A torn ankle in New York changed the plan, so the Costa Rica itinerary turned into a few slower days on the Pacific coast, watching surfers, and soaking up the sunshine.
For such a small country, Costa Rica punches above its weight. It is bursting with natural wonders and is rich in biodiversity. It stands out among its Central American peers with the highest GDP per capita, life expectancy in line with the USA, accessible healthcare, high literacy rates and relative safety. Unlike its neighbours, this nation of 4.5 million people has avoided long-lasting civil wars and does not even have an army. Instead, it has focused its efforts on agricultural exports and capitalised on its physical beauty by attracting 2.5 million visitors each year who come to experience a slice of paradise.
Jen and I fly into San Jose. In stark contrast to New York, it's low-rise and low-key. The next day, we collect the keys to our 4WD and head towards the Pacific. The pace is slow, the dirt roads winding and full of swallow-the-car-sized potholes, and the scenery is splendid. With San Jose behind us, we get a sense of what this 'ecotopia' has to offer – misty rainforests, sleeping volcanoes, impressive mountains and pristine coastline. What's more, the landscape swarms with wildlife, from sloths and snakes to macaws and monkeys, and thousands more.
We reach the Pacific; the ocean cleanses and we feel the intensity of New York slip beneath the waves. Earthy, elemental energy ensues. It stays with us as we drift from place to place, experiencing a culture of 'pura vida', or 'pure life'. For us, it centres around warm seawater swims and leisurely, book-in-hand sunbaking, interspersed with silky sand coastal strolls and organic lunches. Ultimately, we return to our beach towels until the setting sun guides us towards dinner and vino; sleep and repeat.
Gracias Costa Rica, gracias mi amor.
All the wonderful snaps captured by Jen on her iPhone ... which is so good considering great weather and beaches are not conducive to a big, heavy DSLR. Plus, Jen's photos are the sentimental ones that age well with time.
Costa Rica was made for surfing. It is the perfect swell magnet, capturing surf from two hemispheres and two oceans, the Pacific and the Caribbean. It so generously offers breaks of all kinds: beach, reef, point, lefts, rights, barrels, big, small, steep and fast or slow and forgiving. Surfers, new and old, Costa Rica is your oyster, where surf spots are numerous, varied and tightly clustered within this beautiful little country. This alone would not be enough to earn Costa Rica a place as one of surfing's meccas, but throw in a mix of idyllic scenery, tropical, untamed palm trees reaching for the sea, rolling mountains further afield, birds in flight overhead, golden sunsets, bronzed bodies and a culture of 'pura vida', and you can see why this country deserves its status.
With a badly sprained ankle, surfing is not an option for me on this trip, but I've got good memories of a surf adventure here with mates ten years ago. This time around, I'm grateful to enjoy the natural wonders, strolls (or more accurately, hobbles) along the sand and the lazy indulgence of an organic beach life with my gorgeous wife. (And, thankfully, a bout of onshore wind makes it a little less tantalising).
