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The trip was designed to transport members of the MGTT travel squad to another world, both mentally and physically.
In so doing, it required showcasing the natural beauty of Costa Rica. Inherent in that beauty are experiences quite unfamiliar to most of us: wild animals, energy vortexes, and natural wonders hidden behind the veil of steep elevations.
As my guests learned on this trip, anything really worth seeing sometimes requires 1,000 steps to get to it.
Her story about her unplanned existential retreat in Costa Rica will have you wondering where it is that you need to go to experience your own transformation.
Please take a read. Tell me what you think. Personally, I love what she had to say:
I’ve been betrayed by every single mirror in my house… in the entire United States!
I said this to myself standing in front of the full length mirror in my hotel room. Tired. Sweaty. A little muddy. Completely disgusted with my reflection… with myself…
Just a few hours before I was on a full day of adventure through the rain forests and volcanic foothills of Costa Rica. Sandwiched between a five-mile nature hike with six hanging bridges and a 4-mile (round-trip) hike to climb volcanic rocks, was a trip to Catarata La Fortuna (La Fortuna Waterfall).
At the entrance of this tourist attraction, there is your typical gift shop, cafe, and restroom house along with a look-out platform where you can view the waterfall. From here, the waterfall looks miles away… a tiny white stitch on a large blanket of green. My thought: This is it? Actually, I think I said it out loud because our tour guide, Brandon, said “No, we are going to get much closer. We’re going to hike down there.” Okay… cool… been hiking all morning so, no big deal. Then he says… “To get to the waterfall, we have to walk down 500 steps.”
Here’s something you need to know about me…
I have a “thing” about steps. And by “thing” I mean a serious fear of them. I hate steps. HATE steps! Going up, not so bad… going down, complete terror. Whenever I approach a staircase, before I take that first step down… I see myself falling from top to bottom. True story. So every time I have to walk down stairs or even on an escalator, I have to take a quick deep breath, tell myself “you will not fall,” get a vice-grip on the railing, then take it one step at a time, exhaling panic the whole way down.
Photo by T. B. Smith
Now… back to the walking down 500 steps to see this waterfall…
My body is already fussing at me for the previous hike and now my mind has joined the protest. I practically lose my mind going down a standard flight which is only 16 steps… and I’m gonna attempt 500? Who does that?
“You don’t have to go,” says Brandon.
“You can stay up here and wait for us to come back. It’s ok.”
My travel squad, in agreement with him, say they understand as well. (sigh) And so begins the tug-o-war with myself. Wanting to have this adventure but the thought of those stairs paralyzing me. Feeling so stupid as I watch children and senior citizens eagerly and effortlessly descend. (big heavy sigh)
While staring at the tiny stitch of white off in the distance and contemplating “do or die (or both),” Tawanna comes up beside me…
“I feel you,” she says. “It’s a lot of steps. A. Lot. Of. Steps. But it’s worth it. Think about it, Christie… this isn’t like going to Florida. You can’t say ‘oh well, I’ll do it next time.’ Do you know when you’ll be back in Costa Rica? You’re here now… you might as well do it!
Who knows if you’ll get the chance again, right?”
Dammit! (deep breath) You will not fall. (exhale panic)
Ummm… Did I mention that these were no ordinary steps.
Of the 500, roughly 300 of them are actual steps… like made of concrete or wood and have something resembling real railings. The rest of them were stones or pavers with holes in them (that you have to step on just right or there goes your ankle or knee) with either a thin rope as a railing or no railing at all! But all 500 being a collective hot ass mess! Some wide. Some narrow. Some a couple of shoe-lengths long. Some you have to step sideways to get proper footing. Some that go in a straight or staircase-landing-staircase pattern. Some that curve in a half spiral or just drop off in a nearly 90 degree ladder-like angle. All of them fucking terrifying.
But… I did it.
I made it to the bottom to see the magnificent Catarata La Fortuna up close and personal. She was big and beautiful. Hard to believe that this was the tiny stitch of white I saw on the landing. So powerful, yet so calming. We sat on the rocks, dipped our aching feet in her cool, healing waters and watched the other tourists baptize themselves in her glory. The only thing left to do in this moment was to thank God… for pretty much everything.
