AN AMAZING SERIES OF FIRSTS

The author and her daughter on recent trip to Costa Rica

One could argue that everything about the “Trek Hidden Costa Rica” tour that my daughter and I took this summer was new. It was our first vacation together that was not an annual summer trip to the family homestead in San Antonio, Texas.  Secondly, every day on the trip posed a significant number of phenomenal ‘firsts’ and challenges- both physical and mental – as we took this amazing trek through the jungles and beaches of Costa Rica.  So herewith are my top 5 ‘firsts’ as compared to my daughter’s, who is 16 years old.

CLAIRE:

• hiking 8 miles deep into the Costa Rican jungle with a pack on my back, one minute in the blazing sun and the next minute in a torrential downpour without uttering a word of complaint – too much in awe of the flora and fauna in the tropical rainforest
• filling my water bottle from the cascade of pure, clear water from a jungle waterfall
• waking in the total darkness of a cave (where we overnighted) with the barest illumination coming from moonlight diffused through the waterfall at the entrance to the cave – very magical indeed
• the rush of adrenaline from taking the lead position in a white water raft on a river with Class III rapids – I felt like Indiana Jones and I never wanted to stop
• the camaraderie forged with the other tour participants – miles of hiking through mud, mosquitoes, wet socks and boots and sunburn with like-minded, good natured eco-buffs from around the world

KITTY:

• meeting new friends from all around the world
• staying in the cave, along with all of the activities at the caves (cliff diving, rappelling over a waterfall)
• hiking into the jungle and the rainforest, so many new sights and sounds
• being immersed in the Costa Rican culture, so it wasn’t as much of a traditional tour
• white water rafting

Before we left on this adventure I said to myself “Just say ‘yes’ to every activity and every opportunity to try something new and don’t ever look down” and I’m glad that I followed that paradigm – this trip was full of amazing adventures and we experienced all of them. – Claire, August 2104