Picture: Meggie and Liam on an open suspension bridge leading into the rain forest
This morning we took a bus up to the rain forest to explore a section of mostly new growth in Selvatura Park. Our plan was to acclimatize ourselves to the forest and to canopy tours in general before the ‘big’ zipline experience the following day. The rain misted on and off for the next few hours, but thankfully did not turn into a tropical downpour, which at this elevation, is chillingly cold.
Note: if you do spend money to go to a tourist park or activity like ziplining, they will often send out a van or small bus to pick you up from your lodgings. However, be patient as they do make a few stops so as to have a full bus to make it worth their while.
Right at the start we heard the eerie moaning howl of some strange creatures emanating from the mist. The sound was actually quite scary and disconcerting; kind of like a cross between a bear and some diabolical monster rising from the underworld. The mist only seemed to amplify the howls while hiding the creatures. As you may have guessed, the sound comes from the aptly named howler monkeys that forage in this area each day. We never did see them though.
The walk itself was great. Every tree was covered in moss and there were a multitude of other nameless plants hanging and and creeping all over. The sheer amount of plants were mind-boggling. I particularly enjoyed seeing wild orchids and other parasitic plants nestled into the spongy trunks of towering trees. Clouds and mist wafted past cool on our cheeks as crossed several huge hanging bridges amongst the trees. Some of these bridges were 500 feet long and over 100 feet above the ground. The air was cool and moist and the light was muted by the canopy overhead. We all loved the gently swaying bridges and the feeling of being up among the treetops.
Returning back to our little room, we ate a simple lunch and napped for a while recovering from the loss of sleep that sometimes presents itself in a new place with new sounds (especially a powerful thunderstorm and hours-long deluge from the night before). When we felt sufficiently rested we decided to try and find a massive hollow climbing tree that another young family had told us about this morning during breakfast. We had the general location of the tree in a section of woods on the edge of town, and had to look for one that towered above all others. We walked up steep little roads among b&b’s, small hotels and a variety of small homes. As we got close, a brown dog of dubious pedigree but friendly demeanor hauled itself up from its siesta in its owner’s front yard and led the way into the woods and onto each trailhead as we searched. The dog was a character and kind of matter of fact in his assumed role of guide. We found the tree in the middle of the humid forest and we all had a little climbing trial. I say trial as we were all a little perturbed by the thought of poisonous snakes and spiders that may be lurking in the shadows. This was of course our first experience being off trail in a tropical country and we hadn’t yet become used to it. The kids did great climbing and hanging. It was possible to climb way up inside or even all the way up on the outside as old vines had wrapped themselves around the entire span of the trunk. The dog waited patiently. Eventually we decided to head back to our b&b. When we returned down the road, our canine guide simply walked off to his property as though this was an everyday occurrence. Actually, we were sure it was!
Back at the b&b, Robyn and I laid out a map of Costa Rica and tentatively formed a plan of attack for the next 6 weeks. We’d started to notice that these tourist places were seemed to be mostly only really good for a few days as everything is geared towards tourists on buses from resorts or tours with money to burn and searching for the extreme experiences that Costa Rica offers. In other words, most people go on a tour to “do” the ziplines, or whitewater rafting, etc. Although this is fun and we also wanted to participate a little, it was not the basis of our trip. We wanted to really immerse ourselves in this lush country and to fully experience everything; the good, the bad, and the ugly. Added to which, we were going to have to do it on a super tight budget. Luckily for us, whenever we go anywhere we would rather do things that were free, although this could be a tad limiting. That’s why our kids have very low expectations as to being bought stuff. However, according to our tentative plan, we would still have up to 3 weeks relaxing by the beach near national parks after we’d circled and explored the entire country. Nice! Next up, a full-blown zipline (well, we have to, right?) and then on to the cloud forest (old-growth full of exotic fauna and flora) before heading to Essence near Arinal which would be lower in elevation.