I was up late the night before this last big trip. My emotions were running high from seeing many of my classmates for the last time and screening our films we worked so hard on all semester. After getting home, submitting my last assignment of the semester, and packing up my backpack for the next morning, I went to bed around midnight.
4:30 the next morning and I was up again. Found my pals, (one American, one German, and one Tico), barely got tickets for the 6:30 bus, and the four of us headed off, groggy but excited.
We arrived in Santa Elena around 10:30. It was chilly and raining, as expected. First on the agenda: groceries.
Once we left the store with our haul, it had stopped raining and we decided to walk to the hostel instead of taking a cab. This turned out to be a great decision as it was only a 15 minute walk and we got to enjoy this beautiful view.
This was our welcome to Monteverde, a breathtaking mountain range that faded into the Pacific ocean.
Once at the hostel we settled in to our spacious but surprisingly affordable suite. Next up: planning our three days there. The very helpful owner of the hostel helped us book a zip-line tour, a hanging bridges trail with hummingbirds, and a night tour to see nocturnal animals. Those adventures would start tomorrow.
As for what we were going to do with the rest of our first day, a woman on the bus tipped us off to a hidden gem.
the ficus tree
We walked through the town and uphill for about half an hour until we found a little trail that led to the huge ficus tree we had been told about. The tree was ancient and enormous, hollow with branches perfect for climbing.
We would learn later that ficus trees start like vines, grabbing onto other trees. They eventually steal enough nutrients and cover enough sunlight to kill the other tree. Then they take the shape of that tree until it dies inside of the ficus, and after many years of decomposition leaves this unique form.
I climbed a few meters up but was not as gutsy as some of my friends, who kept climbing until all we could see of them was a tiny hand or a head sticking out from high up. Luckily they took some pictures up there we could all enjoy without fear of falling.
After climbing had tired us out, we headed back to the hostel. The next day we would be up early again, for an even more thrilling adventure.
the canopy tour
6:30 and we were up again to go on the longest zip-line tour in Costa Rica. Did I mention I’m afraid of heights? Since we booked this excursion I had been looking at the pamphlet advertising a one kilometer zip-line and thinking “what did I get myself into?”
Nevertheless, I welcomed the opportunity to get out of my comfort zone again.
We started out slow, with some easy rides a few meters long and with enough trees around to not see how high up we were. “Okay, I can do this,” I thought, walking up the stairs for the third zip-line. When I got to the top, I immediately knew this would be a challenge. Unlike the lines before, I couldn’t see the end of this one. All I could see was this metal wire stretching across a deep valley and disappearing into the mist. Well, it was too late to back out now.
So we zoomed over the valley. I screamed for a good ten seconds, but when I was able to take in the view I fell speechless. Rolling hills, tiny cows in the distance, the Pacific ocean and the Nicoya Peninsula, and -yes- a rainbow. Stretching out right in front of me.
These views distracted me from my fear for the next two hours. The result was an incredibly challenging and fun experience, with a lot of personal growth on my part.
When we reached the kilometer long superman zip-line, I was ready. I even screamed, “I’m ready!” just as the guide pushed me headfirst down the line. I kept screaming for the first ten seconds, and then looked around me. I could see for miles. I was flying. I screamed out to no-one, “I’m doing it!” Because I had done it. I had faced my fear of heights, on a large scale. I was so high up, all alone, and I felt good. I was ecstatic. By the time I reached the end of the zip-line my legs were shaking and I could not stop smiling.
Before the superman. 
Looking out over the valley.
Did I mention that throughout this whole experience I was surrounded by some incredibly supportive, kind and funny friends? I was, and it helped a whole lot.
After the adrenaline-filled morning we ate a hearty lunch and napped for the rest of the afternoon. We also began our nightly ritual of binge-watching The Good Place on Netflix.
the hanging bridges
8:00 am on day two and we were on a very bumpy bus ride into the cloud forest in Selvatura Park where we walked across 8 hanging bridges through a misty forest.
So so happy! 
Trying not to drop our phones off the side of the bridge. 
Looking down on some gorgeous greens. 
Open this photo to see the banana peel we carefully carried with us so as to not leave litter in the park. 
Me and my trusty fanny-pack. 
Getting the most interesting angles. 
A friend we made along the way.
We walked and talked and laughed all the way from the trail to the hummingbird garden, where my dreams came true.
I got to hold a hummingbird! Many hummingbirds actually, which happily sat on our fingers while drinking from their little bird-feeders. Seriously one of the happiest and most magical moments of my life.
On the way back to the hostel we saw our mountain range view again, this time softly illuminated by a sunset shining through the mist.
Another lunch, nap and Good Place binge later, and we were rested for the night tour.
the night tour
5:45 pm was the pickup for this tour, which took us into the dark forest with a guide to try to spot some nocturnal animals. Because of the low light, it was difficult to get pictures, but among the animals we saw were:
- a tarantula and her kids
- a snake hanging from a branch in position to pounce
- a scorpion illuminated by a blacklight
- several sleeping birds
- a bat eating a guayaba
- a tiny little frog with red eyes
the watchtower
Waking up on the last day, thinking about leaving Monteverde was hard. Luckily, we were able to get out on one last excursion before our afternoon bus to San José.
In the Santa Elena cloud forest, we walked the trail and took in as much of the plant kingdom as we could. The incredible thing about the forests in Monteverde is that any tree you look at has dozens of other tiny plants living on it. Even the moss has tiny leaves.
Near the end of the trail we found a watchtower which took us above the canopy. On this windy summit we were left speechless again.
Bundling up to protect my ears from the cold. 
Joined by a friend! 
And another! 
So so happy! 
Another little friend we made.
It’s difficult to describe what it felt like for me to hike through this forest and reach this final peak. After a trip full of facing my fears and strengthening friendships I knew I would have to say goodbye to in a few days, I was emotional but completely at peace. I could hear and see the forest breathing around me, full of life, new and ancient.
We were staring out at this view when I spotted a blue-purple hummingbird in the trees below. It flew up, high above the trees, all the way up to look us in the eyes for one moment before rushing back down. That moment put a cherry on top of this incredible trip, full of peace, love and kindness, facing fears and making dreams come true, laughter and unfiltered joy.
Pura Vida 