Trek Across Costa Rica
Trip Start
Unknown
1
3
Trip End
Ongoing
Turrialba, Province of Cartago, Costa Rica
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Just back from my second phase of Raleigh so read on for another update if interested.
Phase 2 has been a completely different experience to phase 1. Phase 2 saw me tasked with taking a group trekking from one side of the Costa Rica (Caribbean Coast) to the other (Pacific) over 19 days. It was one of the things that originally interested me in Raleigh in the first place and did not disappoint, it was a really cool experience.
I must admit to being a tad nervous at the start both from possibly talking up my trekking experience so that I could lead a group (and therefore navigational abilities etc) and from the stories that I had heard back from the groups that had done this as part of phase 1. The stories from both venturers and project managers having a pretty tough time over some pretty challenging days were reasonably grim.
So I headed off on this phase with a little bit of trepedation which kept me on my toes for the first few days. On day one when my team questioned me on whether I was MLT trained (Moutain Leader Trained) and found out I wasn't I think there were a few nervous giggles. However I am glad to say that this wasn't an issue and fortunately I had a cracker group who were right up for it and who I managed not to lead too far astray.
Effectively we were dropped off with full backpacks with tents, food and everything required for 19 days tekking (approx 25kgs on the back) expect for 3 food drops we received on route and had to walk right the way across Costa Rica. It was a pretty fantastic experience in that we got to experience most of what Costa Rica has to offer including amazing jungles, unbelievably welcoming people, picture perfect rivers, and amazing beaches.
Costa Rica is a very mountainous country so we spent the middle 7 or 8 days at above 2000m which meant it was pretty mild especially at night. It also meant some massive days climbing some pretty steep roads and jungle tracks with the highest altitude reached being 2800m.
Our days roughly went something like get up at 3.30am, ready by 5 or 5.30am stretch, perform the haka (yes I have now completed my very first haka class which went down surprisingly well) and head off walking. We would walk on average 15km's a day and between 6 and 11hrs depending on the hardness of the terrain, the rain and how buggered everyone was.
As I say I was blessed with a reallly good group of venturers who all got on really well, who were determined to finsh and help each other through. So apart from the odd frustration, and quite a few blisters there were no hassles with the group.
If we reached our spot early we would chill out in the the afternoons, do a yoga session with Ronny (the local Costa Rican PM who was with me) and hang out playing cards or having cups of tea. 7pm wasn't too early to be in bed. We would either be camping, staying in community centres, or literally staying in peoples house who we had met along the way which actually happened a couple of times! We got to some pretty remote areas of CR and it really did show you how hospitable the lcoals are when they let 14 random and pretty manky looking tourists stay in their house giving you coffee etc. Even when you happened to block their toilets (which happened very regularly) they would just laugh it off and were more concerned that you had enjoyed yourself than anything else.
A really interesting point is that some guru has apparently classified the worlds natural habitats into 35 different types and Costa Rica has 19 of these within it (some of these only found in Costa Rica). This meant the terrain was surprisingly different depending on altitude and the part of the country you were in. I found it quite amazing that in parts you could have been in NZ with massive ferns, bouldered rivers and the thick green mossy vegetation that was around.
Some key highlights were:
Puma siting: we saw a Puma literally 5 meters away from us who stopped checked us out and sprung off a tree and ran off which was pretty spectacular and very rare apparently.
Haka: Teaching the haka to 13 keen venturers, the AB's now have 13 extra supporters for the world cup. Must be a fairly funny site seeing 14 puny whitys perfomring it...
Yoga: Getting in touch with spiritual side and doing yoga in some pretty spectacular places
The Beach: reaching the beach at the end and random party, dancing and general shinannigans that followed.
Snake: Almost standing on snake at camp site at the end, not sure if it was poiseness but pretty freaky
Eating: eating wild fruit growing on the side of the road or in the jungle, everything from bananas, to passionfruit, to a type of guava and plenty of wild berries.
Drunk Tour Guide:We had organised a local indigneous guide for 2 days through a particularly thick part of the jungle, who turned up at 6am on the first morning totally off his face. This was actually quite funny but meant it took us a few hrs to organise another one and ended getting to our destination not too far before dark and making it a pretty tough day.
Weight loss programme: I have lost heaps of weight and am feeling quite skinny and puny right now.
So, all in all a pretty awesome experience and really felt like I have seen and experience a fair crack of what Coast Rica has to offer, would be great to head back here with some friends one day and do a similar thing, I would be suprised if you would have to camp one night as the locals would be falling over you to stay at their places.
So my favourite phase so far and really enjoyed it. Am struggling for a little bit of motivation for phase 3 but am sure it will be all good. Heading into the jungle for this to do an environametal project helping to finish of a veiwing platform up a volcano.
Hope all is well in NZ and that everyone is buying the very reasonably priced AB's jerseys.
Cam
Comments
Sounds awesome! Looking forward to hearing the full interpretation of the word shenanigans upon your return. On holiday in France, having a great time (no weight loss though) catch you soon
Xoxo
Sounds brilliant mate. Sign me up for the return trip!
Your the Man Cam,
Great to see you thriving and doing what you love. Inspirational
Mike