That time my plane was almost hi-jacked.

If you have missed any of my Costa Rica re-caps...check them out starting here...especially that one, this way you may have a better understanding of how my flight situation was getting to Costa Rica.

Like I've said...my travel to CR was a little rocky at first but got so much better along the way...we even had an upgrade to first class.

My travel leaving CR, well that is an entirely different story. See, I was a little apprehensive in the first place about flying out, having given the issues I had. I wasn't sure I was even going to have a ticket to leave the country...but alas, I did. I had no problems with customs or checking in...my luggage even lost 2lbs. 

Not sure how that even happened.

We were even to the airport four hours before our flight was schedule to leave, which was a big improvement than my flights out of the US. As we are waiting to board, my name gets called over the intercom.

My first thought was,"What the hell?" "I better get to leave this country."

It was no big deal, I just was randomly selected, along with a couple other people, to get my carry on and myself re-checked. Whatever, as long as I am not being held in this country because of my ticket fiasco...you can frisk me all you want.

That didn't sound too good, but you get the idea.

I pass the extra security and get to go ahead and board before anyone else. I get on the plane, find my seat, get everything situated and as I'm putting my luggage into the carry-on, I hear all this commotion towards the front of the plane. I stop, walk up to the front, where the flight attendant stops me and says that there is someone that ran past the security and has proceeded to lock himself into the cockpit. 

She tells me not to worry but to sit back down, because we don't know if he has a gun or not.

Lady...I am not sure who you are talking to, but you can not tell this blonde Oklahoma girl not to worry...especially if someone is trying to take over my damn plane.

Needless to say I sort of "lose it" as in, I start to panic and am demanding to get off this plane. I know there is a backdoor so I suggest to the flight attendant to let us get off the plane, she says to me that the door is already closed for the food service. I then proceed to yell at her, "if this man flies this plane, no one on here will give two shits about the food on this plane"

(please excuse the profanity, but someone was taking over my plane and I felt as though I needed to use it)

Now, mind you...there are about five people on this plane. That's it. There are two big guys in the front trying to get the dude out of the cockpit...I don't really think they are doing that great of a job, so I just start to yell...

"Just shoot him...if you don't shoot him, I will...I'm from Oklahoma, I know how to shoot a gun"

That really didn't get me anywhere...because apparently you can't do that in Costa Rica...so finally I start yelling just to knock him out, and drag him off the plane.

I mean the thoughts that run through your mind are crazy. I don't know planes very well, I don't know if there is like a key in the ignition and the plane is just ready to go, I had no idea if my plane was going to start moving...because believe me if that had happened, that food service door was going to be open for sure.

I thought about my friends, Miss Football and Kristin and how they saw me get on the plane and have no clue as to what's happening...and how is it possible that I am going to get hi-jacked without them...they are going to have to tell my mom.

It was the scariest moment of my life.

Hands down.

They finally got the dude under control and handcuffed him and got him off the plane. I finally get to get off the plane, and I am still freaking out. Hands shaking, I'm screaming at all the people on the runway, they don't understand me because I'm screaming in English.

It was madness.

This dude was screaming that he wanted to take the plane to Nicaragua, which is dumb, because if your going to go through all the trouble of taking a plane...you might as well go somewhere that isn't a two hour car drive away.

This could have ended way worse, but thank God that it didn't. I was slightly nervous to get back on the plane, but thanks to the guy sitting next to me, he made sure I had plenty of Bloody Mary's .

For Miss Football's version of what happened check here...she was not on the plane, but in the waiting area...so all she saw was me get on the plane, and then the feds run onto the plane.

I think she thought I had smuggled something on.

Talk about a way to end the trip of a lifetime.

Costa Rica Adventure...the last days

Costa Rica Day 6...

Was pretty much another beach day...but it was also the last day for Sean and our new friends.

I originally had no intentions of para-sailing, I wanted to go snorkeling, but we had read some bad reviews about the snorkeling down there, so we decided against that. Miss Football and Sean had already decided early on in the planning of the trip that para-sailing was something they were going to do(well more so Miss Football...she made Sean do it with her...like the good cousin he is) I am starting to think she should have re-considered her partner, seeing how he tried to unhook her harness while in the sky.

