrs.......Cabin 7.....UP AND POKING ABOUT.........opening the little wooden door, I cautiously peer out into the dark inky night.........the stars are out and whilst the wind is whistling through the branches all around us it is dry and a cacophony of night bugs can be heard chirruping away.
MISSION: Today (Thursday 22nd Dec) we are heading North to Tenorio and the Volcanic National Park. We are reliably informed that this will be a two and and half hour drive.
The Cloud Forest has been excellent and it has been a real privilege to get an early taste of the vast biodiversity that Costa Rica has to offer. It is not immediately "in your face"......like a an African Safari......where lazy tourists exclaim from the comfort of they Land Cruisers........"awe gee Elmer look at those Zebra and Lions".........but it is there in abundance and also when you least expect to see it..............
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Viv
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Aw get a load of those bugs! Not for the faint hearted! Looks like you're having a great time. Very jealous.