The shuttle taking us from the lake to La Fortuna dropped each person at their hostel. Three of us had no accomodation so looked at a couple of hostels before being dropped at 'Gringo Petes Too'. 

By the time we arrived there, we were chatting away, so I shared a room with Aussie Kate, and Canadian Sharon decided to get a room for herself.

The girls knew each other as had both only just finished a Tucan trip as well! Their's started in Cancun & finished in San Jose but did nothing else in Costa Rica.

We headed out together for lunch and for the girls to book their onward travel for the next day, and me to book my canyoneering trip.

We then spent the afternoon at the Baldi Hot Springs.  These were nothing like and I'd previously been to but more like a hot water park!  

They had 3 slides - the girl on the side of the pool with the ice pack on her head and security & first aid staff around her, should have been warning enough but we still gave the slides a go ...

First one was ok ... Not the gentlest ride but came out slow at the end. So far so good!

Second they warned don't lie back! I asked if this is where the girl hurt herself? Yes it was!

I went down first and did exactly as told. It was moving quick and last bit was a tigjt corner & steep drop ... I came flying down the tube  sideways, out of control and crashed into the water with a huge splash!

Disorientated I put my bikinis back where they should be! The slide was freaking insane!!!!

I made my way over to Sharon who was waiting with the camera for Kate to come out! Kate did the same wipeout into the pool, spraying us all with water ... Also same disorientated look and a duck down to fix bikini ...

We watched another few people come down all looking the same and laughed at their freaked out faces! 

After that we gave the slides a miss as was hoping to make it through the day unscathed, and the last slide was shaped like a toboggan shute but with a few humps so guessed that would be even more painful than the other 2!

We spent the next few hours going from pool to pool and chatting & gossiping about boys as we went.  The only pools we didnt get into were the really hot ones - 62 degrees celcius!!!! 

It started raining late arvo so we headed to the swim up bar for a cocktail (ok or 2!). At $9 each they were pretty steep for Latin America but hey you gotta do it!

Dinner is also included in the $25 package so after the cocktails we dried off and enjoyed a nice buffet to finish off the experience!

We went back to the hostel after and all sat round drinking herbal tea and working out our onward travel plans ... Seriously backpackers are not always as wild as you think!

The next morning I said goodbye to Kate and headed off on my Canyoneering trip.

I was in a group with 4 American girls, 2 who were friends from home & 2 who'd met at Spanish school in Jaco.

All were nice & friendly and we had a great time tackling the waterfalls.  No one was getting overly anxious about what we were doing, which I think makes it easier for everyone!

It was pretty amazing to be on the highest platforms, 150 & 200 feet, sitting in your harness leaning over the edge and then just letting go - having to trust that the guide has rigged your gear correctly and all you have to do is rappel down! 

Wow!

It was pretty easy really but the exhiliration came from dangling on a rope from that height!

I survived fine with not even a bruise or scratch, and would definitely be keen to do it again.

The environment itself was gorgeous with beautiful rainforest & waterfalls - reminded me of home though, as Queensland is equally as beautiful as everything I've seen in Costa Rica - only thing is we don't have the cloud forest or the furry variety of sloths!

Lunch was included in the package so enjoyed that after and coughed up the extra $15 for the pics - a very expensive day when the activity was $90!  Not cheap like the places I'd been previously but I did feel 100% safe!

I ran into Sharon back at the hostel and helped her to her transfer when it arrived, and said goodbye.

Spent a few hours at a nice western style coffee shop.  Used their free wifi and tried to work out where I wanted to go next and how the hell I was going to get there!

I don't want to travel super fast & need to cut a few places out of my original itinerary so emailed Leigh who's just done a trip here with Kumuka for advice ...

That night I had dinner at the Lava Lounge and had a yummy Caiprihina style cocktail made of the local liquor.

Went to bed and slept terribly -paranoid I wouldn't wake up on time to get my transport.

Woke up fine and checked out.

Juan Carlos couldn't get a cab and then finally found one that would be 10 minutes. He suggested I try down the road - and I think that took me 10 minutes!

Found one and paid $8 equivalent for the 10 minute ride to next town, El Tanque.  

He dropped me at a random corner where locals were standing with bags, presumedly also waiting for the bus and waited 20 minutes with them for it to come.

Bus arrived, $3 equivalent to Penas Blancas (funniest name ever!) which is on the border with Nicaragua.

Five and a half hour bus ride to the border with no toilet & no stops ... My bladder was not built for these trips but somehow I survived and unfortunately couldn't nap to make up for lost sleep as I was in pain!!!