DAY NINE
After a good breakfast, we were collected again by Roy, our driver for the journey to Manuel Antonio. With road works closing main routes down winding mountainside, he anticipated delays and planned our trip around the half hour window when the ‘tea break’ must occur and the road is open for traffic to make a mad dash to and fro!
Once the dusty surface of the evolving new roads passed, we were eventually met by beautiful scenery; cashew nuts adorning the trees (one massive fruit per little nut – I am left feeling a tad greedy at my gorging these by the handful as a snack after so much effort on their part!);
Howler monkeys watching passers-by from their elevated postings in busy towns and crocodiles bathing in a river – how menacing they appear snoozing or otherwise! A stop for lunch at a café that apparently was working in harmony with the conservation of the nearby croc residents – I am not entirely convinced that the creatures were equally benefitting from the profits of fast food not actually dropping into their vast mouths!
After almost six hours of driving, our mode of transport maybe not built for the rivers to cross with Roy seemingly ‘moistening up’ his brow-line (bridges having been washed away in a torrential hurricane which occurred late last year), then a steep climb up a mountain to a remote retreat overlooking the Manuel Antonio National Park; only here we realised our accommodation with this extreme level of solitude was not for us (and thoughts of repeat mountain climbs each morning and afternoon, according to our itinerary, arduous! ). Roy, sensing my look of being ‘most uncomfortable’, started a dialogue with the accommodation manager and our tour operator and secured us a stay at the sister hotel ‘in town’ – repeat the journey down the mountain, across the rivers and finally we arrived at a beautiful hotel, 10 minutes from where our itinerary guided walks would take place – sadly, poor Roy now had the seven hour drive back to his home but hopefully suitably rewarded for being an absolute knight in shining armour today!
After such a travelling day, dinner and a long sleep overlooking the stunning Pacific coastline in a bed big enough for a family of four!
DAY TEN
Today we were collected by Ephrain, a jolly fellow who had lived in the area of the Manuel Antonio National Park all his life, sharing stories of routes he walked to school (before his grandfather sold the house and land for the development of the park).
The Park covers 1,700 acres of land and over 135,000 acres of marine reserve (I don’t think grandfather owed all that!).
We were told of local wildlife, walked through wooded areas listening to birds call, watching iguanas wander, bats snooze within leaves and a SLOTH groom himself, scratching and scratching away with his seemingly smiley face emitting a glow of ‘oooohhh that feels fab’! I have to say, this beautiful creature, almost green with algae within his fur, seemed to have life sorted, taking it so easy as we and others oozed nervous energy eagerly snatching those precious photographs at a pace …
Eventually to the coastline, gloriously blue sea set aside white sands. Ephrain left us with a bag of fruit to eat and relax before, should we fancy, the additional hike to the scenic Cathedral Point – he would not be joining us but would meet us at his office later for the return to our hotel (here was my rookie error, why was Ephrian not joining the climb!?).
Well, being here today, of course we had to do the walk – oh my goodness, with temperatures souring to over 38 degrees, air so humid oxygen seemed absent, steps, steps and more steep steps winding up this way and that (clearly whoever carved these was not 5 foot 1 inch like me but a long legged 7 foot!), the stunning views across the ocean adorned with mountains and the greenest of foliage, so picturesque (not sure why the vulture we passed en route was inwardly smiling!) but I have to say, thoughts of returning down the steps and to an air conditioned room had a bigger draw today and a lesson learned, if the guide isn’t walking it, there is a reason!
DAY ELEVEN
After a gentle wake up with no early morning itinerary, a leisurely breakfast followed by a relax by the pool, then switch to jungle clothes as we are heading for a boat trip to Damas Island.
Collected by Rayool we headed to collect our little boat to gently motor along the brackish waters, navigating through tunnels and avenues of swampy Mangroves whose tangled roots drooped effortlessly into the swamps awaiting the tidal waters full return for a long salty drink ….. These now protected forests surrounding Damas Islands are the homes to birds, crabs and reptiles and provide a safe place for fish to spawn – temporarily leaving the oceans to the sanctuary of the calm swampy waters where young can grow happily until they too are ready to return to the sea …
I have to say, the abundance of flies and nipping insects made us grateful for our jungle long sleeves and lengthy trousers – I sense the tourists aboard canoes, merrily paddling along in shorts and T shirts with nets over their faces might reap the itchy rewards later!
DAY TWELVE
Good morning Ephrain! He is back again, this time to collect us for the almost three hour transfer to our final destination, the Osa Peninsular. Main roads this time and a steady flow of traffic though towns, beautiful landscapes and villages to our initial stop aside the Sierpe river.
We bade goodbye to Ephrain and sat under the shady trees canopied with nesting birds whilst our suitcases were clad in plastic bags ready for the boat transfer to Casa Corcovado Lodge. Watching the little boat be filled with fruit, vegetables, eggs and juices, clearly this lodge, not accessible by road, was also going to receive its weekly shop as well as fresh guests!
Once all fellow passengers had arrived, we met our guide, Jonny, and boarded the speed boat to slowly float our way down the Sierpe river (taking in birds and floating hyacinths en route together with speed signs!) and along to the Pacific coast whereby our boat captain donned a different cap and tackled the waves with ease ….
