Falling for Costa Rica

Have I mentioned that I don't like extreme things? My idea of an extreme sport is extreme reading -- it's where you read with the TV on -- so how did I end up zip lining today?

I am a good older sister, that's how.

We got a shuttle from our hostel at 10:30 and were on our way to Extremo Canopy Tours and Bungee Jumping (I think that's the name. Extremo was definitely in there).

They start off by putting you in a harness which feels like a permanent wedgie in the front and back. I mean, I'd prefer having underwear up my butt to falling to my death but it's not pleasant. (Like I said, dying would be worse, but wedgies are not fun). They also give you a helmet -- mine didn't fit properly, which was reassuring. The helmets had mounts for GoPros, which Whitney attached hers too (second mistake of the day -- first one was me agreeing to this insanity).

Next came the instructions, which did not make me feel better because it meant we were getting closer to actually zip lining.  And then yeah, zip lining.

It was pretty. Like pretty scary. The views were cool but views can also be great without hanging out a cable over a canyon.

Now the second mistake I mentioned... Whitney managed to hit her head and break her GoPro case coming in on the seventh course. This sent the tiny camera flying into the cloud forest. Whitney kept her cool and I immediately went to pieces. To their credit, everyone with Extremo was incredibly helpful. They kept looking with us and after 40 minutes, right as Whitney started to give up, they found it. Against all odd, they found it. It sucks that the case is no longer with us but the camera is the most important part and we are now guarding it with our lives.

Since I was emotionally destroyed and Whitney was exhausted, we decided to cut our losses and skip out on the rest of the zip lining. We went back to the office and got drinks but, there is always a silver lining, because having ditched the tour, Whitney and I saw two wild scarlet macaws! If you don't know what a scarlet macaw is from the name alone, you've certainly seen one -- they're the giant red parrots. They were gorgeous and I managed to get a picture from just a few feet away -- with one of them looking directly at me.

Now, I am not crazy but Whitney is and after the GoPro fiasco, she was still going to go through with her second task of the day. She was literally falling for Costa Rica; Whit was going bungee jumping.

This was way too extreme for me but I was the official photographer/videographer. She screamed all the way down. It was over 100 meters but she did it! She also bought a DVD of her jump and some photos (except we can't really watch it because we don't have a DVD player here, oh well).

When we were done, we got ice cream because a) it's National Ice cream sandwich day back home and b) it's ice cream.  We also treated ourselves to dinner at The Tree House Restaurant, which is a restaurant that has been built around a giant tree. It was kind of weird eating next to a branch but I got really good fried calamari and fish soup.

Now I must pack, even though I am thoroughly exhausted, because we leave for Jaco at 8:15 am!!