Happy New Year 2018!

Driving on around Lake Arenal to the west we reached our next stop Monteverde. Couldn't find an accessible trail through any of the reserves but did discover the Original Canopy Tour:

Being high up in the canopy with the birds and views to the Pacific ocean was exhilarating beyond measure.

This was Costa Rica's first zip wire tour of the rainforest canopy established back in 1994. Unlike other tours this one goes tree to tree through the forest so only involves one 15 minute hike to the first tree platform. Me, hike uphill for 15 minutes?!

So I lied and signed the form to say I was physically capable of doing it. Somehow, with John and Ali each side supporting my arms and taking most of my weight and all I had to do was walk my feet over the ground (advantages of me being 5ft tiny, whilst John and Ali are 6ft strong) I got there. Our wonderful guide Pedro decided we should be a private tour (just the three of us) and with no time pressure encouraged us to take frequent breaks. He then positioned us so that Ali always went first:

Ali took to it like a duck to water

and John last:

So cool!

In this way there were always two people to help me on the platform. To be honest I found the zips tough to say the least, my right arm struggling to pull down on the wire to brake:

Not exactly a controlled landing!

This bit was optional, so sat it out on the platform and waited for them all to climb back up via rope ladder 

Keiver always went first and proved a dab hand at filming. 'He's a pro' Pedro assured me. 

He's never dropped a phone, yet....

Keiver, Pedro, me and Ali

It was New Year's Eve.

Fabulous to finish 2017 on top of the world!

Costa Rica pura vida!

We've taken advantage of the Christmas holidays and all meet up with Louise in Costa Rica for two weeks. Fantastic to see the wonderful country we've heard so much about at last. So much wildlife! Spent the first few days near Arenal Volcano (not that the cloud ever cleared to give much of a view). Arenal Observatory Lodge includes some reasonably accessible trails for an all-terrain wheelchair like Mac and someone like myself able to walk short distances (currently up to about 100m or 5 minutes total standing time). As I've said so often before, there is a huge difference between being a wheelchair user and being wheelchair bound.

This was as far as I got while the rest of them legged it down steep and slippy steps to swim in the waterfall far below. I'd have been there in a former life and did consider trying to clamber down....

So if I look wet in the photos I hadn't been swimming it's because it rains (heavily) frequently in between spells of beautiful sunshine. Guess that's why it's called a rainforest.

Arenal Volcano is behind us!