Crossing the natural course of wave flow like a professional surfer in reverse, we (and our cases) dodged the soakings and eventually were met by calm waters, almost two hours later, land ahoy!
Once off the boat (was it just me that miscalculated the disembark as the wave crashed into the boat and soaked me!?) we walked a short distance before climbing aboard the lodge tractor trailer and headed up the steep elevation to our accommodation. Greeted most warmly by Steven the lodge Manager (his past career as a marine evident in his grooming, sharp haircut, stance and efficiently organised manner), we were fed a delicious lunch before being directed to our Spanish colonial style bungalow set within well-manicured grounds and wildlife calling. Once unpacked, time to freshen up and have a wander before dinner and a good sleep to the sound of the clicker-bugs calling (again …) .
DAY THIRTEEN
Call us lazy, but today we bailed the itinerary early morning planned walk around the Corcovado National Park and opted for 1, a lie in and 2, the solitude of the whole lodge grounds to ourselves whilst others completed the trek in the heat up hill and down dale!
Having completed the tick list of ‘dreamed of’ sightings, we now felt ‘complete’ and ready to stop and relax. So, once the other lodge guests had departed, we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast, then wandered the self-guided ‘gentle’ route around the lodge, navigating our way through the surrounding forest spotting insects and birds for now we know the calls of birds, we can mimic and attract a territorial mate (must be quite a shock that we don’t appear as expected on our mate’s arrival!);
we can see the spiders hiding in webs and busy insects nibbling away; spotted crested woodpeckers pecking; Macaws locating their nests and a Coati enjoying his prickly, freshly caught Iguana meal – nature presenting itself in all its glory to us explorers without us even trying … After a lovely lunch we had a good relax by the pool (dodging the many flies sipping nectar from the adjacent fruit trees and mistaking us for a sweet delight en route!) –
and then drifted in and out of a gentle afternoon snooze, wrapped in the heat to the sound of the birds daytime chatters until the lodge guests returned, sweaty and exhausted, reinforcing to us that our decision was the right one!
DAY FOURTEEN
Another early breakfast and this time in readiness for the Cano Island boat trip. Once my husband and others claimed their appropriately sized flippers and snorkel masks we headed downhill in the tractor trailer to our awaiting vessel. After 40 minutes bouncing up and down on the waves, we reached the ‘Coral Garden’. Me, not snorkelling confident these days, I stayed aboard the boat whilst others ‘fell’ overboard to float around ogling fish, corals and a turtle floating by with his little legs seemingly treading water beneath him – fortunately raising to the surface for me to peep too!
After an hour of snorkelling we headed to Cano Island to have a wander in the footsteps of pirates and, according to legend, Sir Francis Drake (though our mode of transport maybe a tad smaller than the Golden Hind!). I am not sure that Queen Elizabeth I would have been enthralled by our discovery – thousands of hermit crabs dashing about in a colourful array of shells for houses but they certainly kept me entertained as I considered, should I be a crab, which colour and shape of house I would choose!!
Back aboard the boat and a journey back to the lodge with Dolphins playfully enjoying our vessel’s wake and Manta Rays jumping from the water as if learning to fly with their rubbery wings. A beautiful lunch was waiting for us, laid out on tables on the Casa Corcovado long beach, the seas were glistening a turquoise blue and Mr ‘n’ Mrs Macaw peacefully groomed each other high in a palm tree – now breath and take all this in for we are memory gathering ….
DAY FIFTEEN
Home time. Packing done, breakfast enjoyed, tractor trailer to boat, boat across sea to Sierpe river.
Off boat to transfer vehicle to the airstrip on Drake Bay. Wait for ‘little plane’ (whoops, cases and me weighed again, thankfully a happy chap completing the admin this time and less eager to charge ‘over weight’ fees – either that or I have lost weight which is doubtful!), clamber aboard, 30 minute flight to San Jose and a few hours wait for British Airways to collect us for our return to Blighty.
FINALLY …
Costa Rica, a country cloaked in so many shades of green, interspersed with more colours than a rainbow. The scenery captivating with its undulations rolling up and down like a gently carpeted rollercoaster. Trees so tall with undergrowth rummaging beneath for a peak at the daylight, a sip of the rains, the warmth of the sun or the touch of moist humidity. The wildlife, whilst not as imposing as a gorilla, elephant or tiger, still capable of grabbing your attention and reinforcing its importance and purpose on the planet for this biological community plays a huge part, a balanced eco-system quietly surviving, begging man not to interfere or trample, just learn from. Yes there are waters to enjoy or man-made zip wires to ride, but just to stop, look and listen – deep within is a charm and beauty evident every single moment of the day or night for the jungle sounds never stop as creatures and plants live, die and repeat, as they always have. I expected to see birds, I hoped to see a Sloth, Tree Frog and Toucan, but I never anticipated such wondrous colours …. Someone has turned up the vibrancy button and I am not going to suggest for a single moment they turn it back down because this country, it looks utterly amazing! That was COSTA RICA ….
