The Final Chapter

I'm sitting in a hostel in San Jose, going through photos from the last few weeks in Central America, and slightly in denial that my flight home leaves tomorrow. The end of my Raleigh expedition was as busy as the beginning, but work was with a slightly heavy heart that it was all coming to an end, together with a feeling of pride at what we have achieved and enjoying all the end of expedition celebrations. I have had such a fantastic time with Raleigh both in India and Central America, met some truly inspirational people, and have gained so much and so many friendships. 

Lena, me and Greg enjoying an Argentinian birthday celebration for Pedro during the final phase

All the staff enjoying a Costa Rican breakfast after all the Venturers had departed at the end of expedition

Since leaving field base in Turrialba I have been travelling with some of the other volunteer managers from the expedition, starting as a big group heading to Bocas Del Toro in Panama (after our final partly in Cahuita on the Caribbean coast), and then onwards through Panama, the group gradually diminishing in size as we headed towards Panama City. 

A sloth visits our hotel in Cahuita (I was very excited about this)

Kat, Vic, Denise and me on a visit to the sloth sanctuary near Cahuita

Buttercup, the sanctuary's oldest resident. She seemed pretty content.

Arrival into Panama after a slightly hair-raising walk over a rickety wooden bridge to cross the border

View from the boat to Bocas

Our balcony in Bocas town

Cycle ride to Playa Bluff

Playa Bluff, Isla Colon

After Bocas the first stop was Boquete, a small town in the hills surrounded by lush green forest and coffee plantations, where we stayed for 3 nights. Sadly the town is being swamped by developments catering to wealthy ex-pats, but for now it still retains some mountain charm and is a great location for exploring the hills. We did a lovely walk along part of the Sendero los Quezales, one of Panama's best hiking trails, went on a tour of a coffee plantation and processing plant (including tasting and learning a lot about coffee) and visited some hot springs.

Bridge on Sendero los Quetzales

Learning about coffee production

In Boquete. A good phrase to ponder before my impending return home!

Caldera hot springs with Marisa, Sarah,Chris and Kat

From Boquete we took a series of buses (more than planned after one broke down) to get to Santa Catalina, a tiny town on the Pacific coast. As soon as we arrived we were pleased we had made the long and sweaty journey here, having previously debated whether we should just go to Panama City instead. We managed to get a cabin right by the beach, not a road in sight and just the sound of the waves and views of sand, sea and palm trees. We spent 2 nights here and all enjoyed learning to surf, which is the main activity putting Santa Catalina on the map.

View from our door

Looking back towards our cabin, the hat shaped one on the right.

learning the basics with Kat

To the un-trained eye this looks like I can surf, however I am actually
 in the process of falling backwards and not at all in control....

We were sad to leave Santa Catalina but we all had onward travel plans so it was time to make our way to Panama City, where we spent a couple of days exploring the old quarter, Casco Viejo, and making a visit to the Canal at Miraflores Lock. Unfortunately our timing wasn't great and we just missed a large boat going through the lock (had a partial sighting from the ticket queue!) but it was interesting to visit nonetheless.

There is an AMAZING ice cream place in Casco Viejo

Miraflores Lock, Panama Canal

Panama City

Casco Viejo

After a couple of days in the city and saying goodbye to some of the group travelling down to Colombia, I set off with Rich and Marisa on the bus back up the Pan American highway to get back to Costa Rica, stopping in David for the night to break the journey and meet Liz, and then travel over the border to Uvita, a small town on the Pacific coast.

There could not have been a better place to spend my last few days. Our hostel was superb, a model of sustainability, with friendly staff and guests and lovely peaceful surroundings. It was less than 5 minutes walk from the beach, and the beach was incredible, not only for the wide stretches of clean golden sand, lined with palm trees and a sea perfect for swimming, but also for the lack of people - sometimes we had the whole place to ourselves, it was so calm and peaceful.

Outside our cabin at the hostel in Uvita

One of the best moments yesterday was sitting on the beach watching the sun set, the stars come out, then swimming by the light of the nearly full moon. It sounds cheesy but it really was such a magical end to my 11 months of adventures.

This morning I had a final swim in the Pacific before getting the bus back to San Jose, which is where I am now, about to do a final pack of my rucksack ready for my flight tomorrow (although I'm quite tired from dancing salsa in the street at a music festival so the packing might wait until tomorrow morning...). It's so surreal that this year of travel has come to an end, and the last couple of weeks have been a great finale to an incredible year that has given me so many unforgettable experiences. I'm sad it has to come to an end, and quite apprehensive about returning to the real world, but very much looking forward to catching up with friends and family on my return. See you soon!

Pura Vida x

Playas, parrots, and nearly Panama

Last Monday I got back to field base after a week on the road visiting two trek groups and one community project in the South of Costa Rica. Although only a short trip, it has included some of my best experiences yet; moments that I hope never to forget.

After setting off from Turrialba with Pedro and Holly, and pausing for a traditional gallo pinto breakfast, our first destination was La Amistad International Park to meet up with the Corcovado trek group. La Amistad is a large transboundary protected area, crossing the border between Costa Rica and Panama. It is the largest nature reserve in Central America and management of the park is shared between the two countries. The trek group walk through a small section of the park on the Costa Rican side and were staying for a night at one of the ranger stations, which was our meeting point. After a comfortable night, we left the group with their next few days' supply of food, and set off on a long drive towards Corcovado National Park to leave their following 3 food drops at various places along the way.

refreshment stop on the way to La Amistad

The drive down to the Osa Peninsula was stunning - beautiful jungle, lush green hills, blue sea and palm tree lined beaches. The real treat however came at our final stop in Carate. Driving through jungle and across rivers, we pulled up to a small house backed by thick forest and fronted by palm trees and a long, deserted sandy beach. I was feeling so envious of the trek group who would be arriving here towards the end of their trek and getting to spend more time exploring this area.

