Rainy season is here, and it has come in with a bang. Heavy rains have muddied our time here in Puerto Viejo on the last leg of our Costa Rican journey. The wet and humid atmosphere on the Caribbean Coast has brought out an abundance of eager mosquitos as well, feasting on us at all hours of the day; I have so many bites, I’ve actually lost count. To boot, we had no running water in all of Talamanca the other day, leaving us unable to use toilets, showers, or do dishes. Plus, not being able to do any laundry because the humidity and rain won’t allow them to dry, isn’t ideal either. First world problems as they may be, we’ve been a bit grumpy to say the least. It’s a gamble travelling through rainy season, one which we took because of the extra savings we were able to procure. Now we’re left wondering how we will fair in Bocas del Toro and beyond. Out of our 7 nights here, we have managed 2 overcast days, 2 sunny days, and 3 days of torrential downpour. Not a bad average I suppose, but when you’re eager to get out and do things, 3 days of downtime can seem like a lifetime. Living in Canada you learn to “hibernate” in the winter time, which is the kind of life we are desperately trying to escape. Mitigating this will be a challenge; finding indoor activities can be difficult, especially ones worth your time and money.
Playa Negra
However it’s not all doom and gloom. We managed to get out on the water the past two days for our very first surfing lessons, which were awesome! I’ve always wanted to learn and I was so excited to finally give it a go. I didn’t manage to stand on the board...yet, but did pretty well overall for a first try. Thomas faired a bit better than me, as expected, and isn’t nearly as sore as me today (whatever). It’s tough as hell, and you use muscles you didn’t even know you had, but I really want to continue and push through. I can’t wait for the day when I can conquer a giant wave, all on my own. What a feeling that must be! We also made it out to Cahuita National Park for a beautiful beach day at Playa Blanca. You really get to appreciate the fact that you are in the Caribbean here. The water is warm and turquoise, and the sand is white and beautiful. I even tried a bit of sudo snorkelling from the beach, which was another first for me. Thomas showed me how to breathe through the tube, and get my bearings face down in the water. These are the things this trip are really about for me. Trying new things and growing beyond my former self. Saying goodbye to any form of a comfort zone, and jumping in, feet first. Speaking of, maybe now that I’m feeling daring, we’ll add in a cliff jump somewhere.
Cahuita National Park
The best part is that we are learning to roll with the punches, and to always make the best of any situation. Ups and downs will occur no matter where you are, where you escape to, or hide away from. Even paradise has its flaws, but that is no accident. No one would know how to appreciate the great, without the lousy. We’re learning to treat each day as its own galaxy, and it’s expanding our universe exponentially.
Puerto Viejo
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