Rain Forest Hike

This morning I am making the 3 hour hike from the hotel into Piedras Blanco National Park. Details in my room say it will be a steep uphill ascent and I will get very hot and sweaty. This is an understatement. It is an exceptionally hot and humid day and once in the forest there is not a breath of wind. My guide is Alejandra and she is another research assistant.

We clamber over tree roots, climb up muddy steps carved into the path and just walk up and up – 300 metres vertical ascent. I am very pleased that I have walked up so many hills in the last two weeks as I am neither breathless or have aching legs. I’m just hot. Oh so hot and dripping wet. We take pauses along the way and listen to the forest and watch for any movement of birds or wildlife. Eventually, after an hour, the path levels out and there are occasional breaks in the canopy where trees have fallen. This allows light and a little air to penetrate.

Some of the trees are immensely tall and have impressive buttress roots. We sit on a fallen tree trunk and chat. The sound of cicadas fills the air. Ale tells me that she has set camera traps and has filmed pumas and ocelots on the path where we are sitting. None visit us today, though I did see ocelot tracks on the beach trail yesterday.

We start our descent then high up in the trees Ale spots a howler monkey. They are very shy and incredibly difficult to see in the dense canopy. Initially we just see one but then as we look we spot more. There are certainly two mothers with babies. I have an excellent view through my binoculars and we sit and watch them for an hour or more.

Reluctantly we leave the monkeys and head back to the hotel. The path down is steep and slippery in places and I need to side-step; occasionally holding on to tree trunks for support – checking first for soldier ants.

I return to my room and luxuriate under a cool shower. I spend a lazy afternoon by the pool and in the gardens and at last I see a toucan close up as well as a pair of curassows.

I decide to take one last walk along the beach track and to my delight see some more howler monkeys and they are a little nearer than those we saw this morning.

The hotel is preparing a special 5 course Valentine’s Meal tonight. This means there will be no choice of dishes. Victor, one of the the barmen, tells me what the menu will be at lunchtime and I ask if I can not have octopus for my main course. He orders me a tenderloin steak instead and gives me a Valentine’s hug!

I eat dinner then it’s back to my room to pack as I leave at 05.30 tomorrow.