What goes down, must come up…
I was so focused on surviving going down the steps that I didn’t put any thought into going back up. That is until I was standing at the bottom and getting a really good look at how long and far we came. From this perspective, the reality that these steps cleverly disguised the fact that you just repelled down a mountain-side and now have to climb back up that bitch, smacks you all in the face. Seriously… How did this not sink in initially?
The weight of it all came crashing down on me. Literally the weight… my weight… all of it… and just how much of it I have gained over the last three years made me abundantly aware of its presence as we began our ascent.
My body in excruciating pain that increased with every step… begging me to stop the torture. My heart threatening to bust through my chest in arrest. Air clawing its way in and out of my lungs as I hoisted… yes, hoisted… my frame one shaky leg at a time. My companions ahead of me upon my urging and my reassuring them I was okay and to not wait on me. Truthfully, I just didn’t want them to see how un-okay I really was. Thank goodness for the sweat that masked my tears.
Half way up, there’s a portion of the staircase that is well constructed out of concrete and stone with a built in bench. I stopped for a moment to gather myself. Brandon stood nearby with a concerned watchful eye, telling me to take my time. He and I both knew that taking too long of a break would make this so much harder. And, God, this was so hard!
How did I let this happen?
How could I do this to myself, again? AGAIN!! Did I stop caring? When? When did I stop looking in mirrors, again? I fought so hard to see myself… to love myself… to feel good in my skin… When did I stop? Why?
“I am in really bad shape,” I said softly to Brandon.
“And it has absolutely nothing to do with how fat I am.”
He just looked sympathetically confused and said “Are you ready?”
He had no clue just how loaded that question is. The answer is yes… and the answer is no. But yes, is the only way back to the top.
So I’m standing in the hotel room looking at someone I resemble… but don’t recognize.
I swear, I didn’t seem this big, or look this sad, or feel this unhealthy before I got here… or did I? I’m convinced that Costa Rica is full of fun house mirrors. It’s either that or U.S. mirrors are all designed to give us a false sense of self.
Or maybe it’s none of that. Maybe I’m just seeing (and feeling) the truth. After all, I went on this trip to discover myself, right?
The body achieves what the mind believes.
Clearly, I have not been very kind to myself in all the ways one can be unkind.
Costa Rica wanted to show me who I really am… and maybe who I’m not. She wanted to show me who I’m going to be… and who I need to be when I leave.
“
Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless – like water.
Now, you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot.
Now, water can flow… or it can crash.
Be water, my friend.
— Bruce Lee
Travel is supposed to be fun and relaxing, not about getting sick. Who wants to search for “where is Zika virus” as they plan their summer travels?
Nobody.
However, the reality is that you have to be aware. Last year travelers were worrying about being exposed to Ebola. In 2003 we were stressed about SARS. It seems that a new virus causes an international uproar every few years. So what’s a traveler to do? Educate, prepare and prevent.
Where is Zika virus being reported?
Let’s cut to the chase. If you’re traveling anywhere in the Caribbean and the Americas, you need to know the exact countries where the Zika virus is prevalent. You also need to know the symptoms to be aware of and most importantly, steps you can take for prevention.
Map of Countries & Territories with Active Zika Virus, photo courtesy of CDC.
Americas
Argentina Aruba Barbados Belize Bolivia Bonaire Brazil Columbia
Puerto Rico Costa Rica Cuba Curucao Dominica Dominican Republic
Ecuador El Salvador French Guiana Grenada Guadeloupe Guatemala
Guyana Haiti Honduras Jamaica Martinique Mexico Nicaragua
Panama Paraguay Peru Saint Barthélemy Saint Lucia Saint Martin
Saint Vincent and The Grenadines Saint Maarten Suriname Trinidad & Tobago
U.S. Virgin Islands Venezuela
Oceania/Pacific Islands
American Samoa Fiji Kosrae Marshall Islands New Caledonia
Papua New Guinea Samoa Tonga
Africa
Cape Verde
Traveling to any of these countries in the near future? Then keep reading…
Listen to the audio below for traveler tips
Prevention is the second line of defense
When my sister and I traveled to Costa Rica last Fall, we weren’t aware of the Zika virus. However, we were well aware of how to protect ourselves from mosquito bites.
As I mention in the audio clip above, if you are traveling to a Zika identified country, be cautious and use conventional repellants that contain DEET unless you have an allergy to the chemical.
The CDC recommends using an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – registered repellant. You want to look for a product that contains any of the following ingredients in addition to DEET: picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane-diol.