View to the left...

...view to the right...

With the windows down breathing in the sea air on our approach, as well as hearing the sound of crashing waves, we could here a loud screeching sound coming from the trees above. My jaw dropped when I located the source of the screeching and spotted flashes of red amongst the green leaves, and realised there were about 4 pairs of scarlet macaws in the surrounding foliage. It really was an incredible sight, this beautiful beach in one direction, jungle in the other, and large bright red parrots with blue and yellow wings above.

...view above

After spending a while soaking it all up here, we had to tear ourselves away to drive the hour and a half back to Puerto Jiminez, on the other side of the Osa Peninsula, where we were staying for the night. The following day we were in for yet more beautiful beach views on the drive to Punta Banco in the far south of Costa Rica. This was the starting point for our journey into Conte Burika, an indigenous territory adjacent to the Panama border, home of the Guaymí indigenous population, and the location of our most remote project group which is building a health post in the village of La Corona. This journey was something I had been hoping to undertake since I first heard about the project - inaccessible by road, La Corona can only be reached by trekking in from Panama through the jungle, or from Costa Rica by walking 20km along a stretch of coast.

We were taking the Costa Rica option. Initially the plan was to be accompanying the British Ambassador on the walk, who was meant to be visiting the project, and for this reason we had arranged a horse to help carry luggage. As it turned out, the Ambassador was offered a ride in a helicopter courtesy of the Costa Rican government (which then at the last minute broke down, so they didn't end up visiting - a real disappointment for the team and village who had spent a long time preparing presentations and celebrations). The upshot for us was a spare horse which could carry our bags, something I was extremely grateful for, particularly for the final 3km of the walk which climbs steeply uphill away from the beach. 

Aside from the distance and the heat, the other challenge of the walk is the tides. The walk has to be carefully timed to avoid hight tide, and given the length of beach to cover, there's quite a time pressure to keep going to reach the refuge of higher ground. With a low tide time of 5.30am, our morning began at 2.30am so we could be on the beach walking by 3. Despite walking in the dark, it didn't take long for the sweat to start dripping in the humidity and lack of breeze. I was surprised that even nearing low tide time we were still so close to the waters edge, at times having to work out when we could pick our path from rock to rock around a headland to avoid being soaked up to the knees - quite an experience with only a head torch to see the way. An hour or so into the walk, the clouds started to dissipate and the stars came out. On the flatter sections of sandy beach turning our torches off and being able to see only the white of breaking waves, silhouetted palm trees high on the cliff with stars behind, was unforgettable.

Rising tide

The final hill was the sting in the tail of the walk, and we were all glad the day was quite overcast to avoid even more heat from the sun. It took about 45 minutes to scramble to the top and we were very relieved when the ground started to flatten out. Signs of habitation soon started to appear, and we felt a world away from the one we'd left in Punta Banco. 

We got a friendly reception from the village and the zulu 9 team, and were impressed by the progress with construction of the health post. Doctors visit La Corona 6 times a year, and currently have nowhere suitable to hold their clinics. Usually the school is used, meaning no classes can take place during this time, and space is very limited. Construction of the health post is providing a purpose built space for consultation and treatment. 

Liz with a local family and friends outside the new building

The team taking a break from building work

Sadly we only had this one day to spend with the group in La Corona, having another 2.30am start the next day for the walk back. We left Holly the artist here, who is staying for the rest of the phase to complete a mural on the new building, and picked up Liz the photographer who joined me and Pedro for the remainder of the road trip. The walk back followed much the same format as the walk in, aside from sliding most of the first section down the steep slope on my derrière - much easier than walking.

The reward for all this physical exertion was a good one - possibly the best pizza I have ever eaten (hearing the legends of the Banco pizza from other Raleigh staff I was worried it wouldn't live up to its reputation. Thankfully it did, and it was amazing).

yes, I did have 4 different toppings...

After a bit of time for digestion, we hit the road again to start the journey up to La Laguna to meet the Turrisantos trek group. Our overnight stop on the way up there was very welcome, having been sleep deprived and physically exhausted for the previous few days, we were all glad of soft beds and time to get a solid 12 hours sleep.

The drive to La Laguna was another beautiful one, with green rolling hills and mountains and spectacular views. We met the group at a lovely camp site and enjoyed the rest of the day with them hearing about the ups and downs of their trek so far. Later in the evening while getting the key for one of the buildings where we left a food drop for the Coast to Coast trek, Pedro and I were invited in for coffee by the family who look after the site. It was a lovely experience chatting (and managing to understand quite a lot of Spanish)  and learning about their life and what had brought them here having emigrated from Nicaragua. That was followed by trying to attempt to get to sleep in the tent and regretting drinking a large mug of coffee.

At first light the next day we were back on the road for the final journey to Turrialba. This is where I am for the rest of the phase, trying to get as much work done as possible and preparing for final celebrations before everyone comes back for the last few days at field base. Most of us can't quite believe how quickly the expedition has gone and that the final phase is nearly over. I can't believe that this means my 11 month career break is nearly at an end - definitely motivation to make the most of my final few weeks before returning to reality.