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The wedding guests have now arrived, toasts have been made, speeches have already been read, and all that's left is the big moment itself. Matt and the other groomsmen (Leicester lads Steve and Darryl and Veronika's bro Alonzo) have a very funny speech prepared which should go down well even with the Spanish-speaking crowd.
This week has been pretty busy but we've still had time to get out of the city and enjoy a bit of Pura Vida (the good life).
We visited Arenal volcano, which erupts almost daily and the bright glow of flowing lava can be seen trickling from its crater at night. That is, if cloud cover wasn't masking the entire volcano. We visited the near-by town of La Fortuna for three days and it rained constantly throughout. Did we see the lava? Did we heck. Still, that didn't stop us walking into the rainforest and visiting a stunning waterfall. It was huge and the sound of it crashing into the water below was thunderous. We went for a swim in the tranquil pool before braving the waterfall itself and swimming behind it to a cave at the back. It was a great feeling once we'd managed to climb onto the rocks, but the swim had been hard. The current was throwing you around like a paper bag in the wind.
Back on dry land, Matt, Darryl and I had a bit of terra firma fun on ATVs (All Terrain Vehicles). These monsters were big fat buggies which could go almost anywhere. We went into the forest on an adventure track and it was sooo hard. I was clinging on for dear life when we drove up gravel hills and then down into muddy ditches. It poured with rain throughout and I really thought I was going to get stuck in a ditch at one point. But somehow we managed to survive and make it to a local fish farmer for a gorgeous lunch.
That night we relieved our aching muscles with a trip to Baldi Hot Springs. There are quite a few hot springs dotted around the volcano, with the water being heated by the lava underground. It was fabulous. We went in about five different pools ranging from cool to extremely hot, with waterfalls pouring down and jets bubbling. There was even a bar so we all sat in the water drinking our beer and cocktails. Not a bad way to enjoy the evening!
This week we had another big activity - white water rafting on the Pacuare River. It was an early start but we were treated a big traditional breakfast (rice, beans and omelettes) before hitting the water. It was fun. The rapids ranged from Class 1 to 4 and this time we managed to survive a Class 1 (unlike New Zealand!). The scenery was stunning - waterfalls flowing through the jungle and birds of prey circling overhead. Matt only fell out once and we all voluntarily jumped out at one point for a scenic swim. We were shattered when we'd finished but we were given a hearty lunch before boarding the coach back to San Jose.
So now we've just got the wedding itself. Then on Sunday Matt and I are getting the bus to Manuel Antonio. This tiny beach town borders one of the most popular national parks in the country. So hopefully we'll be able to see a bit of native wildlife before we fly out next Wednesday.
So not long to go now!
See you all very soon,
Lots of love,
Nikki
xxx
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