Zipline Canopy and ATV

Yesterday was really an adventure!  We bought an excursion package from a company called Adventure Tours Costa Rica.  It's not the cheapest company, but they come highly recommended.  It was a 6 hours tour that included a Zipline Canopy and an ATV ride up to a waterfall with a special lunch.  It was awesome!!

PART I

We met our shuttle at a hotel near our house at 9:30am.  We were running late, so I literally had to run to catch the bus before it left us.  Once on the shuttle, we drove for about 15 minutes outside of town until we got to the the bottom of a mountain AKA The Zipline Place.

Aaron's so pumped!  We signed some waivers saying that if we die, we can't hold them liable (don't you just love those?  Really instills confidence.) and then we went to the harness fitting area and got all strapped up.  There's a harness for your lower half that goes around your legs and stomach (that basically supports your whole body) and there's a chest harness that goes around your arms (for extra support).  The harnesses really accentuate the goods:

Aaron's junk was really on display!  The staff were so friendly, they even helped Aaron attach his Go-Pro.

So, we've been experimenting with the Go-Pro a lot lately and have gotten some great footage.  Once Aaron's able to upload the videos, I'll put up a link.

After getting harnessed, we went through a safety demonstration.  Basically, lean back and be careful where you put your hands.  We got to watch another group, so we could get the hang of it:

Then we were off.  We took a bus up to the top of the mountain:

There are 12 ziplines total.  Each one lasts about 30 seconds-1 minute.  In between ziplines, you're waiting and getting prepped on these tree-house-like platforms:

On the left is the jumping off point.  Here it is from the front:

The staff go before you, so they're waiting at each station to get you unhooked and then re-hooked into the next one.  There were about 20 people in our group and we were last, so there was a long wait at the first stop.  After that, it was go-go-GO!

Aaron is all ready with his gear and his Go-Pro:

They give you these oversized heavy-duty gloves with a strap of leather in the middle, so you can hold the zipline (just for stability) without risking burning holes through your hands.

As I said, there were 12 ziplines in all and each was unique.  Obviously the first few are the highest, some were longer than others, some were about the view, while others were about being in the middle of the forest like Tarzan and there was one you could do upside down if you wanted (we opted out because it hurt with the straps!).  Keep in mind, these harnesses are tight and while they're holding your body up, it is NOT comfortable.  After awhile, your back, butt and shoulders are just over it.  The experience makes it totally worth it though.

In one of our tree-house canopys, while waiting for our turn, we saw a random creature climbing a tree:

This picture is awful, but it looked like a mix between a raccoon, a monkey and an anteater.  WTF was it??  Super cool!

Those are all the ziplining pictures I was able to take.  I couldn't hold my phone with the bulky gloves and didn't want to risk losing another one of my belongings.  I'll upload some videos from the Go-Pro when I get a chance.

PART II

After ziplining, we got back into the shuttle, which took us back to Jaco, and got all set up with ATVs.  I've never driven an ATV before, so I did a lap before we left and let me tell you, I did horribly.  Luckily the guide didn't seem to mind, so he let us go.  Did I mention we got a private tour??  It was great!  Riding an ATV isn't hard, but it does take some getting used to.  I've never driven anything like that before, so I was definitely a beginner.  Here's me with my super cool helmet:

We're all ready to go:

We drove through town and pretty much up the same mountain we were on ziplining, but we went up the other side.  I could only snap pictures when we stopped because I didn't want to crash and die.  While we were driving along, the song in my head was "This Land Is Your Land."  No idea why, I don't even know all the words, but it was just playing on a loop (you try singing that song just once).  I guess it's a majestic-type song and it was a majestic-type of adventure.  Okay let's face it, it's an annoying ass song.  Not your best, America.  We rode up the mountain and the summit was magnificent:

Off in the distance is Manuel Antonio National Park-the most visited national park in Costa Rica (which we plan on visiting at some point).

Loved this sign...views-priceless.

Aaron messing with his Go-Pro (boys and their toys, am I right?):

The guide (who was awesome, by the way), showed us this plant that he called a "sensitive" plant.  When you touch it with fingers or your breath, the leaves instantly close.  When the wind hits it however, it does nothing.  What a nifty little guy:

Our guide was also amazing because he doubled as our photographer:

Here's my ATV, posing atop the mountain (lucky number 13):

Then we rode down and headed towards the waterfall.  On the way, we stopped because we saw a snake trying to catch a frog:

This picture is the worst, but the snake has the frog in it's mouth.  After this, the frog ended up getting away!  YAY!

The road to the waterfall was super windy and steep, making me so damn nervous.  I only got stuck once, which I think was pretty successful.  We parked and walked down to the waterfall:

We made it!  Aaron saw a rope next to the waterfall and decided to climb up:

I wasn't about to stay behind (nobody puts Baby in a corner!), so I went up after him:

Once we got to the top, we discovered another small waterfall and a little pool:

We were hot and caked with dirt, so we took a dip.  The water was freezing, but refreshing.  We swam into the waterfall to be romantic (turns out kissing underneath a waterfall is the absolute most insane and uncomfortable thing a person can do).  Swimming was fun though:

OMG it's a ghost!  No, Aaron just got water on his Go-Pro.

Then we rode on.  We rode through a small village and straight to this hidden gem of a place.  We had linner at a tilapia farm/restaurant and it was gorgeous.

The "lake" is filled with tilapia (and a few turtles) and you can feed them and even fish for them.  Let's check out the property a bit:

There was a beautiful garden with hammocks, a volleyball net, banana trees and tons of interesting plants and flowers:

We walked out to the "farm:"

We got some fish food and fed the fish (and turtles):

They were incredibly fast, so it was hard to snap a picture.  I tried to fish, with no luck (I've never really fished before).  Aaron caught one almost instantly:

Don't worry, we threw it back.  Our lunch had been caught earlier.  We each got a casado and these were the best we've had yet.  

Mine was tilapia.  I did feel kinda bad eating tilapia with schools of tilapia swimming around me (not bad enough to stop):

This was probably the best fish I've ever had in my life.  So super fresh!  Aaron loved his chicken:

Apparently everything but the rice was home grown on the premises, making it so damn tasty.  

While we were eating, a herd of cattle grazed by:

I mean, could we be more one with nature?!  Then an egret came and hung out with them, which I thought was adorable!  Have you ever seen those unlikely friend animal pairings?  Well, this is one of them:

It just followed them along as they grazed.  Our guide said sometimes he sees the egret perched between the bulls horns.  OMG!

Our guide showed us another cool plant he called "the tattoo plant."  You take a leaf and slap it on your skin:

Isn't that neat?  We all tried it and mine stayed on for hours!  Although it is just a powder, which can be wiped right off.

Then we rode back to Jaco:

Overall, it was a 4-hour excursion.  Really fun, but really tiring.  Driving an ATV really hurts your arms and hands after awhile (the gas and brakes are both in the handles).

Once we got back, we were filthy, covered in dirt, water and in spots where they mixed, mud:

There go my new shoes!  I'm keeping our bands and the pamphlet as souvenirs:

Of course, we had to hit up our spot on the way home to watch the sunset:

Long day, washed away in the ocean.  We're so tired and sore that today will just be a recovery day, so don't expect much.  I'll upload some Go-Pro videos ASAP (videos take forever to load onto my computer because the internet is so sucky).  Until then...