Except for the oil of lemon eucalyptus, each one of those active ingredients sounds harmful. As much as I love using natural oils, I didn’t take any chances on protecting myself trekking through the Costa Rican rain forest.
We put a natural oil concoction on our skin beneath our clothes as well as on sensitive skin like our face and neck. We placed the DEET product over our clothes and on areas like our ankles or wrists.
Here are alternatives to conventional mosquito repellant that have worked for me in the past:
Avon Skin So Soft (this is old school but it works and doesn’t smell bad)
Citronella essential oil
Lemongrass essential oil
Eucalyptus essential oil
Peppermint oil
You can either do a blend of the above oils with other ingredients such as lavender and sandalwood or you can purchase a blend from an essential oil company.
Typical Zika virus symptoms
Conjunctivitis is one of several Zika virus symptoms
According to the Pan American Health Organization, a regional office for the Americas of the World Health Organization, symptoms of the virus include:
mild fever
rash
conjunctivitis (pink eye)
muscle pain
The PAHO reports that most people don’t develop symptoms from the disease. When they do, the symptoms are often mild and last between 2-7 days.
The population which should exhibit the most caution is pregnant women. It is strongly advised that if you are pregnant, you should not travel to countries with a high prevalence of the virus.
What are some of the ways that you protect yourself from mosquito bites? Have a favorite product or natural remedy that you’d like to share? Please do so in the comments below so that we can all travel safely.
This post contains affiliate links which help to keep this site running.
If you’re looking to travel to Costa Rica for family travel, adventure, a wellness getaway, or a couple’s getaway, there’s a lot in store for you. The planning process takes some time but it’s well worth it.
If you don’t have the time to do all the research and planning, hire either a travel agent or a travel consultant like myself to craft the perfect experience for you.
Where to stay in Costa Rica
Where you choose to stay in Costa Rica is predicated on what you want to do while you’re there. The offerings are diverse and at the end of the day it all depends on your travel taste. Here are some questions to ask yourself:
Do you want to explore the rainforest?
Are you interested in seeing volcanoes or hot springs?
Do you want to stick to the city?
Do you like to surf or fish?
Do you want a beach vacation?
Do you like big resorts?
Are you comfortable with small local hotels?
How much time do you have for your vacation?
These are all the things you need to sort out before you either start your research or look to a travel professional for planning help.
Things to do in Costa Rica
Looking at the questions that I ask you above, you can see a lot of the activities you can enjoy in Costa Rica.
Travel tips and strategies
There are just a few things you need to know before you get on the plane:
Transportation in Costa Rica
Getting around Costa Rica can be a challenge and takes some pre-planning. Whether you fly into Juan Santamaria airport in San Jose or Daniel Oduber Quiros International airport in Liberia and you choose to stay in the heart of the rainforest, you will have to endure a two to three hour drive to your destination.
Roads in Costa Rica can be scary for people accustomed to well-paved thruways. Call your hotel/resort to inquire whether they have transportation or not. If they don’t offer transfers, Ecoterra Tour company arranges pick-ups and drop-offs to the airport and hotels.
Transportation will range between $45 – $170 depending on how many people are traveling.
I briefly considered taking public transportation but was advised against it by a local.
Costa Rica Passport and Airport Fees
Costa Rica doesn’t require additional visas for American travelers visiting for short stays. However, everyone must pay a $29 departure tax, payable in cash or by credit card, to exit the country.
This tax applies to both Santamaria and Daniel Oduber airports.
The Costa Rican tax must be paid before you check in for your flight. You’ll want to give yourself extra time before your flight to take care of the fee.
If you want to put your Costa Rica trip planning on auto pilot, pick your dates, set your budget and outsource it!
Figuring out where to visit in Costa Rica is no easy task. You have several regions to choose from, all offering vastly different experiences. Discovering Costa Rica as a destination for a wellness trip was only one-third the battle. The other two-thirds took time, research, and an openness for adventure.
Narrowing down the region where I wanted to visit for my five days in the country meant I had to prioritize what I wanted to do. Since my trip was a sisters-themed getaway, I knew that wherever I went there had to be a spa. More than that, the area itself had to exude peace, wellness, and nature.
