I wake up to the smell of falling rain. It’s my first full day up in the mountains of Guanacaste province in Costa Rica. I’m hoping to go horseback riding as well as get in some hiking, yet the weather is not looking like its going to cooperate.
A small truck appears out of the rain and the driver asks me if I’m ready. If they are willing to venture out in this weather, so am I….
As we get to the stables, the wind picks up and the rain is coming at us in sideways fashion. It’s not cold though, and the fast moving storm clouds create an unreal atmosphere. I climb up on my trusty steed, and ready myself to get muddy.
The green hills around us spark the imagination of jungle creatures. We climb the rolling hills until we eventually summit. My fellow riders leave me at this point to do some ziplining but our guide and myself carry on.
We are going to find secret waterfalls.
Families of monkeys follow us from high up in the trees above. The rain has turned the trail into a slick waterslide, and I brace myself as our horses slip and slide down the trail. Eventually we tie the horses up to a hitching post and continue on foot.
A butterfly with the most stunning azure blue color on its wings follows me along the trail, eventually resting on my pant leg.
My guide tells me this is a good luck sign.
We come to two different waterfalls, both amazing in their own right. The best part is that it is only the two of us here. The quiet jungle sounds and falling water are the perfect morning symphony for my ears.
Our morning ends just as the rain starts to let up. We make our way back to the top of the mountain, and rest for a spell before our next adventure begins.
