We left Nicuragua early and headed to Costa Rica. This was a day we were very much looking forward to as our frist location was Monteverde - the legendary cloud forest.
Although before we got there Dave was witness to a stray dog running in front of a van in front of us - he said it scared him for life! This incident followed by the crappest border in all of Central America - it took nearly 2 hours to get through due to rude people pushing in front of us. Anyhow enough moaning...
The drive into Monteverde and the cloud forest was amazing, ascending from sea level where we could see the Pacific Ocean and island where Mel Gibson lives. The locals of the area have also stopped a modern road being built as they believe it keeps the mountain as natural as it can be! Although there is a very bumpy mud track all the way up these mountains.
The location comes out of no-where, all of a sudden after an hour and a half we reached Monteverde and Santa Elana (the towns which we were staying in). The hotel was gorgeous, very spacious with the first hot shower we have had in weeks - Ange and Megan were very happy.
So it was off to the world renowned cloud forest, an area caped over 90% of the year in moist cloud. We were not dissappointed, we took a 3 hour hike around the forest and it was everything people rave about. Beautiful fauna and giant trees surrounded us and when you got to a clearing all you could see was cloud. Bird sounds were everywhere it was like we were being tracked by every flying thing in the forest. It was seriously beautiful! When we got to the continental divide you could virtually hold yourself up with the cloud and wind pushing you. It was like being in a lost world and we could just imagine a raptor or T-Rex appearing from the undergrowth.
This place although rainy and cloudy is one place in a million! Highly recommended.

And the final suprise was the hummingbirds that were everywhere - firstly when we enetered the forest, Megan was attacked by one who liked the colour of her rain jacket. But when we leftthe forest we saw hundreds all together. Being that close to the birds we got some great photos and you could hear the buzza s they shot passed our heads - so colourful and beautiful birds.

We are off to La Fortuna and Arenal active Volcano tomorrow.