Costa Rica....Day 3....and what a day it was.

Day 3....Ziplinning, water falling, jungle exploring, Tarzan swinging and pool partying, oh my.

(Prepare for picture over-load)

To say that we packed everything in for our last full day in La Fortuna...would be an understatement.

As if we already weren't tired and sore as it was from White water rafting the day before, we were all gamed and ready to go for our next full day of adventures.

*side note...I have told my Costa Rica stories over and over about 50 times since I've gotten back, and yesterday one of our patients told me that she just didn't think she could do all the stuff I did on this trip...that she just isn't as adventurous as I am. Never in my life did I think I was an "adventurous" type...but I must say, that is a title I will gladly accept...especially after this vacation!*

Now, I don't know if I have mentioned it to you or not, but the time that we went to CR was the start of rainy season, we didn't know this when we booked, we learned that later as we were googling stuff about CR...however, don't let rainy season stop you from traveling. It's actually quite nice...not as busy(touristy wise) and the rain really doesn't last that long, it comes every day about 3 or 4 and last for like an hour.

Unless you are supposed to go ziplinning that day and you wake up to what seems like a monsoon that has been going on for like four hours. I was so worried that we weren't going to be able to go, but like must things on this trip...everything seemed to just work out perfectly and the rain stopped just in time for us to zip-line through the jungle. In fact, the guides said because of the rain, that made us go even faster.

Just what I like to hear.

Just like white water rafting, I had never been ziplinning, I'm telling you this trip was a lot bucket list check marks for me...I'm not necessarily afraid of heights, but climbing up a platform to get to the zip-line is not something I want to do everyday...let's just say it's up there in the tree tops. 

After the first initial drop, it's really not scary at all...in fact somewhat peaceful...that is, until the guides decide to mess with your cable and you go up and down and up and down as your ziplinning across.

Oh and zip-line harness, so not flattering. 

Like at all.

After we were about done with ziplinning, the guides brought us to this platform, but this time there wasn't a connecting cable. I was a little scared at first because I wasn't sure how he expected us to get to the other side. Then the next thing I know he is hooking Sean up to this long rope that is hanging from this huge tree straight out in the middle of the jungle, and then he pushes Sean on into nowhere....apparently this is called Tarzan swinging. 

Let me tell you, I was scared to death to do this...and for some reason or another I was next in line before the other girls. After a brief pep talk with the guides...I told them that, "we need to have a conversation"...I was pushed out into the trees.

We have video of this(one of these days we will get it edited) but I was holding on and screaming for dear life.

After the first drop...it's so freeing...I mean, you are swinging from a rope in the middle of the freaking jungle...that stuff just doesn't happen every day.

After we ziplinned we had a few hours before we were to move on to our next excursion, touring the volcano, which actually meant lets take a two hour walk through the jungle and hope that wild animals don't eat us alive, so while we waited we decided to go check out the waterfalls.

Y'all...it was breath taking. It's fascinating to me that there are things out there in this world so magical, here is the huge waterfall surrounded by all this greenery just hidden away in it's own little area...I mean, you have to climb 480 stairs to get to the waterfall...but still, it's like a different world. We were lucky and timed it just right and were able to get great pictures before all the steam took over.

We even braved the ice cold, not kidding, coldest water I've ever been in, water and swam next to the waterfall. Of course it started raining on us, and the people there watching us thought we were crazy...but I don't care...because this Oklahoma girl doesn't see a giant waterfall every day...much less swims by at.

If swimming in a waterfall isn't on your bucket list...add it. 

It's totally worth the hike back up 480 steps, soak and wet and out of breath.

Totally.Worth.It.

Next up is nothing too exciting, I mean I guess walking though the jungle is fun and all, but compared to all the things we did earlier that day...not so much. I did enjoy the views, there isn't a bad view anywhere in Costa Rica.

That's the Arenal Volcano in the background...yes, it's still active, and yes our guide said we would be screwed if it erupted. 

Now for the fun part...while we were on our last excursion we made friends with these super nice and funny guys, who just so happened to be staying at our hotel and were traveling the next day to the same town and hotel as us...new vacation buddies...check.

After a long day of swinging through the jungle and hiking...don't we all just need to have a few drinks and chill in the hot springs?

The answer would be yes.

The thing about hot springs is...they drain the water at ten...so if you are still having a good time, sipping cocktails, making new friends...like you do on vacation...sometimes you don't notice that an hour as gone by and you are just sitting in what used to be a hot spring Jacuzzi and it's now just a bunch of rocks...with no water.

And that ends our lovely stay at Arenal Springs Resort and Spa in La Fortuna, Costa Rica...next up...the trip to Manuel Antonio...the beach with the monkeys and where the Real Housewives of Orange County went.