Costa Rica: Reclaiming My Magic
Last summer, I boarded a plane just hours before the moving truck left my new home. Was I insane?! Who closes on a new house and flies off to Costa Rica 2 days later? This girl, right here!
Let me say that this trip had been planned for MONTHS. Even before I'd started searching for a home to purchase. I never thought I'd be cutting it so close, though. Looking back, I see what happened: who told me to buy a home during Mercury Retrograde?!
Papers disappeared, people didn't get my emails, documentation upon documentation upon documentation was requested. The same damn thing over and over again. It left me frustrated and drained.
In the end, I got my house and that's what mattered. For weeks beforehand, I considered canceling the trip, losing the money I'd paid into it (the best part about this trip is that I just put a little something on it every month. I don't think I would've been able to go otherwise. Thanks, Tawanna!) and just forget about the whole thing.
My brother and cousin said they'd take care of the last bits of the move and I packed hastily and wondered if I'd lost my mind.
Costa Rica was magical. It was exactly what I needed. And it was a reminder that I don't travel enough. I don't slow down enough. I don't treat myself enough. I will never forget this trip. How powerful and strong I felt throughout. Not just physically but spiritually as well.
From the minute we got to the hotel, I sat outside with an aguas fresca and watched rain come down with a beautiful sunset behind it. I fell in love with my travel mates immediately. Christie was my roommate and though we travel in the same online circles, we'd never met. Isn't it funny how that happens?
Our hotel room overlooked a volcano that wouldn't come out of the clouds the first day.
Let me say that I made the mistake of trusting Tawanna in the planning of this trip. Which led me to a 50 million mile trek in a rain forest that had 32k hanging bridges (note: I AM AFRAID OF HEIGHTS). It also led me to zip lines (note: NOT ONE BUT 7 OF THEM!). Tawanna is deceitful as hell!
Arenal Hanging Bridges Park
Because I am 12, I'd be remiss if I didn't show you a picture of the penis tree. These are its roots y'all!!!!!
We saw all kinds of amazing plants and animals. Like these leaf cutter ants making their way from one side of the rain forest to the other.
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At some point I realized I wasn't going to be able to capture everything on film.
So I tried my best to capture it in my heart. Like the fact that everywhere I went, I was met with birds of paradise, one of Mami's favorite flowers.
We did approximately 18 million things on the first day. Things I wouldn't normally have put on my travel agenda. But, I pushed myself and worked through my fears.
La Fortuna Waterfall
Our second stop of the day was at La Fortuna Waterfall. To say it was breathtaking is an understatement.
This is the view from the top. And we were supposed to go to the bottom. Our guide, Brandon (who was ridiculously knowledgeable during this entire day) casually mentioned that it's 500 steps to the bottom. Oh, okden. Did I mention we'd already walked through an entire rain forest?
It wasn't easy but it got done. And it was worth it!
Throughout this trip, I felt connected, not only to nature but to the magic within me. I believe this trip dislodged the things I've always been aware of but hadn't taken the time in many years to get reacquainted with. I dipped my feet in the cold water and enjoyed the magic with my squad.
Volcano!
After hiking our asses back up to the top, we had one other thing on the agenda (I told you Tawanna was evil, didn't I?).
We ran over to where the last volcano erupted (I think in 1993?). Brandon once again showered us with knowledge on both the area, the volcano, as well as the flora and fauna before and after the eruption.
This climb didn't seem as bad but then again, we'd made it through 6 million steps across a rain forest with venomous snakes and 500 steps two ways to the waterfall so, this seemed like a cakewalk! I was happy it was done. Can you tell?
Little did I know 7 zip lines, me parting the clouds to show a friggin' volcano, and one crazy trip to Nicaragua lay ahead...stay tuned!