Wandering with Wonder: A First-Time Explorer’s OTS Experience
By Nancy Bilello
It is still hard to put into words all the amazing sights, sounds, and experiences of my first trip to Costa Rica. Unlike most of my fellow travelers, I have no background in research or science (aside from my career in health care), so everything was brand new and wonderful to me.
We didn’t spend time on any beaches, but that was not at all a detriment. We toured the inland of Costa Rica, staying a few nights in four different places and the last night in San José. We started at Palo Verde National Park. It is considered a “dry” rainforest, so it lacked the lushness of the tropical rainforest, but it certainly did not lack in adventure. We had monkeys, coatis, and even an anteater roaming freely right on the grounds of the research station, not to mention iguanas, frogs, and other residents of this interesting place. There was also a boardwalk that went over some wetlands, where we saw some beautiful egrets and other birds.
La Selva was next for a taste of the tropical rainforest with its many shades of green, trees that reached to heaven, poison dart frogs, tiny insects, peccaries (aka javalina’s), and howler monkeys that made sure we were up by dawn! But that wakeup call was fine, because every morning included birdwatching before breakfast, and we wouldn’t have wanted to miss seeing the macaws, toucans, parakeets, and other remarkably colorful birds of the area. Our stay included a couple of night walks in the forest as well. During our stay, we were able to tour a small cacao plantation, where we were treated to demonstrations of how chocolate is made and, happily, were able to taste the results! Another tour was to a privately owned botanic garden, where we learned about various local plants and herbs and their medicinal uses.
We were then fortunate enough to spend a few days in the mountains, not at a research station, but at a small resort/lodge. That is where we were privileged to see the magnificent quetzals – birds native to Central America with bright green and turquoise plumage and long, dramatic tails. We also did some wonderful hikes along a river and to a waterfall.
Our last stop was in the town of San Vito. The research station here is adjacent to a cloud forest and contains botanical gardens that were truly like the Garden of Eden, with so many brightly colored flowers, exotic plants, and more birds.
We had an unflappable bus driver (Rafa) as well as a native guide (Jeisson) for the duration of the trip, but in addition, at each place we also had local guides to tell us all about the different plants and animal life in their area. Julissa was our fearless leader and “cat herder”, constantly checking in with everyone to make sure we were all doing ok and making sure everyone’s needs were met.
All in all, it was an unforgettable experience!
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