Two weeks in Costa Rica! Can’t think of a better way to de-stress after the holidays. My brother, best friend, and I found a cheap flight and travelled around this tropical paradise. We travelled through Liberia, Playas del Coco, Puntarenas, Manuel Antonio, and Monteverdi. Along the way we played football in the ocean and had dinner while monkeys gave us a show as the sun set over the ocean. We explored rainforests and cloud forests finding many amazing animals including the elusive Quetzal. Zip lining was one of the most memorable events.
We signed up for a set of 8 zip lines through the Monteverdi cloud forest, with the highest at 328 ft and the longest line at 2460 ft. I am terrified of heights and started having regrets as our instructor described our upcoming adventure as we ascended into the clouds using our chairlift.
We reached the very top of the lift and climbed the tower to our first zip line. The cloud had engulfed us on our ascent, for we couldn’t see more than 30 feet. I watched my best friend get strapped in and disappear into the mist. I was terrified to go next. After being strapped in you are commanded to hold on to a tiny bar above your head, lean back, and cross your legs. As I waited for the go ahead from my instructor, my stomach churned as I felt a strong wind move the line slightly to the right. Before I knew it, my instructor gave the go ahead and I was flying through a cloud.
I looked back and couldn’t see the platform where my brother had been standing. I looked forward and could not see more than 30 feet of the line in front of me. I looked in each direction and all I could see was the cloud which had engulfed me. I started to panic as I was flying at 50 mph through a mist that would slowly freeze me if not for the terror and adrenaline that had taken over my body.
After 20 seconds of pure panic while flying through the cold, I knew I needed to calm myself down. With a few deep breaths I was able to rationalize my fear and feel the full sensation of the experience. I finally saw the platform where my friend stood waiting for me with excitement. As I landed and unhooked, I realized we had 7 more lines till the end. After my brother zipped down and unhooked we began walking to the next platform. I realized my legs had grown weak. I decided to face my fear and go first on the next line.
The mist started to lighten as I was sent down the next line. I could see the tree tops 50 feet below me. As I zipped through the cloud forest at frightening speeds, I enjoyed the sensation of flying. I felt free! With each new line, we moved further down the mountain and moved away from the mist. We could see more and more of our surroundings the further down we went. The experience was exhilarating! I have never tried anything like it before and look forward to my next opportunity. I implore anyone with a sense of adventure to try zip lining in Monteverdi, Costa Rica.
Kevin Kohn
Trayvax Customer Service Guru
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