Back to good ole California

The time has finally come to say goodbye to my friends from California.  We had a nice send off party, Sherrelle did all the cooking for her friends at her hall.  We than proceeded to go have a few cocktails at Coco's Bar.  The next day I said good bye to them as they were leaving for rafting on Monday and I was turtle walking that evening.  

It was sad to see them go and I wish them the best of luck!  Needless to say I learned a lot while they were here and am glad for the experiences I shared with them.  I am excited for my journey to continue solo though!  

Thunderstorms

Wellllll as it would be the rain has returned.  This time not just rain has come but thunderstorms.  Since I was exhausted from a long day and night before with turtle watching, I decided that it would be the perfect time to be at home.  My California friends had left that morning and I thought yes a nice relaxing night to myself.  I cleaned up (which you have to do everyday here), I started reading Anne Frank in the hammock, just relaxed.  It was nice to be in the house with the windows open and to just be home.  

The lighting and thunder started incredibly early.  It's always nice having it storm when you are home safely and warm.  

I got into bed at around 8:30 with the intention of reading, slept took me over at around 9.  I decided not to fight it and turned out the lights.  Which is of course when the storm took it's strength.  I did not sleep well last night due to the fact that the thunder was literally shaking my entire cabina.  At first I was like this is kind of fun and than when the cabina started shaking, I actually was afraid.  I cant' remember the last time I was afraid during a thunderstorm.  Which of course is not counting tornado's, but in my defense the last freak out I had was sooo Alex's fault!  She called me from the library saying there was a tornado warning, which of course freaked me out since where was I going to hide in my apartment.  When I ran out to tell Rob and Eric they look at me like I was the dumbest thing and told me I could go hide on my own if I wanted.  Needless to say I did not hide and pretty sure there was never a warning.... like I said soooo your fault Alex!!!  

It stormed today literally from 8 at night till 12 this afternoon!!!!! UGH rain!

(I have a feeling that this rain is here to stay for a while!) :(

Morning Surprise

This morning after reaching home after 2:30 in the morning from turtle watching, I fought hard to get up.  I got up and laid back down around 4 times, finally laying in bed I was looking out my window and saw a tan colored object moving in the tree.  I sat up, curious what it was I was looking at.  After a few seconds passed, an arm reached out and there was eyes.  There was a sloth eating right in my backyard.  I was soooo excited, however was late for work so was unable to take a photo.  It was a two fingered sloth! 

I have attached a photo of a two fingered sloth that was taken back in January, when mom and Alex and I went to the sloth refuge here in Cahuita.  Not the best picture, but it's one we took!   It's also of a baby.  

Turtle Watching

Last week while working, I met a girl named Katherine who volunteered last year with the turtle center here in Cahuita.  She had lived here for three months and came back to work on her masters which involved interviewing and getting to know the lives of poachers.  I was very interested and told her I had been interested in looking into the turtle watching but that hadn't had a chance yet.  She invited me to come walking one night with them, which happened to be this past Sunday at around 8.

I called on Sunday to make sure it was still ok for me to come, Jairo (the tour guide or leader) told me to arrive at 9 instead.  I was to wear all black and it would be a four hour hike on the beach.  Two hours one way and two hours back.  

I took a taxi to Puerto Vargas which is around 3 or 4 miles, but at night is to long of a distance for me to be walking by myself.  Upon arriving, I met three other volunteers and Jairo.  Typically, you pay to volunteer which is around 20 dollars and includes meals and lodging.  

We left at 9 and headed towards the beach, where we started heading towards Puerto Viejo.  I was sooo excited, I didn't really think we would see a turtle seeing as how it's about 50/50.  The beach however is one of my favorite places to be at night and seeing as how I can't go by myself this was the perfect opportunity for me.  It's something about how the waves hit beach and the lighting of it all, it's breathtaking and peaceful for me.  SOoo I was pumped to just be there.  Not to mention being a new at this turtle searching thing, you think everything is a turtle.  Oohh could be that be one.  Jairo was just laughing at me the entire time, I didn't realize why he was laughing at me until he and two other guides kind of started walking really quickly.  

All of a sudden there was large patch of sand that was almost black, I had a hard time grasping what was going on since we were in the dark!  However when we got closer, there she was.  My jaw dropped in amazement at her size, here I had been looking at all these tree branches thinking "turtle," when little did I know she would be at least twice my size.  She blended in perfectly with the surrounding sand at night.  Immediately Jairo got down and started taking measurements of her size and some other stuff I wasn't quite sure of.  It was incredible to watch her.  She had already laid her eggs but was starting to cover them and try and hide them.  It's as though your watching her make snow angels, the way she moves her fins.  When we realized we couldn't find the eggs we kept going, Jairo made sure that the ocean was not able to touch the eggs by digging a deep hole in the surrounding areas.  If the ocean touches the eggs that have been laid, they will immediately die.

