I am in my 6th month teaching English and Ryan is still working as manager at the hostel. We are both getting Great experiences and have now even seriously considered opening our own hostel / cafe some where down the road; maybe in South America or back in Mexico. But of course we don't know what the future holds for us except that we can't wait to get out of here and back on the traveling road.

I hope that day comes sooner than later and I can be here writing about our exciting adventures again.

written by  ryan & debbrial on October 21, 2010 from San Jose, Costa Rica
from the travel blog: Us Discovering the Latin Americas
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Living most of the year, well pretty much the whole year, in San Jose, Costa Rica when originally we only expected to be here 8 months maximum. Unfortunately, this year has been one of the longest and heaviest rainy seasons Costa Rica has experienced in either a long time or ever, I am not quiet sure, but this is true according to the locals. Neither Ryan nor I was pleased at all with all the rain, being from sunny California, though it was definitely a new experience for both of us. I don't think either of us have seen as much rain as we saw this year in our whole lives. I found out that is rained approximately 71" (6ft.) this year. But we made it through the grueling months and are now coming to dry season again.

On another note, today we are both excited because being here (CR) has given my parents an opportunity to come visit us for Christmas and New Years. They arrive tomorrow, December 26th, for a week visit. And this means that Ryan finally gets a vacation too, which he has been totally looking forward to. We have a lot planned for our mini vacation starting with a hike up Poas Volcano and a view of the emerald green crater, if weather permits. Then north to La Fortuna/ Arenal for canyoneering (which I'll explain later with pictures) and hot springs, followed by fours days in Santa Teresa hanging on the beach. I don't want to write too much about what we have planned because the stories will be so much better after they actually happen.

So on top of seeing my parents I think I am also just excited to have some new adventures and something to write about. Those stories will be coming soon.

Because the next time I do get a chance to write it will probably be 2011 I just want to say Ryan and I are really looking forward to the new year coming and our new adventures starting in May. (Oh yeah, I don't think I wrote about this but we decided when my contract is up in May we are going to go back home, California, for a 2 week family and friends visit, then we decided to kind of start over our trip by flying back to Mexico City. We will take a few weeks traveling around southern Mexico then continue on to Panama like originally planned.) So there is a lot to come, new blogs and more pictures in the new year!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR to Everyone. LOVE YA!!

written by  ryan & debbrial on December 25, 2010 from San Jose, Costa Rica
from the travel blog: Us Discovering the Latin Americas
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The start of our Road Trip

Mom and Dad arrived on December 26th, on time with no problems. Ryan and I met them at the airport with the rental car then brought them back to our home. At first I think they were a bit overwhelmed with San Jose (crowded, busy, one-way dirty streets), like most people are when they get here, but at the end of the week they were happy to be in a city with "real" paved streets.

Anyways, the next morning we all got up early and headed out of the city into the ideal, postcard nature scene of Costa Rica. The first stop on the itinerary was Volcano Poas. I was really looking forward to seeing the carter since we had not visited it before. The crater can only be viewed on clear days without any clouds in the sky. We drove through small towns and coffee filled hills on the way up the beautiful mountain

Mom and Ryan on the way to Poas

Bloody Marys in the morning

Beautiful moutain background

Debb and Dad on the way back from Poas

Fortunately, this gave us lots of time to get to Arenal/La Fortuna and sightsee on the way. We stopped in Zarcero to show mom and dad the hedge garden with funny engraved faces and the pseudo stone face plywood painted church.

Zacero Church

Mom's jumping picture....more to come

We made it to Arenal by mid-afternoon, checked into the hotel and headed straight to the thermal heated pool bar where we stayed for a majority of the rest of the night. I won’t get totally into it but let’s just say after a couple tequila shots, continuous wet-n-wild rides down the waterslide, and the heat from the pool only mom remembered eating chicken sandwiches at the pool before bed. And shamed to say I was hugging the toilet later that night.

At the thermal heated pool at the hotel

Debb and Ryan underwater picutre with our new camera

Mom and Dad underwater picture in the pool

Halfway through the night at the pool

Mom and Dad, cental park of La Fortuna

Ryan and Debb, cental park of La Fortuna

Jumping picture #2 in the cental park of La Fortuna

Now what to do with the rest of the day? We walked around town, La Fortuna, for a bit then decided to take a hike up to Cerro Chato Crater.

Cerro Chato trail

Since it had been raining the day before the trail was muddy but not that bad to start. However, our simple walk through the garden quickly turned into a muddy mess.

