Costa Rica- Coast to coast trek for Macmillan Cancer Support.

The first of April is usually a day of trickery and all fool jokes but today I rose at the crack of dawn to take on a journey that was neither a joke nor a trick of the mind, it was definitely going to happen. Martin had kindly taken me to Heathrow was instead of saying goodbye, suggesting to me that he could continue past the terminal and slingshot back around onto the motorway and home to Dorset. Although the offer sounded rather tempting at the time, I declined his generous proposal and shouldering my rucksack and kitbag I kissed him goodbye and made my way into the terminal, meeting another participant as I reached the main door. There was no going back, I was on my way.

It doesn’t matter how many treks you complete and this was to be my 12^th with Macmillan cancer support, you always feel the same way, excited and nervous in equal balance. I had thought that my youngest daughter would give birth before I left, her second baby being due the day after I left for Costa Rica but secretly I hoped the birth would wait for my return. My grandchildren are so special to me and I love to meet them on their first day in this beautiful world and say hello.

It was a long journey there on two flights, via Houston, Texas. We arrived in San Jose, tired and hungry but well ready for sleep. Tomorrow would be a busy day, starting with a long drive out to the Pacific Coast before starting out first day of walking. This was to be a tough trek, but it was made easier with the friendliness of the 16 intrepid trekkers, or in some cases they were not feeling quite so intrepid but had come along anyway and were ready for an adventure. From the start we all got on so well. It was a good job as we were to spend the next 11 days walking forest trails, sleeping in both tents and cattle sheds, dodging tarantulas and paddling through rivers together.

Our first day was spent driving out to the Pacific coast at Quepos, dipping our toes in the warm sea, smiling passionately for a first group photo and running back to the bus enthusiastically as we anticipated the start of our trek. We drove on through green, orderly palm oil plantations and land cultivated with pineapples and coconuts. Dense forest covered the distant hills and dark clouds gathered as we crossed a wide river occupied by large, grey river crocodiles. We hoped that this would be the last that we saw of these huge specimens of primeval power and wide open mouths as we listened to stories of locals who had wandered down to the river after a few drinks and never returned.

We disembarked from the bus a few hours distant from Londres into the midday heat and began an uphill walk through the afternoon and a thunderstorm to reach our first nights lodging on the edge of the rainforest.  The storm was most welcome as the relentless rays beat down on us from tropic sun. Now the struggle began for many in our group, as the realisation of what a tough trek was to mean. For some the rough, stony track meant hurdles in itself as they took their first tumbles with dignity and bruises, but for others it was a torment of the mind and body and the hardest thing they had ever done before. They all bravely endured their private struggle and after lunch felt relieved in the cooling raindrops which soaked our clothes and cooled our bodies. 

That first cold shower was so enjoyed by us all and we laid out our sleeping bags on the floor of the open sided café, beneath a fading sun and glorious sunset as the rain quelled and night fell.  Some members of our group had lost their luggage in transit but fortunately it had finally made its way to camp tonight and a cheer went up from us all. It would have been difficult to sleep without a camping mat and sleeping bag even if we had managed without clean knickers for a few days.

It was funny laying under mosquito nets, too strange for me I’m afraid. I decided to risk the tropical diseases and lay beneath a star filled star without obstruction. I didn’t sleep practically well that night as bats flew around our heads and large frogs apparently landed on others heads in the middle of the night, waking us with frightened screams.

I had helped the lovely owner of the little café where we had been so kindly slept, been feed and enjoyed and cold, refreshing shower the night before, to return some dishes to the kitchen. Bicki exchanged greetings and names with me and then returning from her little kitchen with a small plate containing a delicious piece of corn cake. The cake was white and very moist with a delicate sweetness, I told her that in England my favourite cake to make for my family was carrot cake, which had many of the same qualities. We swooped recipes and said our goodbyes with hugs and smiles. I love to meet and talk with the locals everywhere that I go, they are so kind and open and invariably offer you something special to eat or drink even if they have only a little themselves. One kindness repaid with another.

