TRAVEL MATTERS to get up close and personal with some rather large amphibians and reptiles. Snake holding was entirely optional and I elected to observe proceedings from a distance. Our coach was amazing. Brand new with superb air-conditioning it was a welcome retreat from the heat of the day and this is incredible... Wi-Fi and internet connection was available as we drove along. This country never fails to surprise and nearly always in a good way. Our next two nights were spent at the Arenal Paraiso Resort & Spa where apparently all rooms have a volcano view. Perhaps I was just unlucky, still the opportunity to try out the thermal pools was too good to resist and my new friend Ian and I set off to explore. The water in the pools is strangely yellow in colour due to its mineral content and as you move higher so they get warmer. We were enjoying one of the hotter pools when the heavens opened, so there we sat for an hour. We could easily have had a beer in one hand and an umbrella in the other, bizarre. Day five broke with bright sunshine and to my amazement there right in front of my room was a massive volcano. The cloud that had hidden it the previous evening was gone. I’m very relieved that I didn’t complain to reception about the view. This was definitely walking day (hence the sturdy trainers) and a morning hike up the volcano was followed by an afternoon of hanging bridges all at eye-level within the lush jungle canopy. Think of the bridge that celebrities cross as they are voted out of the jungle and you’ve got a good picture. The next day’s journey to the Caribbean coast was broken-up with the ultimate holiday thrill. Zip-wiring through the tree-tops must be one of the most exhilarating things I have ever done. I was terrified on the first platform and I’m not really sure how I managed to take the plunge. After a while I was enjoying every moment and I savoured the last couple of descents. I wonder if I will ever experience anything like it again. The beaches at our final port of call, Manuel Antonio National Park, were stunning and our hotel, the Parador Resort & Spa was exceptionally good. If this had just been a beach holiday then I would have been more than happy to spend a week here, but that would be to miss the point. You may only visit Costa Rica once so take a tour like I did and experience “Pura Vida” for yourself.
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The Plymouth Magazine September 2017
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