The beginning...a nice path now

Its starting to get muddy

2nd part of the hike in the jungle

I must say my parents are total troopers cause they made it almost the whole way at mine and Ryan’s pace, though I can’t leave out there was a lot of bitching and crying, and then Ryan and I did the last haul up to the top and another 700 meters down to the crater lake by ourselves. I later learned by parent’s did continue to the top of the mountain at their own pace. Mission Accomplished!!

Cerro Chato Crater Lake....we made it

Debb at the lake

If they had seen the trail to the lake, they would have been very glad they didn’t join us cause it was a Doozy. Literally using hands, feet and butt to climb down and back up.

the last trail to Cerro Chato Lake

Anyways, that’s not the end of the story…Whatever goes up must come down. So there we went down the mountain trying to beat the darkness from coming while using all our left strength and agility to not fall on our ASSES, no can do. Ass falls are counted as follows: Mom 3, Debbrial 2, Dad 1, and Ryan 0. Three, two, one, zero, we were finally back at our car mud up to our knees now, wet from sweat and drizzling rain, thighs burning and calves and a SUPER need for the hot tub.

As I said in the beginning, that night we sat in the thermal pool massaging our sore legs and laughing about the day we had had.

written by  ryan & debbrial on December 27, 2010 from Fortuna, Costa Rica
from the travel blog: Us Discovering the Latin Americas
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Debb always posing for the camera

Yeah it sounds technical and kinda of scary, but on a reputable organized tourist trip (Desafio) it really wasn’t that hard, just a lot of FUN!! I won’t lie Mom and I were a bit scared at first, but after the first rappel we were just energized for more and completely forgot about being super sore from the hike the day before.

The tour started at the Desafio main office in the center of La Fortuna, were we and 15 other people climbed into a large shuttle bus. Twenty minutes up the road we switched 4x4 trucks with canopy covered beds; the “Jungle Limos”.

Jungle Limo

Luckily, since we were a small group we got to go first and didn’t have to wait for the other people. So, the guides showed us to the first tester rappel which was only 30 meters high. This one was to get us used to the backward sitting and walking feeling. I had a hard time falling backwards and kept having to feed the rope through. I guess it’s since I don’t weight that much and the ropes were wet. Mom and Dad did great and Ryan is used to this all since he used to wear a harness and rappelling gear at work (doing construction).

lend back...lend back

After the 30 meter waterfall continued trekking on to a 20 meter waterfall and then to the 180 meter waterfall. The 180 meter one was the best because it was a real rappel plus an amazing sight.

this is canyonerring

300 meters to the top

Dad your a stud

Before the last downward 300 meter free-fall zip-line the guided directed us through some fun terrain. At one point there was this narrow pool between two rocks that we cannon-balled into. From atop it the hole didn’t look very deep but when we jumped in we were fully submerged under water. Totally cool!!

Mom coming in hot from the 300 meter waterfall

Ryan like a pro

Ryan finishing the 180 meter rappel

Next we came to another narrow down step waterfall gap where the guides said we were going to play a game “Hold on as long as you can”. They directed us and a couple other people to sit front to back legs locked around each other and hold on tight while two of the guides laid down at the top stopping up the water like human damns. Once we were all positioned tight the guides got up and a rushing flow of water came dashing over our head pushing us all forward. Ryan was in front and tried to hold on as long as possible but his butt got pushed off the rocks. I was up 30 seconds later, but mom held the group for a good minute or two.

Debb and Ryan trekking through the canyon

Hold on tight and don't get up

Mom and Dad having FUN

All our guides were totally cool, funny and made the tour entertaining. Even though the waterfall rappels were the main attraction we really had a lot more fun trekking through the river and canyons. Another great day and new experience for all of us.

written by  ryan & debbrial on December 28, 2010 from Fortuna, Costa Rica
from the travel blog: Us Discovering the Latin Americas
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Ryan and I have decided to create our own website for all our blogs and other fun stuff. So that means we will no longer be posting on Blogabond. If you want to continue following our adventures through Latin America, and we really hope you do, please check out our website SimplyGoingSouth.com

Because I have been spending a lot of time building our website I have not had time to post any recent blogs. So I apologize for this and promise I will be back-blogging very soon. Plus, Ryan and I will start traveling again in a month (May), so check out SimplyGoingSouth.com for lots more blogs.

written by  ryan & debbrial on March 27, 2011 from San Jose, Costa Rica
from the travel blog: Us Discovering the Latin Americas
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