After yesterday’s easy 4 hour walk today we were expecting a much longer 8 hour one up to the edge of the rain forest. As we walked out of the cool morning air into the heat of the full sun, on wide tracks through beautiful farmland and forest, the land rose ahead of us, ever steeper. Each slope was followed by another as we rounded the wooded hillsides. Most of the members of our group had not trekked before, very brave of them to start on a tough one I thought. I was asked what the best way to tackle the long, arduous ascents. My answer was nibble at them, just take it easy and find your pace. I find winding my way slowly up the slope and stopping occasionally to look up or take a picture, 

works for me. I never look at the top, except to see if I can see light through the trees near a wooded col, safe in the knowledge that a col is near, if not the top. Never take your eyes off a downward track that’s covered in small rolling pebbles and always stop to take a photograph or alter something on your person. You can easily slip on these stones and fallen. Here they were volcanic in origin. Later in the afternoon I slipped and cut my hand, with a fellow walker doing the same seconds after me. The cut was quite deep and blood ran into the fast following stream as I washed the dirt from it and wrapped it in tape. Climbing tape is wonderful for everything and I always take a roll with me on treks. It’s great for blisters and hot spots too, but I don’t seem to get these anymore as I wear boots that are two sizes too big and tie them diagonally and tightly at my ankle. I also wear two pairs of socks that works well for me and is a good tip, especially for trekking in a hot country with lots of climbs.

At the top of the first beautiful climb we stopped to enjoy a wonderful and much appreciated break. Several members were by now feeling the heat and finding the continuous uphill walking arduous. Four or five people needed more than a rest and transport was arranged to help them to the lunch stop or the next camp. It’s hard to get your head around the idea that you will not be able to complete something that you have set out to do in its entirety but sometimes in order to enjoy the majority of a trek there maybe parts that you have to miss. On these occasions there was always great enthusiasm from others to offer their kind wishes and encouraging words from those who were being transported. This all made for a happy trek and good morale.

The top was indeed wonderful. There was wonderful fresh and juice fruit, laid out on the table, pineapples, mango and watermelon, served with the coldest and most refreshing ever watermelon drink. Little snacks came out of nowhere too: cheese crackers and chocolate biscuits. It was these little crackers filled with cheese paste and looking rather like it should have been sweet, that were to be my favourite snack that week. It also appeared than no one else much liked them as everyone offered me theirs. I wasn’t sure if they were just being awfully generous or really didn’t care for them as their salty qualities seemed to really hit the spot.

From up here, I could see right down to the Pacific coastline, with its islands and tropical, white sanded beaches. In land from here all that was before us was rainforest covered hills climbing into the distance and the gathering clouds on another afternoon storm, but this time it was to fade away, rolling into another purlieu. We walked on a bathed our feet in a stream, backed by a small waterfall. On a different day in another location that waterfall would have been paradise but here it was overlooked by a group of weary trekkers waiting for their lunch.

Lunch was in fact not too far off and soon we were enjoying burritos, cheeses and tuna with tomatoes in a little wooden house that doubled up in all its simplicity as a basic bed and breakfast, far up in the mountains. It had a long wooden table with two or three wooden platforms in an open area behind to place ones roll mat and sleeping bag, there was also a toilet in the corner. What more could a traveller want or need? The little family who hosted us, said farewell as did their baby boy who shyly waved goodbye from their tiny earth floored kitchen.

The track narrowed, enclosing us in its heart as the rainforest anticipated its chance of devouring us all. Soon we came to our nights’ lodgings, which were several wooden buildings in a grassy clearing with open views to the south. This was San Isidro.  In the first we were introduced to the friendly hosts who once again feed us well and offered us the chance to enjoy a cold, refreshing shower. You really need these as here you soon begin to smell as the temperature rises and mud or dust covers your legs.

