Day 4 and its confirmed - Costa Rica is a stunning place...

The day started so well... Woken at 5am by the extraordinarily loud sounds of howler monkeys - on second thoughts, the dementor description still fits but nothing like lions - more prehistoric - maybe the underwater rantings of sea-monsters. This time we got up to try locate them - well up in the branches & wouldn't come down to play. The howlers live way up in the tree canopy so its pretty hard to get any good pics of them.

Having used up our two days at the Alby Lodge, we headed south along the coast to Iguanaverde where we had been assured yesterday that our lodging would be ready whenever we arrived. Not so as the room wasn't ready til noon, but not a problem. To fill time, Ralph thinking that a 60Km 4*4 tour of southern Costa Rica would be 'fun' set the GPS for a quick cross country jaunt only to find that the road we were supposed to be on was in fact a 400m driveway.

That thwarted, we headed down to the bottom of the Caribbean coast, a mere 12Kms away to Manzanillo, to check out the pitcureskew beaches and potential future accommodation. As the main highway dwindled into a sand road, we turned the corner and found that what was once a highway was now the running track for the local elementary school. Rudely interrupting the student's 40 yard dash, we boldly traveled the last 800m of the Caribbean coast highway, did a 180 and interrupted them again.

With nothing better to do we stopped for Cafe Negro, and some rice and beans (rice and beans being the extremely tasty local, and only specialty). Fully nourished we headed back to the Tree House, checked in, and drove down our private driveway to unpack and lounge in the private luxury that was to be ours for two nights.

Crossing the threshold, Chris let out a yelp of pain and dislodged a nastily big ant from her foot. This followed by similar squealing by Ralph - both ignored by our sanguine hostess. Great living room, open to the jungle on three sides (literally - including free access to the toilet to any marauding beasts of the night). Can't help be impressed that they provide a freezer with ice and a blender for the creation of Caribbean cocktails. The upstairs bedroom is accessible by shaky suspension bridge and the mosquito nets look kind of necessary given the free jungle airflow.

So then Ralph goes to get the bags out the car. Placed them carefully behind the car. and whilst hoiking the backpacks out of the back seat, somehow contrived to stand in an ant's nest. Much hopping & yelling and then a roaring of engine from a now shoeless Ralph. Much panic methinks. How big was the ants nest? Could they get in through the chassis (it's not the newest of 4wd's)? Whatever Hitchcock themes were going through his head? Must have been extravagantly creative in his fantasy world cos he then proceeded to reverse right over Chris's suitcase, skidding to a halt and then blasting forward only to drove over the suitcase a second time. Whatever genius at the airlines made us pack all those squishy tubes in one bag in one case? Chris's case. (RB editorial - the fricken ant's shoot formic acid into your flesh and it hurts! Who wouldn't attempt a Starsky and Hutch escape under such conditions???)

ANYWAYS... victory was Ralph's as Chris has little sympathy (Crispy editorial - untrue), although she did bring out the Hydrocortisone - fortunately not destroyed by the previous maneuvering, went to the loo and got bit by an ant on the place that shall not be named... After a further strategic application of Hydrocortisone we temporarily abandoned the luxury tree house and headed into town for supplies - 2 litres of juice, a couple of bags of chips, some drinks and a dozen beers coming to around $10.

At this point we agreed that ants are not our thing, and we may look for slightly less painful accommodation tomorrow.

The day ended well with a tour through the Iguana sanctuary. Lots of lizards, BIG bugs, butterflies and a private beach all spectacular. The Costa Rica iguanas dwindled to minimal numbers but here they were hopping & slithering & prowling & scooting in all directions on the ground & up the trees. Fast moving targets, how did they used to get so easily sling-shotted as highly prized 'tree chickens'?

We braved the pothole highway for dinner tonight, very yummy at the Shwandera or something like that. And then back to ant city - getting in & out of the car is a bit hoppy, but this is otherwise the coolest place. There's lighting (not enough to read by keeping a very jungle ambience), a hammock (of course) and a solar shower built into one of the trees that support the whole structure. All very eco-sensitive we're told; constructed from only fallen trees - why the plastic tarp roof though? Everywhere else is some kind of banana leaves. Ralph has opted for the downstairs bedroom (bet he gets bit) which has an air-conditioning unit ( thats a rarity here) and I'm going to brave the tree room despite the vast gaps in the mozzie netting & the possibility of BIG creepies up there. Separate bedrooms, how old are we?

The score for the day:

Squillions of animals of interest : Many, many worrying biting insects : 0 Power outages : and NO rain!

The temperature as we write this at 11pm s a balmy 26 degrees - Chris is cold!

written by  REB on July 26, 2007 from Cahuita, Costa Rica
from the travel blog: Welcome to the Jungle...
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Hi what a adventure ants and all,thanks for sharing it and please keep it coming lots of love Lise

written by  Lise on July 30, 2007

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Doooods ... sounds stellar ... and hilarious! Got tears picturing the Husky and Starch move in a Highanddry! And how do you know it's formic acid ... you didn't google it did you?? Max.

written by  Mark William Champion on August 1, 2007

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