My sister’s requirements were to visit a waterfall, the spa, and a volcano. Normally specific requests like this can be a headache for a travel planner but in the case of a destination like Costa Rica it helped to narrow down our choices.
The Arenal area had everything we both desired out of the trip.
As an active user and influencer on travel discovery site and platform Findery.com, I’ve been asked to share where to stay, eat, spa, and play in Costa Rica for a wellness getaway.
Spa and Hot Springs = Costa Rica Wellness at its finest
During my first couple of nights in the area, we stayed at La Casa Luna hotel in La Fortuna. This affordably priced hotel was selected for me by the Costa Rica tourism board who hosted my first two days’ stay in the country. The hotel is a seven-minute drive from downtown La Fortuna and has an incredible view of the Arenal volcano.
When I asked our driver Jorge how far we were from the rainforest he responded, “you’re in it.” No lie. The hotel is surrounded by lush plant life and a dozen or more species of birds and other rain forest dwellers.
The pool at Casa Luna Hotel with the volcano backdrop.
Labeled foot paths lead to the various four-suite buildings, trails, hot tub, the pool, and the spa.
Casa Luna’s spa is a unique outdoor experience. Neither my sister nor I have had spa services in the elements. Theoretically, it’s a beautiful and relaxing idea, however, when you are cocooned in a Costa Rican chocolate wrap treatment you’re nothing more than a tasty appetizer for mosquitoes. Thankfully we were visiting in September and not as many insects were out to play.
Ten miles down the road you’ll find a completely different spa experience at the Arenal Kioro Resort where we chose to spend our remaining nights in the area.
The Kioro resort is gated and perched on a hill overlooking La Fortuna area. On the opposite side of the resort, the volcano sits in what looks like arms reach. The landscape and grounds at Kioro are perfectly manicured, also complete with labeled pathways and information markers for the trees and plant life that inhabit the property.
Talk about a room with a view!
Our room was an immaculate family suite that houses two queen beds, a daybed, beautiful furniture, and most important of all, a Jacuzzi coupled with the best view of the volcano a girl could ask for.
Walking through the grounds on my way to the indoor spa felt like a visit to the botanical gardens.
Twists and turns led to inclines, waterways, a pool, and the creme de la experience: the on-property hot Springs.
Unlike other resorts in the area, Arenal’s hot springs are only available to guess. This exclusivity limits the traffic in the area and almost always guarantees your own personal geothermal outdoor spa. Nine hot springs in total, you can choose from brick cold to piping hot, small and intimate to large and party-style. Whatever your fancy the experience is guaranteed to be phenomenal.
Activities
Apart from visits to hot springs, La Fortuna area also offers zip lining, caving, chocolate tours, rappelling, birdwatching, hiking, hanging bridges, waterfalls, volcano walks and more.
We opted to do a day tour with EcoTerra to experience the area waterfalls, hanging bridges and the volcano.
Waterfalls
The La Fortuna waterfall is the most popular in the area. It is protected in a park which requires a small entry fee designed to preserve the area and give back to the local community.
The hike down to the waterfall is an adventure. Once we arrived to its base, we immediately realized the physical effort was well worth the trek.
Hanging bridges
The Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park also has its own waterfall but it is nothing as impressive as La Fortuna’s or the bridges themselves that give the park its name.
You cannot come to the area without visiting the volcano. A mostly flat hike took us through both new and old forest. We walked along pathways covered by old volcanic sediment from the most recent eruption.
After a rocky climb we arrived to a peak with a birds-eye view of the Arenal lake and the volcano. Varying species of toucans and other birds populate the trees in the area, making the hike also fun for birdwatching.
Places to eat
There are several local restaurants to dine in downtown La Fortuna. Two of our drivers recommended Los Nenes. Admittedly, we were so beat from all of our activities that we kept things simple and dined at our respective hotels every day except for the first night.
On our way to La Fortuna from San Jose airport, we stopped at a small local dive on the side of the road called Bar Chicharronera Mi Rancho. As they say, “when in Rome do as the Romans do”, so we ordered the traditional Costa Rican meal of Casado: beans, rice, plantains, and a meat. Delicioso!
I’ve only scratched the surface of this beautiful country on my first trip. Because of my amazing experience and the inviting “Pura Vida” attitude of the Costa Ricans, I look forward to discovering more.