We were shown are shared rooms of wooden bunks and enjoyed a chance to wash a couple of items of clothes. This wouldn’t have normally been possible but as a couple of members were staying behind they kindly offered to collect up our dry clothes and bring them up to where they would next see us in a few days’ time.

The morning air was lovely and after a hearty breakfast of eggs and pancakes we made our way ever deeper into the forest. This time only taking a few belongs of a change of clothes and bedding as horses were to be used to carry these items. We were soon to see why we had been asked to pack lightly as the tracks become muddy, slippery paths and river crossing came at regular intervals. Each time we heard the sound of water getting louder we knew the path would go quickly down to cross a stream and soon our boots and sock were wet. We had been told that there were opportunities to swim along the way and at the first sign of a lovely waterfall and deep pool our leader had thrown his clothes off and was enjoying the cool, clear water. I quickly did the same and it wasn’t long before most of us had enjoyed the nature spa in our underwear.

I really don’t know where the rest of the day went as we were walking for around 6 hours in the deep and noisy jungle. The rainforest is full of tiny creatures and by midday a chorus of cicadas and tree frogs were filling the air with a deafening ensemble. The heat was a little less as we travelled higher but the humidity grow with an approaching afternoon storm.

Lunch was spent on a hillside, with banana leaves for seat mats as rain drops steadily gathered speed. It was almost a perfect place in that little meadow to sit and enjoy lunch if it wasn’t for the curious cows that had probably never seen so many dirty, smelly trekkers on their hillside before. The guides shooed them away but it was the gathering storm that made us get back on the tail once again. As rain gently fall with gathered momentum walking up through the long grass that covered the undulating slopes, but it was much too hot and sticky to wear any rain wear, besides our clothes were still quite wet from our swim earlier.

Climbing ever higher and deeper into the rainforest we arrived at a small wood and tin building surrounded by orchids and fruit trees. Huge, dark storm clouds clung to the deep, green hillsides of lush rainforest, tumbling down them like tangled waterfalls. We waited expectantly on a cluster of wooden benches outside as drips fell and gathered into an intense rainstorm. Quickly we made for the cabin and organised our nights bedding, although it was light now, night would come quickly here near to the equator.

The hoist was a lovely man and after organising the usual refreshments of coffee, ice tea and fresh fruit he showed me around and where they were growing papayas that tumbled down the wall outside the little kitchen. I laughed with him as to who would be sent to climb the tree to retrieve some of the delicious fruit and he sent one of our guides up to retrieve a couple of soft, ripe fruit.

Downstairs was a small open kitchen with a wood burning fire and here he magically made us a wonderful pasta dinner and 4 am breakfast of fruit, eggs and pancakes. The building was in fact open on all sides and we slept either on the veranda or in the centre, cocooned in darkness and the deep snores of trekkers who were able to sleep, the rest of us alas found this commodity amiss.  

Dawn had not yet risen as we left Betania. Our glowing head touches like those of the glow bugs from the night before, bobbing up through the trees as we followed the tiny path into the deep and often dark rainforest. Here at least 6 other plants seem to grow either on or encompassing other larger trees. The trail fell away to the side of us, with vertigo inducing slopes, where trees had disappeared and stunning vistas had replaced them. Huge hairy Tarantulas scurried across the path ahead of us, golden orb spiders huge in broken branches and a patterned jumping viper sat right across our narrow path refusing to move.

It was to be a long 12 hour day as we ascended the ridge. Here unbroken views awaited us, as did birds of every colour; toucans with their distinctive large beaks and as did Tanagers, their red bodies and black wings darting through the gaps in the trees, while always the vultures soared above us circling the forest. Flowers too were abundant and as vibrant as any bird, often looking similar to a birds as were the red and yellow birds of paradise flowers. Passion flowers, beautiful orchids and other flowers of the most vibrant and tropical colours lined the little paths, tantalising me into photographing them with my small waterproof camera, while never really being in range of a close-up shot with its limited zoom. Still never mind it did an excellent job at taking some amazing pictures in the damp jungle areas.

