5 years ago, my friend Priscilla wanted me to go with her to Central or South America. And to be honest, at first I had absolutely no interest whatsoever - having never been to either Central or South America before, I've got to say that I was a bit intimidated with the idea at the time. My initial response was that I didn't want to go. Simple as that.
Well within a few weeks of that conversation, I was hanging out with a ski bum buddy of mine and we were chatting about summer skiing in Chile. Now this was definitely something that I have always wanted to do (still on my "bucket list")!
Can you imagine skiing in the summer?!
If you are anywhere near as in love with skiing as I am, then I know that you can understand and that you probably dream about it the same way that I do!
If you are not a skier, then just follow along for the fun of it...
So back to this buddy of mine, we'll call him 'Charlie'. He informs me that he already had plans of heading down to Chile at the end of the month!
In my mind, I was wondering why the heck did you wait until now to tell me about this?! Leaving me no time to plan and come along... I know, I wasn't exactly being invited to join - but I so wanted to go!
Sure you are wondering why I didn't just plan my own trip to Chile...
Well for starters, as much as I enjoy my own company, I really am not a fan of skiing solo.
And planning a trip like this takes time, there is no way that I could get my friends onboard for a trip of this proportion that was leaving so soon.
Not to mention that I already had another trip planned at the beginning of July, and one at the beginning of August that I needed to be back in time for - ya know packing and repacking (afterall..each of these trips do need to have a different wardrobe)!
What happened next was that I was SUPER jealous, Charlie was leaving in a couple of weeks and I was just gonna be home until July... I couldn't stand the thought! I needed a distraction! So, I called Priscilla back and told her that I was in! Let's go to Costa Rica!!!
While a great many stories took place while we were in Costa Rica, the one that I'll share with you today is our hiking adventure in the Monte Verde Cloud Forest:
Well within a few weeks of that conversation, I was hanging out with a ski bum buddy of mine and we were chatting about summer skiing in Chile. Now this was definitely something that I have always wanted to do (still on my "bucket list")!
Can you imagine skiing in the summer?!
If you are anywhere near as in love with skiing as I am, then I know that you can understand and that you probably dream about it the same way that I do!
If you are not a skier, then just follow along for the fun of it...
So back to this buddy of mine, we'll call him 'Charlie'. He informs me that he already had plans of heading down to Chile at the end of the month!
In my mind, I was wondering why the heck did you wait until now to tell me about this?! Leaving me no time to plan and come along... I know, I wasn't exactly being invited to join - but I so wanted to go!
Sure you are wondering why I didn't just plan my own trip to Chile...
Well for starters, as much as I enjoy my own company, I really am not a fan of skiing solo.
And planning a trip like this takes time, there is no way that I could get my friends onboard for a trip of this proportion that was leaving so soon.
Not to mention that I already had another trip planned at the beginning of July, and one at the beginning of August that I needed to be back in time for - ya know packing and repacking (afterall..each of these trips do need to have a different wardrobe)!
What happened next was that I was SUPER jealous, Charlie was leaving in a couple of weeks and I was just gonna be home until July... I couldn't stand the thought! I needed a distraction! So, I called Priscilla back and told her that I was in! Let's go to Costa Rica!!!
While a great many stories took place while we were in Costa Rica, the one that I'll share with you today is our hiking adventure in the Monte Verde Cloud Forest:
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Set high atop the spine of Costa Rica’s continental divide, Monteverde is a world above the coastal towns that dot the country's famous shoreline. It is a place of cloud forests and coffee plantations, monkeys, mist, and friendly locals. The town of Santa Elena is small and quaint, filled with tasty restaurants and folksy artisan shops, while the nearby rainforest hosts a remarkable amount of biodiversity.
Due to its high altitude – some 4,662 ft (1,440 m) above sea level – Monteverde is privileged to receive a steady supply of clouds and the life-giving moisture that they contain. This moisture, often in the form of fog, catches on the branches of the tallest trees and drips down to the other organisms below.
Due to its high altitude – some 4,662 ft (1,440 m) above sea level – Monteverde is privileged to receive a steady supply of clouds and the life-giving moisture that they contain. This moisture, often in the form of fog, catches on the branches of the tallest trees and drips down to the other organisms below.
On this day, Priscilla and I had set out to hike in the cloud forest. Just the sound of it sounded magical! We chose a trail and off we went.
Carrying several cameras on my body. I probably looked just a bit ridiculous.
We wondered through the lush plants, amazed by the diversity, found vines to swing on - it's a must to channel your inner Jane (Tarzan and Jane).
Carrying several cameras on my body. I probably looked just a bit ridiculous.
We wondered through the lush plants, amazed by the diversity, found vines to swing on - it's a must to channel your inner Jane (Tarzan and Jane).
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As we hiked, it was obvious that they must've received quite a bit of rain from a recent storm that we encountered. The trail was quite muddy, the sticky kind of mud that's really not good for your shoes :-/
We stayed on trail, continuing to enjoy our day in the wild, breathing in the fresh air, taking in all of the beauty, when all of a sudden I heard something very very loud and very very close!
We said nothing.
But all of a sudden Priscilla and I had picked up our pace as though in complete sync. We were obviously hurrying away from our previous stop in a mode of fear!
We were spooked, out of breath and a good distance from where we were when we both looked at each other with a wide eyed glance, and again almost in sync asked the other
"Did you hear that?!"
It was an awful ROAR, that had to be within feet of where we were standing (before we jammed further up the trail). "YES! Let's get outta here!!!"
We stayed on trail, continuing to enjoy our day in the wild, breathing in the fresh air, taking in all of the beauty, when all of a sudden I heard something very very loud and very very close!
We said nothing.
But all of a sudden Priscilla and I had picked up our pace as though in complete sync. We were obviously hurrying away from our previous stop in a mode of fear!
We were spooked, out of breath and a good distance from where we were when we both looked at each other with a wide eyed glance, and again almost in sync asked the other
"Did you hear that?!"
It was an awful ROAR, that had to be within feet of where we were standing (before we jammed further up the trail). "YES! Let's get outta here!!!"
Then the rain started and the trail quickly turned into a flowing stream.
Hiking through several inches of muddy water, attempting to keep all my electronics dry, we figured that we really need to get back!
But which way was closer, where were we on the trail?
And we certainly didn't want to pass what we assumed to be a Jaguar (plenty of those up there).
Finally we passed a couple who also seem eager to get out of this down pour, we were all so happy to see each other (although we didn't know each other, it was nice to see another human!)
Both parties asked the other how much further until the end of the trail - none of us had the answer but assumed that we've come further and each continue in the same direction.
Soaked and sopping to the bone we made it back safe and sound. Thank God!
And the rest of the day I had to walk in my very damaged shoes that were definitely going straight into the garbage just as soon as I can take them off and reveal my painfully pruned feet!
-T
Hiking through several inches of muddy water, attempting to keep all my electronics dry, we figured that we really need to get back!
But which way was closer, where were we on the trail?
And we certainly didn't want to pass what we assumed to be a Jaguar (plenty of those up there).
Finally we passed a couple who also seem eager to get out of this down pour, we were all so happy to see each other (although we didn't know each other, it was nice to see another human!)
Both parties asked the other how much further until the end of the trail - none of us had the answer but assumed that we've come further and each continue in the same direction.
Soaked and sopping to the bone we made it back safe and sound. Thank God!
And the rest of the day I had to walk in my very damaged shoes that were definitely going straight into the garbage just as soon as I can take them off and reveal my painfully pruned feet!
-T