I felt soo bad for the first turtle, she was making all these noises.  I can only imagine how exhausting that entire processes would be and to do it all alone!  How the women species continue to prevail!  Anyway, I felt really bad and wanted to help her.

Another interesting fact, is that I guess they can't see or hear well.  Which makes sense as how sound travels a lot faster in water, and her sight only goes so far.  So she basically has no idea that we are there, or so we think.  

We kept walking when once again we saw a large black path, and there she was again!  This time Jairo got down in time to see she had barely started covering her eggs.  We were able to stick a tape measure down to hold the spot and depth of how far down they were.  Taking basic measurements means measuring from the top of her shell to the very tip of it, I had to hold tape measure with my thumb and than mark it very closely with my thumb.  After taking the measurements Jairo started digging up the sand that was marking the location of the eggs.  He than asked me to hold the bag while he started placing the eggs inside.  While he dug up the eggs, another guide started digging a new hole to move them.  This is done so poachers either wont look or wont find the location of the eggs.  I was soooooo nervous holding this bag of eggs, thinking oh my gosh what if I squish one.  He than told me to pick up the bag and move it to the new location, I was so scared I was going to drop them.  I didn't move for a few seconds because I was so scared.  I got them to the new hole safely!  When placing them in the new hole you count by two to see how many eggs she has laid.  There are some eggs that are smaller that are there for air cushions.  A job well done, yet exhausting.

On the way back we saw another turtle.  I couldn't believe it.  This guide had been there a week and not seen one, and in one night we see three!! It was soooooo incredible, however by the end of the night we were soaking wet and had sand everywhere.  I had requested that my taxi came back at 1:15.  We did not return till 2:00.  THANKFULLY!!!! I had the best taxi guy ever and he waited for me!!!  He than proceeded to take me to town and placed my bike in his trunk and drove me home!  It was the nicest thing ever, at that point I was to exhausted to bike home and it was pouring even more.

I am hoping that when Alex and Matt come that they will be able to see some turtles as well.  Either way it's a great experience and so much fun to be on the beach at night, not to mention great exercise!!  I got sooo tired that I almost fell a few times because the sand was uneven, they were making fun of me saying I was just drunk!  

I wasn't able to take any pictures, nor did I carry anything with me.  However, I attached a picture of what one looks like below.  As you can see their size is incredible.  Can you imagine having to take that huge body up on sand and move in kind of a half moon motion.  She flung sand at us so hard trying to cover her eggs.  The entire process can take up to 3 hours, all depending on the turtle.    

It was an absolute breathtaking experience and I have no words to describe it.  

Horseback Riding and Canopy Tour

This past week I went horseback riding and did canopy at Ranch Cedar Valley.  It is around a 40 minute drive and is on the way to Limon (the largest city close by).  I was of course quite excited by the whole idea until I got on my horse.  I am not sure what it is, but it seems really like the world always likes to play jokes on me, as though I am entertainment for everyone else.  My horse was on crack and had an alpha male syndrome.  It had to be in the lead, it wouldn’t let another horse pass him, he did his dance and literally almost gave me a heart attack, I was sure he was going to buck me off.  SO I had to tell him who was boss, which of COURSE backfired, because he showed me who was boss.  Needless to say we were at war for the entire time and I still lost because my butt hurts!  He almost ran me into a huge spider. He than turned into the perfect gentleman and patiently waited while we were watching a sloth.  I was impressed and gave him a little pat on the neck saying good job, he than proceeded to go into a huge puddle of water and kick mud and water everywhere!!  So we didn’t really get along haha, however it was still a great experience.

Canopy was great, mainly for the view.  The views looked over a beautiful river called rio banano.  It was funny the last canopy our guide told us we were going to see a naked indian at the end, which was really a tree (called naked indian).  It was a good fun time!

I guess when all is said and done I am having quite the experience out here.  

No pictures until I get them from Toya.   

Animals on Strike

Well the animal life has finally gotten a little invasive. 

First of all I am sure you will all love this story since you know me and my fear for spiders. 

