Day 9 - Antz

5th August 2014

Today was our first day working at the beautiful Santa Elena Reserve in Monte Verde and boy did we have an early start... Again!
We set off in the minibus at 7am and were greeted at the reserve with breakfast, made by the cook, Maria.

Surprise, surprise... We had rice and beans accompanied by plantain and egg. Plantain has become a regular on the meals front over the last week or so!

Our group co-ordinater, Carlos, then took us on a mini, but very informative, tour of the main trail around the rainforest.

Our job in the morning was to maintain a 1.4km gravel path which leads to a viewing tower in the rainforest. Muscles at the ready, we each carried a gravel filled sack up to the trail and emptied it where instructed, to even out worn bits of the path.

It was as if we were a colony of worker ants, carrying new sacks further and further up the path as the morning progressed. In this job you definitely don't need a gym membership. Carrying the bags was like weight lifting... Our shoulders were getting ripped! Especially Beci's (the left one rather distinctively so!)...

After a 'lovely' spag bol for lunch, we got down to some hardcore gardening to ensure the orchid garden was blooming marvellous(ly).

Later on, upon returning to our hotel, we found a surprise waiting for us... Actual clean, dry clothes! The Pacuare smell was no more! We celebrated by going into the town, flaunting our new not-so-conspicuous smell.

After a spot of shopping, we went to a restaurant and bar favoured by the locals (and recommended by Carlos) and indulged on... Dare we say it... NO rice, beans plantain OR egg! The place, the food and the atmosphere was so good that we have decide to return on Friday, when they host "Dance Night". We will treat them to a once-in-a-lifetime experience of a Team Costa Rica (plus Carlos and Sergio) danceathon (with hints of dad dancing).

That's all for today folks(¡Es todo, compañeros!).
Team Costa Rica xxx

P.S. Dear Briony
We would like to apologise for pronouncing your name wrong for over a year. Soz lad.