Weekend 4: La Selva (The Jungle)

This past weekend, June 30-July 1, we drove to an area called La Selva which is a private reserve with a research station called the Organization for Tropical Studies. People come from all over the world to do studies, see the research that is going on, or just be tourists.

It was nice that it was only about two hours away–no really long drives this time! They are set up for long term stays (our friend Matt worked there for three years, and his wife worked there for nine months) or overnighters like us. It was a truly beautiful area–lush jungle, a river, and deadly snakes that have to be watched for at all times. The humidity was overwhelming, but the scenery made up for it.

Steve, Aubree, and Brinnan took a long guided hike with a guide (too hot for Campbelle, who needed a nap) and saw Honduran White Bats, all sorts of birds, different varieties of frogs, but NO snakes! We had a really good time!

The Amazing Adventures of Brinnana the Brave Banana

Yesterday we went to Monte Verde, and did the ‘Sky Trek’, which is a series of zip lines (11 of them, to be exact) that takes two hours to complete. Aubree was really freaked out. I was, ahem, just a… bit scared. Anyway, Mom only had flip flops so Aubree had to borrow some shoes from the lady at the desk so Mom could wear her tennis shoes. Very confusing. Then we went to get decked out in the zipping gear: a helmet, a harness, and some gloves. Not including the extremely heavy carabineers. So, we climbed up this looooooonnnnnnggggg staircase (outside) up to the mountain side, and hiked a ways up to a bridge leading to a platform in a huge tree. Aubree was having butterflies in her stomach, I’m sure. But me, being extremely brave (as usual, of course) was excited. It was only a short practice zipline, though, and after Mom, I went. It was sooooooo fun!!! So, the ziplines kept getting longer and higher, building up our courage as we went. The highest one (the 7^th) was really cool. We were up at the top of the cloud forest, amongst the clouds, and our view of the zipline (and the people going on it) disappeared after a couple of yards out. It was really windy, too, a gust of wind surprised me and nearly knocked me down a bunch of steps. It was amazing! The view! You almost crash into a tree on that one, but it was cool! The longest one (the 10^th) was cool, too. Our whole group had to pair up so we’d be heavy enough and make it across the whole line (2,675 feet, or something like that, ask Aub, she’d know), Aubree went with Mom and I got paired with the guide. I was lucky, for sure I wouldn’t fall or crash or get stuck if I was paired with a professional!

;D This line was set over the roads, and ended on a bridge. It went really fast, and the little drops of moisture stung your face like crazy, the wind blowing so hard you could barely keep your eyes open. We paired on the last one, too, and the guide and I were screaming (“This is the last one, we must scream!” as he said it) and having a good time, and we were all disappointed when we left. It was really fun. It’s too bad Dad didn’t get to do it, he had to watch Campbellcita, and just went on the Sky Walk (a trail). So we came back shivering (did I mention it was freezing up there?) and shakily wrote our comments in the Comment Book. Mine?

One thing to say. WOO-HOO! That is all.

Trip to the Amusement Park by Brinnaroo!

Last Friday we went to an amusement park with our friends we met at church. Me and Aub were both freaking out-- you know how we’re both wimps when it comes to roller coasters and those sick to your stomach rides-- cause they kept talking about this huge roller coaster that they loved, even though they 'didn’t like roller coasters’. Sheesh! Freak us out, will you? So when we got there, we got the stamps to let us go, I got hugged by a giant pig who was probably boiling from inside out!from such a monstrous costume, not mentioning humiliation, and the first ride we went on confirmed me and Aub’s fears: the Orbit. Duh duh duhhhnnnn! Sounds scary, huh? But it wasn’t (though it gave a nasty headache, spinning you around so fast), and the next ride wasn’t fast or anything (but that gasoline smell didn’t quite help the headache, I’m sure you can imagine), it was one of those things where you drive an old fashioned looking car that goes reeeaaalllyy slooooooowwww. Kinda boring. Oh well. Next was, let’s see, the… bumper cars? Yes, bumpercars. That was fun. It delivered pretty nasty whiplash though, those things went fast! Anyway, by then it was lunch time, and we (me, Kyra, Hayley, and their mom, Aub and Alysha couldn’t stand the dizziness it looked like it would deliver) went to the Octopus: a ride that spun you around high in the air while the seat you were sitting in spun, too. It ended up being closed for an hour or so, so we just rode this really fun ride that spun you but did NOT make you dizzy (thank goodness) and had lunch. Yum. Bacon cheeseburger and fries. Then came the Octopus, which was open by then. It was fun, and afterwards two water rides with huge lines. We got some ice cream, and eventually convincing Aubree and Leesha to come on the Octopus with us, ate it while we waited in line. They ended up loving it. Of course.

When we got home, we were super dizzy and exhausted. As I’m sure you can imagine. Ugh. Fun, though.