Days 8, 9, & 10 Caribbean Sea Adventure

Sat. Jan. 12 People started to stir very early this morning in anticipation of leaving for our three day adventure to Cahuita National Park on the Caribbean Sea. After a 7 AM breakfast at the church we left at 8:15AM to drive through the cloud/forest/jungle. We all were in awe of the lush growth, the dazzling flowers, the rock strewn rivers and streams, and the brilliant butterflies. The drive to Cahuita was fabulous. We had to cross some mountains that were spectacular. Since we were already high in altitude it was a short trip up but the decent was long and slow. We saw some views that were right out of National Geographic. Several rivers and valleys and bridges highlighted this scenic drive. We stopped only once for a break and make the trip in about 4 ½ hours.We had one rest stop enroute and enjoyed sandwiches and snacks on the motorcoach arriving at 12:15. After settling in at our quaint hotel we took a walk in the park where we spotted two 3 toed sloths, a couple of poisonous snakes (vipers), ASK THE LADIES WHO WERE CHASED BY A SNAKE! some howler and white faced monkeys and various flitting birds and insects. Sitting in an easy chair on our hotel front porch we can listen to and watch the waves breaking on the shore. We were lulled to sleep by the waves. Nola M. & Chig

Sun., Jan. 13 We watched the sunrise come up over the Caribbean Sea. My, what a creation! I ate breakfast of French toast at a nearby restaurant. Now 15 join for the zipline adventure. Suddenly we come to a huge washed out crossing and that has been made into a "MO crossing" that we did many times on the farm. A 4-wheel vehicle took 6 and the rest walked part of the crossing and then loaded back up into the van that made several tries to make it up the slippery bank. Made it on the third try! The zip lines (16 total) is an experience you have to be there to understand. You cross the forest canopy dangling from a metal cable. It was a thrill and quite strenuous walking to get to the next platform and get hooked up to zip across the metal cable to the next line. I felt very safe although we were 75 ft. above the ground in the rain forest. I’m glad I went. In the afternoon I went fishing an eel, shark and some little fish were caught by our group. Not the thrill of the zipline. Went out to supper with friends, which is one of the best parts of the trip having made some great friends. Dave D.

Many enjoyed the beach and the warm clear ocean. Others went snorkeling, dolphin watching and of course shopping!

Afternoon Jungle Tour at CahuitaA dozen intrepid explorers set out with our guide to experience rural CR. We stared with a “hike” to a waterfall, which proved to be quite an adventure. Several of the wiser members of the group turned back when the road turned into a steep trail that crossed several mountain streams. Others forged on, slipping and sliding and in one case, diving right in and were rewarded with a beautiful waterfall. We returned to the bus a bit soggier and made brief stops at an Indian village and a small chocolate shop, in both cases meeting local residents in their homes. We purchased handcrafts, tasted raw cacao and bought some wonderful chocolate. It was all around a great adventure. Judy M.

Mon. Jan. 14 Journey back to San Jose. Our Costa Rica mission continues at Cahuita. Breakfast consists of small groups gathering at an excellent restaurant approximately 1 block from our motel.. Plans have been made to leave our resort at 8:30 AM. Ate lunch along the way at a Burger King and a Fast Food Chicken Place.

After arriving in San Jose most of us went to a shopping market recommended by Charlie. All the merchants gave us a 25% discount because we are part of his mission team. Unfortunately about half of our group got some type of stomach virus making us very uncomfortable and icky. After shopping, all who felt well traveled to supper at the church where a typical tasty meal was served. One fun highlight of our VIM trip was the celebration of Glen Hurley’s 79^th birthday. The celebration was created by Eric and Sharon and was a surprise to Glen. It started with a beautiful cake brought in by the 7 y/o daughter of one of the cooks. She wore a celebration mask so masks were distributed to all the party goers. Also brought in was a large brightly colored piñata with GLEN written across the front. The fun started with the hanging of the piñata across a beam attached to a rope. Glen furiously attacked the hanging piñata while it was being manipulated in a way to cause him to miss. The effort culminated in a direct hit that scattered candy across the floor of the church. The team returned to the compound and cared for the ill. It was reported that the illnesses were a viral infection that was being spread around for a 24 hour malaise. Sleep was the best antidote. Lanette/Mike M.