There were many ways for us to explore the beauty of Costa Rica. By air, water, and land. To spice up the adrenaline we went for a flight in chiropters. Seeing each other fly over the primary and secondary forests made us feel on top of the world! On top of that, we got a lesson in forest preservation from the landowners while flying! Horseback riding brought us back into Costa Rican history in which horses were used to bring children to school in the morning. As we did not have to watch our steps we could easily enjoy the beautiful forest from the horses’ backs. Then the canoe was the perfect combination of relaxation and adrenaline. Overall we paddled easily through the water. This was until we heard something fall into the water right next to us.. Knowing that 1-meter-long caimans live in the water, we did feel some adrenaline in the canoe.
We were lucky enough to celebrate the new year on the Caribbean coast. We were pleasantly surprised when we saw how the Tico's spend the new year. In the Netherlands it is customary to go to your grandmother with a little hangover, grab a coffee and go back home to sleep again. In Costa Rica everybody grabs a grill and drives to the beach. It was insanely busy but beautiful to see. Everywhere were family's grilling, eating and enjoying each others company. We were one of the few tourists, but were more than welcome to enjoy the day as much as they did!
Being in a country, far from our home, always makes us excited. Excited because there is a whole new world that we can explore but also because you don't know what to expect. It didn't take long for us to feel safe in Costa Rica. In the places we stayed we had the feeling of being part of something. We noticed that we weren't the only ones that felt safe. During the trip we met a lot of families with young children. We were inspired by the way they traveled with their kids, in a place where kids could be kids.
There are animals that do want to meet you
Adios!