Anyway, my sole purpose for being down on the beach that morning was to take pictures of them, but once I got there and saw how awesome it was, I was convinced I had to do it.
Y'all it was breathtaking. I have never done anything like that before, much like everything I did on this trip, I was a little nervous at first, because my entire ass was so sunburned from the day before and that harness hurt. But once I got up there and looked around and the beach and the ocean below and the waves...and how the ocean meets the sky.

It was perfect.

For fifteen minutes I was flying, for those fifteen minutes I had figured everything out, stuff I had been trying to decide on for months...it was like my mind was open...maybe it was because it was so serene, maybe it was because for once I was actually quite...able to listen to what God has been trying to tell me.

God's beauty is truly amazing.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous, because the thought of landing in the middle of the ocean kinda freaked me out. So, the lady who owns the business sent out one of her employees to wait for me to land. When the boat picked me up, he said,"How was everything, Princess"....I guess requesting a person to wait for you makes you a little high maintenance.

I just didn't want sharks to get me.

He also asked if I had a boyfriend in Oklahoma or a boyfriend in Costa Rica...and when I said no, he told me he would be my boyfriend in Costa Rica...on the boat ride back we jammed out to Michael Jackson.

I love Costa Rica.

After we para-sailed we dropped off Sean and picked up Kristin and the girls and our new friends went to Manuel Antonio National Park. You have to walk like 5 miles or something like that through this jungle but when you get there...
Oh. Em. Gee.
The beaches are white sand, the water is a pretty turquoise, the beach is private, and there are monkeys.
Lots and lots of monkeys.

Who will take your stuff and eat your Cheetos if your not careful.
This is also where the Real Housewives of OC went. This very beach.

After a couple hours of beach fun and pictures...because who doesn't love a good photo session. We all headed out to the last supper...it was the last night as a "Family Unit."  We had a wonderful dinner outside overlooking the ocean, and then we went to this quaint cafe and had the best dessert.

The next day...Kristin, Sean and I went and had coffee and bloody mary's before Sean had to leave us. It was so sad seeing him go. Us girls did some souvenir shopping and called it a day, which was good, considering a monsoon happened just as we got back to our room. It seriously rained for a good four hours. It is the rainy season after all.

Now, we were told that there were lots of monkeys at our hotel, lots of animals actually, because our hotel was kinda of in the jungle. For the last few days I had seen a sloth, porcupine and tons of iguanas, but not once did I see any of those damn monkeys.
After the rain, we stepped on our front patio...in the tree right next to us, were about 20 monkeys.
It was so awesome, it's not every day I can walk outside in my front yard and see a monkey, much less 20 or so jumping from the tree to the roof in a perfect line.

It was a fun experience to end our trip.

Next up, my flight home...if you thought my flight to Costa Rica was interesting...wait until you hear this story.

Costa Rica...beach days

Happy Thursday...today I'm combining Day 4 and Day 5 in the CR re-cap.

Day 4 in Costa Rica is a little less exciting than the more adventorous days. We spent most of Day 4 traveling. We didn't want to just spend our time in one city in Costa Rica, we wanted to take full advantage of the country and go somewhere like La Fortuna, where we were able to do all of our excursions and then spend the rest of our vacation just laying out on the beach. 

We loaded up in the big bus(which was way better for Miss Football's motion sickness) with our new friends and a few other passengers and headed out on the four or five hour drive to Manuel Antonio. 

The beach with the monkeys.
The place where the Real Housewives of OC went....I know I keep mentioning this but it makes me happy knowing that I went to the same place they went.
I may be obsessed with the Housewives.
Just slightly.

We stopped at this popular rest stop with stores to buy fresh fruit and vegetables and home-made fudge and to see the crocodiles. Now, I watch Swamp People y'all...and these alligators or croc's or whatever they are called looked nothing like the ones on Swamp People. These looked almost Jarissac Park like.
They were freaky and there were like 10 all in a circle just waiting for someone to fall off the bridge or something. Someone threw meat and they went to that like no one's business.
So freaky.

When we finally made it to Manuel Antonio, Miss Football and I took to the beach while the others went for massages. We needed the fresh air and water after a long bus drive for the better part of the day. We got to the beach just in time for the sun to set.

Day 5...was an all day Beach Day, complete with sunburns and all.
Sean decided he would run the length of the beach...we just continued to sit under our cabana and watch him like the good friends we are. While he ran the beach, we enjoyed snowcones, nachos, drinks, dips in the ocean, reading and solving the worlds problems...you know, typical stuff you do while on the beach.

