The past few years we've dedicated mid-winter break to skiing in order to make the most of our overpriced Ikon passes. The ultimate first world problem is that January and February are the months I most want to escape the gloomy Pacific Northwest. Last year, after spring break, I saw friends posting ski photos from Mount Bachelor. It was a real light bulb moment: we could do our ski trip in April and go somewhere warm in February?! Sign me up. With that profound realization, I dreamed up a trip to Costa Rica and convinced Steve and Paula to come with us. The seven of us rented an amazing house in the jungle and spent a week living the Pura Vida.
One of our first mornings we toured Manuel Antonio National Park with a lovely guide named Vivi. Through a telescope we spotted small animals and a mama-and-baby sloth way up in the trees. Vivi explained that we were lucky to see their faces and that it's rare to catch them moving at all, as sloths only come down once a week to poop and pee. We were excited but slightly let down by this experience. After our African safari I wondered if anything else would ever live up. Luckily, that didn't prove to be true and our most incredible animal moments came from outside the national park. The monkeys frequented our neighborhood, so each morning we'd go for a stroll to watch them interact, and on many occasions they came to us, swimming in the pool or swinging from the branch just above it. White-faced and squirrel monkeys were everywhere, and the macaws and toucans made frequent appearances while we relaxed on the patio.
The ultimate animal sighting came on our way to the airport. We were leaving town and Wes lamented that he hadn't purchased a sloth stuffy. At the intersection we had to turn left for the airport or right to pop into town for that last souvenir. What to do, what to do? Just turn right and let him get the stuffy — when will we be back in Costa Rica? So right we turned, and there on the side of the road was a sloth making his way down a tree. We pulled over and had the delight of watching him make his trek back up with every bit of laborious deliberateness I'd expected. Such a magical moment that made our trip feel complete.
Early in the week we went down to the beach for sunset and met a local surfer named Alex, who taught Owen about the healing powers of coconut water, grabbing one off a tree and dumping it on his face. He shared that Americans spend all their money on doctors while in Costa Rica they rely on the medicinal properties of their natural resources. This interaction was the highlight of Owen's trip. His passion for connecting with people is really something special.
The lowlight of the trip was Wes getting sick mid-week, he was febrile on the morning of our zip line reservation, so he, Ty, and Paula missed that adventure. Zip lining was a bucket list item for me and those of us who got to go had a great time. I expected it to be scary but it wasn't at all, and the jungle views were really cool. We took it easy for a few days while Wes recovered, and though Hazel never mounted a fever she was tired and cranky for a few days as well. Similar to Mexico, there were multiple ailments — Wes and Hazel both got chafed nipples and bug bites, and Paula injured her leg.
We spent lots of time lounging and swimming at the house, played many rounds of Jenga, had some lovely meals out, and did some cooking at home. We frequented the beach and shops for souvenirs. Since Wes missed zip lining we booked an ATV tour that included a hike to a waterfall. Paula had a tough time on the ATV and got hurt, but the kids still had fun. The kids love traveling with grandparents and they bring their best selves when they're around. Extended family cements the core memories.
Another highlight for me was learning about Costa Rica itself. It's a safe, progressive country that abolished its military in 1948 and funneled government spending into healthcare and education. They have robust public health policies and are the only country in Central America with safe drinking water. Our experiences with the people were full of warmth and kindness.
Looking back, we've done a lot of travel in the past eighteen months and animals have been a core theme, from the African savanna, to the plains of Wyoming, to the jungle of Costa Rica. We've had some incredible experiences as a family. And though I say it often, it bears repeating: these moments really do mean everything to me.
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