We all travel for different reasons. One of the joys of meeting other women who travel solo or travel in groups is that our motives for taking “away time” for ourselves vary. Some women travel for adventure, some women travel for peace, some women travel for health, some for cultural immersion, some for service and some for food and wine. I like that last reason a lot! You get the point.
I’ve traveled solo to several countries by myself, either meeting up with a group or exploring on my own: Jamaica, Canada, England, Spain, Italy, Holland and more.
Aside from wanting quiet time, rest and relaxation, my adventurous spirit emerges. On my own, I seek to do more than usual compared to when I’m traveling with my family. I’m more open to meeting new faces and trying out new things.
Having a family doesn’t impede travel behavior but it also doesn’t make it easy for most moms to travel often on their own. This doesn’t mean that solo travel as a mother is impossible. I know several moms who travel solo for conferences or travel assignments.
Whatever the motivation for a woman traveling without her husband and kids, she has to have an “understanding” with her spouse.
The way we do it in my household is that he gets his trips and I get mine. And we try to take as many family trips as we do solo ones to balance the scale.
I’ve gotten a lot of questions from family and friends about why I travel so much by myself. Without them really knowing my circumstances or who I am at my core, it’ll be hard for them to understand.
Why I travel (solo)
The post below previously appeared on the Findery Blog and was published on Huffington Post Travel.
It’s been exactly one thousand one hundred and ninety three days since my 7-year-old was first diagnosed with leukemia. In June 2012 our lives took a dramatic turn, my role as a mother and a caregiver took on new meaning, and the reasons why I travel made a subtle shift.
Life’s Challenges
For the first thirty days after my son’s diagnosis, I stayed by his side, refusing to leave the hospital even for a short break. His bed was my bed. His diagnosis was my diagnosis. His bathroom was where I cried daily, wishing I could take the chemo for him to save his 4-year-old body from the violence it was enduring.
The induction period for a cancer patient is both physically and mentally grueling. For the parent of a pediatric patient, the pain manifests in a different way. It’s hard to deal when you’re helpless and have zero control.
When we finally moved back home, my husband and I agreed that I needed a little break. That first trip away revealed to me just how much continuing to travel was necessary for my well-being.
Traveling for Respite
In the first year of our leukemia journey, my soul, my mind, and my spirit desperately needed quiet time to find peace and re-charge. I confess to having a love-affair with the spa, however, my getaways weren’t just about getting a deep tissue massage. I traveled to several destinations where I didn’t give a single thought to laying in a treatment room. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not one to turn down a spa day, but it really isn’t my sole motivation for respite travel.
My mother used to say, “When you think you’ve got it bad, there’s always someone who has it worse.” When I travel on my own, I’m not only able to take a deep breath but I’m also able to gain perspective.
Travel teaches you to be Grateful
Motherhood has not been easy. However, when I travel, I’m constantly reminded that others have it much worse.
Every day I count my blessings.
I am thankful that my son has survived. I’m also grateful that I have the good fortune to travel. Many families facing mounting medical bills whether for cancer or autism are limited when it comes to long-distance or overseas trips.
During my travels, I’ve met people who’ve lost children. I’ve flown on planes with moms who looked like they needed a break. I’ve passed by locals selling items on the side of the road. And I’ve chatted with cab drivers yearning to travel the world.
I take note of each of these encounters. They’re reminders to be grateful. Life might not always be pretty, but, through these little moments, I can appreciate what I have. And travel makes me happy. When I return home, I’m more centered, relaxed, and patient.
The challenges are still there. Those don’t go away, but because I practice self-care travel it gives me an opportunity to fill up my cup for life’s obstacles and the responsibilities of motherhood.
My new mission
I want to empower moms to view travel as a form of respite as well.
Traveling for respite doesn’t preclude that you have personal circumstances as extreme as mine. I don’t think you need a dramatic reason if you’re a mom. The modern-day mom has so many pressures that the occupation alone is reason enough to take a time-out.
And for the mom who isn’t interested in traveling solo, there’s a growing number of us in the travel space creating travel communities for each other.
We’re diverse, unapologetic, cultured, educated, and redefining the Supermom narrative by taking our breaks. And holding each other up while we take them.
“It takes a village to raise a child.” And most of that village is made up of women.
Why do you travel solo? Do you have a favorite list of destinations you’d like to explore by yourself? Are you interested in traveling with a group of like-minded female travelers or do you prefer just one travel partner or none?
