NOT!
I don’t know if she failed to read the details, but it wasn’t just a relaxing float trip.
My first clue should have been the helmet and elbow and knee protectors the guides had us put on. My second clue should have been the release forms we were asked to sign.
After last year’s near-drowning experience on our yearly family kayaking trip, my stomach immediately started doing doing flip-flops, but there was no turning back.
We were instructed (in barely understandable English) to keep our rear ends high in the inner tube but that was the only part of their instructions I understood. I was in the river about 10 minutes before I capsized. My son came to my rescue and one of the guides held on to my foot and helped steer me for awhile.
I could see that there were rocks and rapids ahead and I wondered how he would steer me through those. The next second I heard, “Go to the left mama.”
WHAT?? How was I supposed to do that?
I tried using my arms to paddle to the left but the river had other ideas.
I ricocheted off a huge rock and capsized again, but this time I was able to grab the tube and hang on for dear life until the guide in front of me worked his way to me and held the tube for me to get back on.
My heart was pounding and I’m sure my blood pressure was sky high, and after my stroke back in November I was sure I’d have another one out in the middle of a rainforest. But thankfully, we were near the end and the remainder of the trip went okay.
WHEW!
From now on, I’ll avoid rivers on family trips and stick to safer adventures – like skydiving! 🙂
Vaya con Dios,
That is awesome !! Something you will share great memories from .
Thanks Debbie. It was such a special time.
Beautiful
What an experience, sounds like a trip you’ll never forget.So glad you had the opportunity.
Thanks Sandy. It was a once in a lifetime trip.
Thanks for the pics – scenery must have been breathtaking! Sounds like you had a great time and I’m sure being with family made it even more special.
Breathtaking is the perfect word. It was gorgeous!
Oh Angie that was awesome. Your description of your water adventure sounded exactly as something that would happen to me. Now that I think of it, it kinda did. And my son rescued me too……don’t worry mom, I’ll guide you……will stay in my heart forever.
Sounds like you had an excellent time. Can’t wait to see the rest.
Glad I’m not alone Cindy!
How sweet of your daughter to invite you to such a great trip, Angie. The landscape is gorgeous and it must have been fun to watch the iguanas, the monkeys and the sloth. The rafting adventure was a bit rough and I’m glad you didn’t get hurt. I look forward to seeing what else you did during your vacation.
Thanks Julia. It really was a dream come true vacation!
Thank you for sharing such beautiful pictures. You and your husband need to pat yourselves on your backs for raising such awesome children who have grown into incredibly caring adults. Well done!!!
God gets all the credit Susan! They turned out better than we could take any credit for!
It looks like a beautiful trip, full of memory-making! I would have been scared out of my mind to capsize…you are brave!!
I was scared out of my mind, Linda!
oh Angie, that’s so scary! I’m glad you’re doing better healthwise, but please please be careful with stuff like this. I’m surprised your doctor let you fly. I haven’t been on a plane since my bloodclots in 2013. take good care of yourself!
I wasn’t sure if she would Debra but God was looking out for me!
Wow, what a wonderful gift! I have been to Costa Rica twice, once when I was nineteen with a work camp group at a church camp for about six weeks and the next time with my daughter’s high school Spanish class. Both times I loved being there. I would go back again in a heartbeat.
I would have been petrified on that river “float”, though! I don’t do activities involving water unless it is a hot spring that is not going anywhere!
One of my most favorite things about Costa Rica is the many, many beautiful flowers. They are so bright and gorgeous and everywhere you look.
So you were there in our Winter, right? So it was summer there. But did you notice that darkness came around five or six o’clock? The second time I was in Costa Rica I asked whether it got dark at this time even in summer and was told that it got dark at the same time all year around because they are situated close to the equator. That is the one thing I would not like about living in Cost Rica year around!
Looking forward to the rest of the vacation story! Glad you got to go.
Technically, the last day we were there was the first day of Spring Naomie.You can see the rest of the story by clicking the “next” arrow.