After being immensely sick for three days and having stayed with some girl friends for one night.  I had decided to return home to have my own space.  When reaching home and having to run to the bathroom, of course a large brown spider is awaiting me right on the wall of the entrance of the bathroom.  I quickly sped past it to use the bathroom where I was than attacked by a cockroach on the toilet.  SOoo it was really two against one.  However, the spider was more upsetting to me so I yelled at the spider, which was really just to make me feel better.  It was really a large spider, I know most of you are going oh yeah sure… but no it was huge.  I decide the best solution is to sweep the spider out of the cabina with the broom.  Of course my idea backfired quickly.  This spider had moves.  On the first sweet he moved to the side of the wall in a corner and went into a hiding position.  I than was frantically looking for it, thinking it was stuck to the bottom of the broom.  Ha the spider like I said had moves.  I than proceeded to do a 15 minute dance with this spider (me in the shower with shoes on and the spider along the far wall) trying to get it out with the broom.  I not only did not get it out, but lost the spider in the bathroom.  How I lost the spider I still do not know, however I knew it was not the last time we would meet.  

The next night, I came home and thought to myself ok… this is ok, the spider had to have gotten out.  Turns out once again while I was going to the bathroom the spider was right by my head, which was right by the light switch.  I than proceeded to be trapped in the bathroom for 15 minutes of course continuing my yelling at the spider.  I finally decided to make a break for it and when I ran through the door the spider ran the other way and needless to say I have not seen it since.  THANK GOODNESS!!!!!!!!!!  I did however have to sleep with the bathroom light on for 2 nights in a row, while also taking my own light with me into the bathroom and flashing it around before entering.  

I normally just get geckos in my cabina but the other day actually saw a lizard!! It was just hanging out like no one’s business.  I took a picture and than after taking a picture realized I shouldn’t of done that since the light can blind them.  All of this wildlife is going nuts, the grass had gotten large so the wildlife came towards me more and than the grass was cut down again and the wildlife had nowhere to go soooo naturally the cabina where a nice girl lives seems like the appropriate choice!!

Additionally, while at work the other day, a crab just came walking on up.  I took some pictures and than felt really bad when I realized it was missing the majority of it's legs.  Which was quite sad to look at.  Poor little guy.  

 I am telling you the wildlife kind of spun out of control for a while.  

Rejuvenation

With the clouds having been upon me for 3 weeks now, half of the time with rain, we were finally blessed to have sun.  I went out to the beach for the first time in a long time and took in the sun.  I went to black beach where I relaxed and read.  It was as though I had never been in sun before.  It was a perfect day, with perfect weather.  To relax even further the sand on the black beach and the white beach works as a perfect and free exfoliation device.  My feet look new everyday!  Not to mention it works as a free massage when rubbed on legs and arms. 

To continue with my rejuvenation process I finally completed the entire hike in the National Park.  This hike is around 7 kilometers.  I have told you before that the point in the national park called Punta Cahuita has thus far been my favorite scenic place to walk.  It normally takes me around an hour to get there and after reaching the second river becomes an almost private get away.  If you continue down the path it is the most incredible scenery ever, which gives an even more private feeling.  It’s like these beaches were specifically designed for honeymoon get away’s.  I can’t describe how different the scenery changes from the beginning of the entrance of the national park until the very end, which is referred to as Puerto Vargas.  The entire walk itself took around 4 hours, 5 total but we had stopped to rest on the beach for an hour and of course had taken numerous photos along the way.  We were so exhausted by the end of the walk that we hitched a ride with the local bus back into town.  It is possible to complete the walk both ways, however we were too tired by that point in time.  It was the most breathtaking walk and I can’t wait to get to those private beaches again!  It’s the perfect place for solitude while visibly in one of the most beautiful places ever.  The hike is nice because the path itself is so flat that anyone can walk and get to see these beautiful areas. 

While on the hike we ran into a few girls who had their food stolen from the monkeys.  These monkeys are ruthless and will take any opportunity they can to get into plastic bags.  They are smart and are fully area of which bags to look into and or grab.  I got quite a picture of their snarling faces, quite priceless.  As we laughed about them stealing there food, not only about 10 minutes later, we turned around to see a monkey following us down the path.  We had to get strategic to get it away from us since Toya (one of the girls on the hike with me) had a few plastic bags with her, which ironically were filled with food.

After the incredibly large hike, I decided that it would be a great idea to go running.  there are certain areas of Cahuita that I just hadn't seen yet and thought I would take the time to explore that day.  I decided to run down to Playa Grande, turns out was a lot farther than I thought.  I wasn't able to go very fast, however when I reached it, there were not many entry ways, but it was an incredibly beautiful area with a large beach front.  I can't imagine I will make it there again unless by bike!  I had to walk home I was so exhausted, I had tried running but I had taken all of my energy right on out of me.  

It’s days like those where you can’t help but wonder how more people do not come to this incredible area and not stay.  It has so much natural beauty and so much to offer.  These beaches speak life, they are constantly changing, growing and reforming, reminding us that everyday is different and we must approach it with an open mind.  We never know exactly what will be offered to us.