This morning at breakfast Michelle confesses that she and Steve got lost on the way to breakfast, and had to ask for directions. The hotel complex is a reasonable size, but not that big! I think we have to review last nights photos to find the real reason why they got lost!
Today we get chance to raft down a river for a couple of hours, whilst our new bikes (for Costa Rica) are set up for us.
This is a great way to spend the time, and we get to see a crocodile, baby owls, iguanas, lots of bird life, lots of monkeys and a snake.
When the snake was spotted I could not see it at all, so the guide brought the raft closer and closer to the river bank, until we were all caught up in the bushes. I realise that the snake was probably right in front of my face as everyone else started shuffling backwards. I was torn between wanting to see the snake and having the hebee gebees and wanting to run away. Fortunately, I did eventually spot the snake, a very well camouflaged brown vine snake, that was indeed inches in front of my nose.
We ended the trip with some of the freshest, juiciest pineapple on the planet.
Next, we get to try our new bikes on a short flat 15 mile beautifully tarmac-ed road. Today, we have a demon of a tailwind. I've never ridden in anything like it before. You got to ride uphill without pedaling, put your bike into its highest gear and not be able to add any momentum. We were all flying.
Near the beginning, my chain jams, so I am dropped. Stuart stays with me, and it is fixed very quickly. We really put the hammer down, and are soon zipping along at over 30mph (on the flat). To my sheer delight, we catch the group up and have to slow down to around 20mph. I realise that I hugely prefer road riding, to the mucky dirt trails that mountain bikers love.
Stuart, Chris and Anne also loved this ride. Chris was taking some video footage on his go pro and when he turned round and saw the massive grin on my face, he suggested I ride past so he could capture the sheer joy in my face. I will reserve a spot in this blog to add the video clip, as soon as it is made available!
<space for video clip!>
After lunch the plan is to ride a few more miles, which begin with a 3km climb. The top of the hill is covered in cloud, and we have no lights. The ride is abandoned after 2.7 miles. (36 minutes, average speed 4.4mph, compared to a 38 minute ride this morning at an average speed of over 20mph!)
On the way back down the hill, we see several stunning rainbows over the lake. The bus comes to a stop so that we can get out and take pictures. My camera could not do this justice!
If we give any awards on this holiday, then we need a special category for Steve, who got out of the bus, and then took a picture of the bus!
Eventually, we arrive at a funky lodge, which seems to be run by the last of the hippies. It's very laid back, and a great place to just chill, and maybe partake of a homemade chocolate brownie.
We all get our own individual bungalows, which have a bath with fantastic views out towards the lake. Hopefully, the mist will completely clear in the morning.
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