Fair warning to all you fair skin ladies like myself....forgetting to apply sunscreen multiple times a day while sunbathing in a country that is super close to the equator....equals major sunburn on the back of your legs/stomach/back/pretty much all over.

It's bad when the lady at the hotel can't understand your espanol but takes one look at you and runs into the room and comes back with Aloe Vera gel and a bag of ice.

To this day I am still paying for it.

After our wonderful, relaxing tad bit sunburned day at the beach...we got all dressed up and headed out to  one of the best seafood restaurants in Manuel Antonio, Kapi Kapi, where I had the chicken. Go figure.

I'd like to say we went out on the town and lived it up...but sadly we are old and apparently the town shuts down at 10 and so do we.

Next up...Para-sailing, monkey beaches and the end to the trip.

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.

Costa Rica Day 2...Keep your head above water.

Day 2...of the Costa Rica Adventure.

Before we get to the exciting part of day 2, I need to back up and show pictures from the first night...with all the airline fiasco and the four to five hour car drive to La Fortuna on yesterday's post...I forgot to mention that us three girls had a lovely first night dinner and enjoyed a few drinks and a dip in the hot springs while waiting for Sean join to us.

Now...on to day 2.
When we were planning this trip, we wanted to do more than just lay on a beach, don't get me wrong, the days we did get to lay out on the beach were well worth it (sunburn and all) however...we were all about crossing items off the bucket list and taking full advantage of all the things Costa Rica had to offer.

Whitewater rafting class IV rapids included.

Of the four of us, Miss Football was the only one who had been whitewater rafting before...Kristin and I have just done the usual floating down the river...you know where you float all day and a raft of beer follows you...the only thing you worry about is if you have enough drinks to last you the length of the river.

Things you have to worry about while whitewater rafting.
Falling over
Drowning
Crockadiles

Words can not even express how much fun this was. This has always always been something I have wanted to do, a bucket list item fo sho. To say that I got to whitewater raft class IV rapids in Costa Rica is crazy to me. I will say this, for those who haven't been before, it's not scary at all...even when you flip the raft over and are hanging on to it just by your leg...still not scary. When you "ride the bull", which is you sitting on the tip of the raft going head, feet, whole body first into the rapids...so not scary at all,  completely emerging the raft into the raging rapids, and losing a contact...definitely not scary.

Turning around only to see that your guide fell off the raft and is now in the rapids...not scary, realizing that you are the only one paying attention and try to help him back in to the raft...a little scary... but probably just for him.

However, realizing that Miss Football fell off the raft and is now stuck in a whirlpool...that's kinda scary...she blogs about that incident here. No worries, she is perfectly ok.

Sean, our fearless camera guy, brought along a waterproof camera...we do have video...which is priceless btw, but we are in the process of editing out over 4 hours of filming. I'm sure you don't want to hear him screaming at us girls to "Peddle" or all of us girls sometimes letting some four letter words slip...usually at him.

Hopefully these pictures can describe the experience better than I can. It seriously is one of those, "words can't describe" experiences.

After rafting, we were treated to one of the best lunches I had on the entire trip...we then went back to the resort, where it rained on us...it was the start of rainy season...then we got all dressed up and went to dinner.


Photo taken of me and Sean by Miss Football

The girls

and that ends days 2...next up...Day 3...where we find our inner Jane and Tarzan.

Pura Vida.

Costa Rica...how I lost a shoe and got to travel first class.

COSTA RICA ADVENTURE


Day 1


The first day in Costa Rica mainly consisted of traveling...but the traveling part, is very entertaining...to say the least.

Little background on myself. I am never late to anything. Like never. In fact, I usually am thirty minutes early to any appointment. I got this from my mom....we are early birds. Especially when it comes to airports, I always like to get there a few hours before normal arrive time. 

You know, just to be on the safe side.

I must have already been on Costa Rica time or something, because I arrived for an international flight 20 minutes before my flight boarded.

Why that late?

No clue, I woke up early got around early...there wasn't traffic...I guess I was already in vacation mode or something.

Needless to say the check-in counter wouldn't let me check in. I start a slight  extreme freak out on how I've never flown internationally and didn't know I was supposed to be here so early and I have transportation picking me up in San Jose and I can't miss my flight...I mean...talk about a hot mess.

The lady must have felt sorry for me, because she checked me in...and told me I had 10 minutes. Yes, 10 minutes to get upstairs through security and try to make it to my flight.