Finally we descended to a small, shallow river crossing not too far from our camp, but unfortunately we now had to ascend a long wide track to reach the much talked about cow shed that awaited us as overnight accommodation. We rose steadily to almost 2000 metres and after a long day I was already hot and tired, but the climb took my breath and my asthma played me up all the way back to camp. My puffer helped but my new friends soon realised that I was struggling and wasn’t going to catch them up anytime soon, so waited for me and together we made it to the top with tires in my eyes and a heart full of cheer. I wasn’t quite the last one up as my comrade in treks bravely hobbled to join us amidst cheers from us all and a hug from me.

In the mist we heard voices calling from afar and quickly realise that the only people it could be out here was the rest of our group who had travelled to Quetzal y Tucan. In the minibus and they too had endured a very long day on the bumpy tracks to join us.

A cow shed, is not normally something that you look forward to laying your head down in for a restful night's slept, but then I wasn’t really anticipating a restful night’s sleep to be honest. But what we did enjoy was a very cold, but much appreciated shower, a bowl of hot beef stew (most probably one of our friend the bull outside’s brothers) and a beautiful evening gathered around the fire. As the mist cleared the stars came out that night and here we were high above the rainforest drinking coffee and all thinking well we did it, the hardest part was over. Well if we had thought that we were daft, because the very next day we were up early and ready for another long day in the hot sun.

Breakfast was amazing. Hot coffee, a beautiful sunrise and eggs, crispy bacon and toast. What more could you ask for. Well there was always pineapple on offer and it was always juicy and wonderful. The track was wide here and undulating, at first a steep climb and then a long slope down to a lovely river crossed by a rickety wooden bridge. Rising once again the track continued through the most exquisite rolling farmland. It was here that we enjoyed sighting of our first monkeys as they made their way through the tall trees that line the track.

For the past few days some of the group had been feeling poorly with a tummy bug and several more had now gone down with it. Our guide was made quite unwell with the bug and even had to take a rest for a while. He through first bravely got us through the rainforest first even with a painful foot. I fortunately didn’t get it, I believe this was probably because I had been taking a course of Doxycycline for malaria, we were told a few days into the trek that there wasn’t any malaria in Costa Rica now but as I had a tooth infection that was still bothering me, I had cut my hand and I knew that others had a bug, I decided to keep them up. It was a good plan as my tooth continued to improve, my hand didn’t get infected and I stayed well. One to remember for another time, I decided. Bugs in tropical countries are often simple bacterial infections rather than viruses so a good all-round antibiotic often works on them and stops most insect borne infections from spreading through your body too.

The heat rose steadily all morning and by lunch I was looking forward to something other than water. Wonderfully cold Ice tea had not been what I thought we would have but it was waiting for us, under a tree with a table laid, containing fresh fruit, soft wraps, tuna, cheese and salad. How very lovely and a welcome change from the cheese and ham sandwiches of the past two days.  It wasn’t long before our hard earned rest was over and the long steady climb to our high point of the trek at 2045 metres awaited us.

This trek was never a race but one of the local leaders wanted to bet the previous record of the other local leader who was also unwell. So off he set running up the hill with a single trek member as competition. He did indeed win and beat his predecessor too. I joined up with a couple of the other girls and we steadily pottered our way to the top which took an hour which wasn’t bad at all. To some this was their main challenge of the trek, I was just pleased that I had reached the top without getting asthmatic. We cheered each other’s achievements and soon we were on our way again once more.

