Costa Rica is a truly magical place. But there was so much to do...so much to see in one short week! After perusing the internet, we decided our first leg of our journey was a whitewater rafting adventure down the Pacuare River. I had searched the internet for fabulous trips in CR and this place kept popping up. The photos were fabulous, the online reviews were great, so I went with my gut and we headed into the jungles of Pacuare.
After spending the night in San Jose (a direct flight from Phoenix to the capitol city was an added bonus), an early morning tour bus picked up us, along with eight more adventure seekers and we headed into destinations unknown. We stopped and had lunch at a roadside cafe that served authentic Costa Rican beans and rice along with delicious fruits and juices. We were traveling with a Elliot and Cristina, a honeymoon couple, Sandy, Brian, Drew and Bryce a family of four with two teenage boys, and Andrea, a single woman from London. It was all so exciting!
Three hours into our journey we made our way down a steep rocky road and pulled up next to a beautiful muddy river. The tour guides who had welcomed us onto the bus now turned us over to the awaiting white water river guides. Ivan and Luis gave us a quick instruction on how to navigate the waters of the river: forward paddle, back paddle, get down, high side right...man overboard?! and we were off.
We paddled our way in and out of Class 1, 2 and 3 rapids and yes, we did flip the boat one time -- poor Andrea absolutely petrified. (She reminded me of Kate Winslet from the movie Holiday -- fresh from a break up and death of her father, seeking a change of scenery and an quiet hammock in the jungle.) After surfing another set of rapids, pausing for a rock climb to a beautiful swimming hole, and paddling through the most beautiful rainforest I had ever seen, we arrived at the amazing Pacuare Lodge.
More adventure stories to come.....
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