I've never ran so fast in my life...I've always wanted to do one of those "Home Alone" moments where they run through the airport...well, ladies...guess we can check that baby off the list.

I begged and pleaded with all the people in the security line and they let me pass by to the very front, made it through...took off running....lost a shoe...picked it up and proceeded to run barefoot to the terminal.

Saw people lined up for the flight...phew, didn't miss it....at least that's what I thought...except I was standing in line to go to Denver...I was supposed to be going to Houston.

Turned around and my flight was closing up....saw a man standing at the counter, ambushed him and somehow by the grace of God and the awesome United Airline man, who told me to breathe....put me on my normally scheduled flight.

Crisis adverted...not so much.

Because the check-in counter lady didn't think I could sprint my way to the gate(proved her wrong) she completely changed all my flights...so now I am in Houston and I need to get back on my reguraly scheduled  flight to San Jose.
Enter slight panic attack number 2.

Again, another amazing United Airline worker put me on my correct flight and assured me my luggage would make it there on time.

After I reassured the luggage situation with yet another UA worker...Oscar...I felt a little better...however, if my luggage wasn't there...Oscar was going to get it.

We are finally on the plane...and if you know us girls at all...we are talkers...somehow or another us girls make friends with the flight attendant, Eddie, who loves us and decides to move all of us to first class...then proceeded to give us free drinks, free pie and mini bottles of alcohol to take with us on our trip to La Fortuna.

Have I said how much I love United Airlines.

So...moral of today's story. Don't be late for an international flight...if you are, prepare to run like someone is chasing you...don't wear shoes that can fall off while running....be nice to the airline workers...first class is awesome...free drinks are better.


Miss Football, Kristin and myself.

Next up, Day 2...Go big or go home...keep your head above water(sort of the theme for our trip).

Helllooooo

I'm back in the good ol'  U.S.A.

I have soooo many things to tell you about my little Costa Rica vacation.

First of all.

BEST.TRIP.EVER. Hands down, if you have never been, you must go...I mean, apparently the Real Housewives of OC went(I haven't watched that episode yet, so don't tell me) so you know it must be the it place.

I got back in late last night due to some major plane issues...which is a whole entire post in itself...so I won't have recaps for a few days....but to tide you over here are just a few highlights from the trip of a lifetime.

*Running through the airport with ten minutes to catch a flight*

*Upgrade to first class*

*Class IV rapids*

*raft flipping over*

*ziplining through the jungle*

*Tarzan swing over the jungle*

*Swim up bar parties*

*Making new friends

*Waterfall swimming*

*Hiking through the jungle*

*Major sunburn on my ass*

*Lizard ran up leg at breakfast*

*Horses don't speak spanish*

*Para-sailing*

*Private beach*

*Monkeys outside our hotel patio*

*slight fiasco of my plane on the way back.*

Here a few pics...











I need a vacation just to recover from this one.

Adios.

Vacation

Good Morning....

I'm officially on VACATION and on my way to COSTA RICA.

I have some fabulous posts lined up this week starting tomorrow...but for today I am posting over at my in real life BFF's blog,Tiff@ Figuring out the Plot, who by the way is also on her way to COSTA RICA!!!!

I'm blogging about fishing.

You probably don't want to miss it.

Hasta Luego loves!

Happy Thursday

Hey y'all....it's Thursday which means it's almost Friday which makes me oh so very happy!!

Just five more sleeps until I am here...

Miss Football even gave us a theme song, "One way ticket"

I have all my essentials ready to go

Vacation by blondeoklahomagirl featuring a straw hat

Happy Friday

Happy Friday, y'all!

I couldn't be more excited that it's Friday, my favorite day of the week....the only thing more exciting then it being Friday, is

I'm going to 

That's right...flights were booked and us girls are taking a trip of a lifetime. SO EXCITED!!!

Miss Football and I 

and Miss Football's friend Kristin

are taking a girls trip to COSTA RICA!

So...this means that I have a little less than 4 months to get my booty into shape.

Better put the Mocha Drizzle and cookie down and start Operation Costa Rica bikini body.

If you have been before, what are the "must see" places? We have some pretty cool things lined up already, zip-lining, touring the volcano and hot springs, para-sailing, but if there is more to do please let us know...we want to make the best of this trip and soak in all Costa Rica has to offer.

Have a great Friday and weekend!