Today we had a big day ahead of us. We started off the morning super early and met up with Dr. Gonzalez’s son who owns a company called Cartuanis. Basically, he and some others take groups of people on crazy cool hikes which is what we did. This was probably one of the hardest hikes I’ve done, mainly because the whole time I was scared I was going to slide down the mountain. However, after getting to the bottom and seeing the view it was definitely worth it. We were surrounded by trees and even got to swim to this waterfall nearby. In total, the hike probably took about 5 hours and afterward they provided us with fruit and gave us t-shirts which were really nice. We then ate lunch with the most amazing view and delicious food. After lunch, we drove back down the mountain and to our Airbnb where we all showered and took naps. To end the night and our entire trip together we went to the very first restaurant we ate at which was El Portón Rojo.

Today we got up and did a hike around a volcano. First, a bus came and picked us up and brought us to the place. During the hike, we went to see a lot of different insects, some with very vibrant colors. The hike took about two hours and we finally ended up on this man-made lookout area where we could see both the Arenal volcano and the lake at the same time, which was amazing. We even got lucky this day because it was one of the only days we could clearly see the whole volcano without clouds blocking the view. Afterward, we went back to the hotel where we packed our things and from there drove straight to San Jose. The drive was super long and everyone was exhausted from the hike that morning. Immediately after arriving in San Jose, we went to Dr. Quesada’s parent’s house. This is where we all did our group presentations on the different companies that we chose. Afterward, we got dropped off at the mall in San Jose where we ate dinner and headed to our Airbnb to get some rest for the next day.

Today we got up and had a company visit this morning with VISA. While at their company we got to not only hear about the process of how they grow and export their products but we got to see the process as well. It really amazed me just how many pineapples they were exporting daily and how precise and efficient they were at inspecting and packaging their products. After this, we were given the rest of the afternoon off to relax and finish up schoolwork. Immediately after getting back, I was super tired so I took a nap. After the nap, I knew our presentations were due the following day so the girls and I decided to work on that the rest of the day until we finished. Once everyone finished making their presentations, which was essentially the last assignment we had for the trip, we all went out to celebrate with a nice dinner and some drinks.

Today we had another tour. We first got breakfast at our hotel and then we drove to the hanging bridges. These bridges are exactly what they sound like, they are long bridges that extend over parts of the rainforest. I really liked being fully surrounded by all the greenery and I thought the views were amazing. Unfortunately, we did not get to see any cool animals which was what I was hoping for. After this, we got a free afternoon to help us catch up on our schoolwork and rest. That evening we went to a very nice resort with hot springs. There were about 15 different hot springs/pools just at this one resort which was super cool. After that, we had a buffet-style dinner at the resort which was good.

Today we had to get up early as we had a really busy day ahead of us. I was pretty tired from the night before so I definitely had to get some coffee to start the day. After that, there was a train waiting for us that took us up this mountain where we then proceeded to get our equipment on, such as the harness and gloves. Once we were all ready we had to do a mini hike to get to the first zip line which was pretty exhausting but was totally worth it after seeing the view that we were ziplining over. My favorite zip line was the one that went through a tunnel of trees. After we finished we got to ride horses which were my first time so I was scared the horse was going to buck me off. My horse was kind of slow but I was just glad it didn’t go out of control. After that, we went back to the hotel. We then got changed and went to lunch in town where we also dropped our laundry off to get washed. After that, we decided to go back to the waterfall but the guys went with us this time. It was very refreshing and we even swam around the waterfall as well. Later that night we had a reservation for a hot spring then after that, we enjoyed a huge cookout that Dr. Gonzalez cooked for us which was amazing.

Today we got up around 7am because we had a rafting tour booked. Luckily I got to sleep early the night before so I felt great. The rafting company came and picked us up on a bus and drove us to the river. Once we got there they split our group into two separate groups and started giving us life jackets, helmets, and paddles. We then got in the raft where the water was freezing and had a training session on the different commands and safety instructions.  The very first rapids we went through were probably the scariest but after that, we kind of got the hang of it. Along the way, we saw monkeys and toucans which was cool. At some points the guide let us get out of the raft and float in the water which was really fun. Then they provided us with a buffet-style lunch which consisted of rice beans, different meats, and more. As we were leaving the lunch place we saw a sloth hanging in the tree. After rafting we had the rest of the afternoon to relax which was much needed. Later on, the girls and I decided to go on a hike to a waterfall. The view was definitely worth all the steps we had to go up. Once dinner came around we decided on getting sushi and then finished the night hanging out by the pool.

Today we got to sleep in later than usual and walked around to a breakfast place right on the beach. I had a chicken biscuit which was so good. After that, we continued walking around the town of tamarindo and did a little shopping in the local shops. Once we were done it was time to hit the road and head to our next destination. Originally we were told it was a 6-hour drive which we were not happy about but it only ended up being 4 hours. During the car ride, everyone was super tired and exhausted from the night before so we all just slept. After 4 hours we arrived at our hotel in La Fortuna we settled into our rooms and then headed to dinner. The dinner was included with the hotel and it was really good. After a long day of driving, we all decided to just have a chill night at the hotel and went to bed early.

Today we woke up and packed all of our things in the car and headed to Tamarindo. The drive was about an hour and a half so it was not too bad. Originally we were supposed to go to La Fortuna but we really wanted to go surfing in Tamarindo so we canceled one night at La Fortuna and stayed in Tamarindo. Once we arrived we weren’t able to check into our hotel yet so we ended up just walking around the town to find food. After we ate we were all super hot and decided to go cool off in the hotel pool which also had an amazing view of the ocean. Then we all went to the beach and I attempted to surf for the first time. The ways were huge and the entire time would crash right before I would get up on the board. At one point the current ended up taking me out pretty far but I eventually made it back to shore and was exhausted. We then all headed back to the hotel and took naps before going out for dinner. We ate dinner at this nice restaurant that was right on the beach and got to see a pretty sunset.

Today was the first day where we did not have to get up super early like the other days. We got breakfast at the resort which was actually really good. Then after breakfast, we took a walk on the beach I will admit the smell was not great but it was sunny which was nice. Then we drove into town and got some lunch at this restaurant right near the beach which happened to be right where we were meeting for the catamaran tour. I’ve never been on a catamaran so I was pleasantly surprised at how big it was. Once the catamaran got to its first destination some people were getting off to snorkel but the water was super dirty so we just swam to the beach nearby. On the beach, we found this little trail that we walked up to and got to see an amazing view over the ocean. Luckily it didn’t rain all day which is rare since it is the rainy season in Costa Rica. Finally, we got back to the resort and showered, and got ready for dinner.

Today we had to wake up super early again and had a 6-hour drive ahead of us. The first obstacle of the day was trying to fit everyone’s luggage into the van which probably took about 10 minutes. After squeezing everything in the van we piled into and started driving. During most of the drive, I worked on writing my reports about our company visits, which was nice because it was a good way to make the time in the car go by faster. After about 2 hours into the drive, we stopped at a little cafe and got some breakfast. We finally arrived at a resort in Liberia which I liked a lot because it had a pool and was right near the beach. We then walked to the beach and got food where I got the ceviche which was really good. After that, we were all pretty exhausted from the drive so we took a nap for a couple hours to rejuvenate. We then got ready for dinner and ate at this resort that was so beautiful with great service. Later that night we all decided to go swimming in the pool which was a great way to end the day.