South To The Pacific

This morning we were driven down from Monteverde, along similar dirt roads to those we ascended yesterday. It was a slow and bumpy process but the views were spectacular.

The weather on this, the Pacific side of the mountains, was noticeably hotter and drier, though the clouds still hung on the top of the mountains as we descended through cattle grazing country where farmers still ride horseback to tend to their herds and land.

We eventually reached the main north - south road that runs through the centre of the country. This pair of colourful macaws were in the trees behind a roadside restaurant where we took a break.

After lunch at our destination in the Ricon de la Vieja National Park, it was our turn to mount horses for a 45 minute trek through the forest down to the river where we then enjoyed a 5k tubing experience through the (fairly gentle, it has to be said) rapids which still involved a lot of bumping, spinning, splashing and occasional screaming.

Tomorrow we get to rest