Views of beautiful Santa Maria de Dota greeted us on the other side, as did the crops of sugar beet, coffee, pineapples, coconuts and other tropical fruits. Coffee was first planted in the early 19^th century shortly after independence in 1821. Land was divided and given to families to plant with coffee. Later the coffee was shipped to Europe and soon became Costa Rica’s first major export. It remained the main source of wealth for the country until well into the 20^th century. Since then bananas and pineapples have taken over as the major crops and tourism is Costa Rica’s future. Their tourism centres on eco-friendly experiences such as trekking, white-water rafting and enjoying the nature of national parks. The country has doubled its forest in recent years by planting secondary forest on land that had originally  been cleared as ranch land. It’s a very beautiful area here with rolling hills and forest backed by volcanic mountains.  The little town sits in the centre of this major coffee production area.

We walked down a long road though the fields with coffee on one side and bananas on another. Little hummingbirds darted into the vividly coloured hibiscus, blue Hortensia, bougainvillea and busy Lizzie. It was a long tiring day and that coffee shop seemed like a world away. Finally in the little town of Santa Maria we got to enjoy that very welcome coffee. The coffee shop was part of the coffee cooperative and so I thought I would purchase  some coffee for my family as tomorrow we would be back in the rainforest and it was a chance to bring home a present. A rather good one too as it turned out.

Tonight we were to sleep on the floor of the local community centre. It wasn’t in fact just us that night at the community centre, as we were joined by about a hundred large cockroaches. They were trying to get in our boots and the sleeping bags.

In the morning I had expected to be walking under the volcanoes but the itinerary was suddenly and unexpectedly changed and we were bussed to the top of the 3432 metre Volcan Irazu. It was an impressive and spectacular sight but one they worried me as I had in the past been taken very ill at such altitudes and I wasn’t sure what we were expected to do in the way of walking up there. I guess with both our main guides feeling unwell that day they had decided to cut the day short. Our trek was to walk in farmland between Irazu and Volcan Turrialba but instead we trekked from Linda Vista through the rainforest to the Pacuare River and camped at Nido del Tigre which mean tiger's nest. It was here that we camped beside large patches of fantastic giant ginger plants, Parrot flowers or Heliconia, with their amazing red flowers. Beautiful brown and yellow Montezuma Oropendola or pendulum birds hung their long and elegant nest from the branches of trees here too. Their calls were the sound of the forest and that of the ever constant crashing of the river as it flowed over the rocks on its journey down to the Caribbean. It was also the home of kingfishers, blue heron and egrets and many wonderful flowers too.

The following day we swam in the river and walked the short distance up to a waterfall along a river. There had been a storm the night before and earlier that day it was still raining hard so the river was full as we waded up though the rocks, up to our shoulders in the flow. It wasn’t the long 6 hour walk that we had been scheduled to undertake but it had it challenges as I have never really learnt to swim. Still we all got there and had been swept downstream or taken into the underworld by snakes that wrapped themselves around are ankles. No that was just our individual imaginations that surfaced and made us frighten of these places. Now everyone was ready for a swim in the cold water.

Now with most people recovered from their illnesses we got underway on our trek once again as the morning broke and promised a fine day. Up through the rainforest on a wider track this time we trekked for a couple of hours and met our vehicle which was to take us over to the Caribbean coast  

We arrived at the Cahuita National Park and walked through the coastal rainforest enjoying its superb wildlife and the palm tree lined beaches. Here Monkeys; white- faced (capuchin), howler and squirrel all enjoyed the amazing trees, huge with vines and orchids. A coati showed off his skills at removing a coconut from a tree but with so many onlookers he didn’t succeed and went off into the forest to find somewhere more peaceful. Only a few of us got to see the sloth with its baby, but I rather enjoyed the red squirrel, Iguana, lizards, strawberry poisoned red frogs and the rather lovely pair of Agouti that we saw but would have their photographs taken before running off into the forest. It was a most lovely adventure and I enjoyed every one minute of it, challenges, cow sheds and all. I was also able to raise another £3759 for Macmillan Cancer support who strive to help improve the lives people living with cancer.