"What makes you alive?" Conversation on the boat with Mark. Off the boat and load luggage onto the bus. Start off towards ziplining-ing. We arrive at the hotel from the first few nights and pick up the luggage from the other packed downs. This gives me time to nip to be shop and buy some water and chocolate. Omg real chocolate!!!!
We set off again and fairly soon we are at the town where we sign in at the tour office and load onto a shuttle bus where we meet Roberto a smooth skinned Costa Rican charmer. He learns our names and then practices them. While we all chat he comments "English voices so sexy!" I obviously love this ;) He drives us up to near the top of the hill where we then swap to the back of a jeep-truck and get shuttle up to the top of the zip lines. Roberto and some others then donned in their yellow high via jackets kit us out with harnesses and give us instructions as to what we need to know.
1. Don't touch anything!
2. Do everything we tell you!
We did...well at least I did ;)
We head to the first zip line and Jojo is the first up apart from the guides themselves. After watching the first couple of people I am not as nervous anymore but I am still a bit nervous and I chat with Jen about it briefly. "It's all very safe and you have multiple things holding you on so you'll be fine and I think you'll love it!". I give her a hug.
Jen is a super interesting character. She has the presence of Oprah and the sweetness of Ellen. Whenever she walks into a room with "Hey guys!" she carries such loving warmth that without knowing anything else she is still impressive. Curly brown hair and a tactile loving gregarious nature Jen exudes a simultaneous calm confidence. She makes you feel instantly relaxed and included.
I get up to the edge of the platform.
I look over the edge as I'm told "Don't break much on the first two lines as you'll want to maintain your speed."... Gulp!! The zip line is a carbon fibre rope. To get hooked on you are first hooked onto the guide, who is attached to the platform. You the place both hands on the rope line and do a small jump pull up as the guide attaches your harness to a pulley ok the line. A second line to your harness is then also connected and you position your gloved hands. For the right handed among us: Left hand towards the top of the vertical ropes connecting you to the pulley and your right hand up and back onto the zip wire.
The gloves they give you are designed to make your life very easy and protected. The hand that rests on the zip wire behind you keeps you orientated and also has a thick leather pad which allows you to break as you approach your destination. This is done by pulling down on the zip line.
Once you are hooked onto the zip wire my legs were off the ground and, with my hands in place, I was released!
Whoosh! I fly along the cable and over the forrest canopy. The cable hums at an increasingly higher pitch as I increase in speed. My nerves have disappeared and I see that this is going to be incredible fun. Even the harness rubbing on my poor burnt back doesn't detract from the beauty of the moment. I get close to the bottom of this line and I pull down to break. I can feel the leather warming from the friction. I slow to a graceful stop to the cheers and warm welcome of the people that have gone before me!
"Hey Peta! How was it?" They ask and I reply "Awesome!" and they reciprocate with a response of "Awesome!"
What follows is 10+ different zip lines that eventually bring us back to the beginning! It's truely special and I feel very greatful to experience it.
Nearing the last of the zip lines there is a different section which has a rope swing. Each person is connected and has to simply swing across the deep valley section. This bit turns my stomach. It's one thing sitting suspended from a wire and then sliding along it, it's another thing to voluentarily step of a platform into thin air. "Move forward" my guide says as I stand near the edge. "Erm..." I say involuntarily as I take another step. I am now right on the edge. I look down. It's a long way down. The thing is... This is sort of why I am here. To face my fears, my demons, to break and recreate myself. To shed my past and return anew or at least a big leap along my healing path :) It's time to be brave again, I know this because I am feeling afraid and that's always a sign that it's time :)
I bend my knees and I am released from the platform. The initial acceleration is dramatic. 9.8ms-2 suddenly feels like a lot
Arrive in San Jose at hotel opposite prison ;) tiny room but with shower. Me and Lauren are so excited to have a proper shower and Lauren rubs some magic stuff into my back with lavender oil... I don't seem to be allergic anymore
Sleeeeep! Still unable to get washing done.
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