Walking to school on a Saturday with two Australian girls make the early wake up slightly less horrible. Though, being the weekend, we weren’t at school to learn. Today it was a meeting point for our first trip outside the capital with Intercultura. Soon enough we were travelling to La Paz Waterfall Garden and then onwards to Monteverde. Everyone has daypacks stuffed full of junk food and booze. We were definitely prepared for an overnight adventure.
Many laughs were shared between the groups on the road up to the La Paz gardens. Though, with the rain we chuck on jackets and head down the valley. La Paz Waterfall Garden is home to a couple waterfalls and a zoo. Showing off a variety of animals, but unfortunately no sloths. Also, I got a picture with a Toucan on my arm, enjoyed the butterfly house and my favourite animal of the day was definitely the hummingbirds. Unfortunately, heading down numerous stairs towards the waterfall the weather began to worsen.
Trying not to slip and shielding cameras from the rain we reached the lookout, took the typical tourist photos and gapped it for the shelter of the bus. The next stop for the day was Monteverde which is where we would spend the night amongst the cloud forest.
During the six hours between La Paz and Monteverde there were many laughs shared, the boys lounged around drinking while the rest of us wondered what Monteverde would look like. Oh, and to fuel our imaginations even more, when we stopped at a petrol station promo people handed us all free shots. Cheers to that. We soon found ourselves in a hot desert landscape, very different from being amongst the trees in La Paz Waterfall Garden, and along the coast . The bus began struggling trying to drive up a massive steep hill. With the light dimming and a group of teenagers impatiently waiting it was not the best situation. Somewhere, somehow the terrain changed, it was suddenly raining, cold and full of lush greenery. Seems we had arrived in Monteverde.
Attempting to get a decent room a couple girls and I decided sharing was a good idea. The hostel we stayed at was called Santa Elena Hostel Resort. It had a bar, foosball table, disco lights and a decent sound system. So, the majority of us headed there to begin the first and only night in Monteverde. Us New Zealand kids learned some crazy Aussie drinking games, getting absolutely trashed on cheap alcohol. Also, the rowdy tour guide, Jerry, ordered everyone pizza. I swear living off beans and rice makes any other meal taste better.
After the pizza settled in our stomachs, we headed to the local discotek. Next, everyone drunk more cheap tequila shots. While these shots lead to some liquid confidence. I managed to strike up a conversation in Spanish with a local man. In addition he brought me and a friend to his place where there was a house party. I have no idea how we thought going to a stranger’s house in a random town, drunk, would be a good idea. But, it somehow happened… When in Costa Rica.
