Toucan Turd and a Monkey Nicked My Wet Wipes

Costa Rica was phenomenal. One of the main destinations on this trip and with an allocation of 10 days as an important highlight. Costa Rica shouldn't be rushed but savoured - there is just so much. Only a few special places have reinforced my connection with nature and an environment which I imagine, would be akin to the Garden of Eden and Biblical perfection.

I visited all the main sights and resided in San Jose at the terrific Gran Costa RIca, Hilton - Curio Collection. With its AAA location, the facilities were and as you would expect of the Hilton chain. An impeccable service and the people were friendly and helpful. A hotel at its best, should always be a haven and safe place for the weary traveller.

Having carefully reserached the excursions, the highlights were the volcano at Arenal, La Fortuna, Baldi Springs (where the springs are heated from the volcano's lava) and where I floated for probably hours. Just laying in warm, comforting water, felt like a connection with life itself. My eyes were closed and I felt so very safe and protected. Warm in this amniotic water, within the rain forest and the sounds of nature as my comforting bed fellows. I will never forget the sheer sense of silent joy and nothingness in these healing waters. My only hope is that one day I shall return and again relive a few hours sanctuary within nature's womb...

The trip also included Doka coffee plantation and La Paz waterfall which cannot be described in mere words. The only disappointing trip was Manuel Antonio Park. It's a long journey from San Jose and despite being a wildlife park, the group only saw monkeys, crabs and if you looked really close, a few crabs and allegedly, a sloth was in a tree. The beach was beautiful but again, did not merit the 8-hour journey to get there and back. Probably the only noteworthy experience was a nifty and determined capuccino-monkey (named as appropriate for their white faces) saw and I don't know how, a packet of Wet Wipes in my racksack pocket. Apparently he jumped onto my case (I didn't see it) whipped out the wet wipes then ran... I managed to grab a photograph of him looking very unimpressed with his bounty. He peeled back the cellophane sticker and really was not sure what to do with it. He gave me a look of absolute disdain and horror. A very unimpressed little monkey... And with no disrespect to the monkey, it was rather funny.

Standing inside a Toucan area, I marvelled at the birds, only to be blinded by one of them as it flew low and fast above my head and then strategically dropped a load onto my face. The rest of the group were aghast, but shock turned into fear when a second bird took a dive but this time, I knew to turn my head (like Trump) and the turd landed on my shoulder. After that I bought a big hat and boiled myself when back at the hotel. But despite the turd-dropping-episode, Toucans are wonderful - in fact all the animals including fish and reptiles are beautiful. Somehow understanding their habitat and survival, is a key to how we should all live too.

Costa Rica is incredible but there is a downside. Whenever travelling and in order to ascertain how safe a place might be, check if the locals are wearing watches... It's a big clue - they weren't and it didn't feel particularly safe. Unfortunately I had an incident too. I went to Scotia Bank (opposite the Gold Museum) to take out some cash. I was told that you had to go into a cubicle as it was safer and entry was only with a credit card in a security slot plus a security man was outside the bank and by the cubicles. Also, as an extra safety measure, only one person could enter at any time. This made absolute sense so I ventured inside. Can you imagine my shock when somebody sauntered in and demanded I empty my account...

Under normal circumstances, I probably would have been rather frighened but instead, my immediate response was sheer anger. How dare he I thought. He was approximately 20 years younger and over 1 ft taller. What a coward... I was infuriated... But when you're in a difficult situation, you think far quicker and just a few seconds can feel like minutes... You also learn more about yourself too...

Having recently attended the All Blacks Experience in Auckland and fascinated with the Haka, I decided to adapt as a personal safety measure. The Haka is the Maori war dance chanted at the enemy before an attack (and a link to the All Blacks version with the French rugby opponents is in an earlier post) so, Micky's rendition started with my sticking out my tongue and making a face. He was very shocked and quite taken back by my response.... But how do you follow-up such a dramatic stance? I remembered some of the Haka moves but certainly not the chant and the whole dance - so inside this cubicle with a dubious stranger that wants to mug me - my tongue extended with a psychotic expression mixed with contempt and anger, I had to do something... What? And I don't know why I did what followed next... But in those seconds, it made absolute sense. I barked like a dog! Never done it before. Hope I never need to do it again... But he quickly exited.

Afterwards, the full meaning of these events hit me and I had an early night and slept it off. But under no circumstance would a dodgy stranger spoil the beauty and my sense of absolute awe of this wonderful country. Am having such an eye-opening and enlightening trip - nothing will thwart this exciting journey.

This has certainly been an eye-opening trip and I have learnt so much. Obviously seen unparalleled beauty and as a person, I have developed and have an enhanced understanding upon a different level; my motivations, raison d'etre and what I want out of life. Travelling opens horizons and removes the shackles of settled comfort.

I have enjoyed every wonderful day and am so humbled by what I have seen. Life is so very precious and even though I opened up this post describing Costa Rica as the Garden of Eden... Alongside Adam and Eve, was the symbolic and metaphorical snake...