Costa Rica - June 29-July 6

Photos

2010-07-13T14:59:00.000-07:00

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More photos!

2010-07-06T02:34:00.000-07:00

Photos from our trip!

2010-07-05T21:21:00.000-07:00

July 5th--day 7 of travel

2010-07-05T17:24:00.000-07:00

The trip is coming to an end and we are sad to say goodbye to Costa Rica. Today's adventure may have been the best yet (for some). We rappelled down a 165 ft waterfall this morning! Amazing!

Tonight we are lodging at the Country Inn and Suites and are going to bed early because we've to be up at 3:15 to prepare for our journey home.

July 5 - Our Last Day of Adventures in Costa Rica

2010-07-05T16:58:00.000-07:00

Before I talk about today, I want to let you all know about our trip to the Hot Springs. A hot spring is like a natural jacuzzi, containing water heated by a volcano. We went to the hot springs last night at 6 to experience relaxation at its finest. There were 4 different springs with all different temperatures. It was breathtaking scenery, but it was super hot so the pictures are a little steamy! The springs are the natural river water of the area which proves how amazing our earth really is.

Today was our last day of adventures before we head back to the US! In the morning, we checked out of the most BEAUTIFUL hotel I've ever been to... ( I'm already planning to go back, right Lynn and Mary?). We headed to do our waterfall rappel adventure. The PureTrek Canyoning company drove us to the top of the mountain in "4x4" vehicles. We expected ATV type vehicles, but had a good chuckle when we saw that the 4x4 was actually a pick-up truck with some benches in the back! We drove us the bumpiest road I've ever seen to the top of a 165 foot high waterfall... and we all rappelled down! It was so awesome! There was a series of 5 rappells, 4 of which got you soaked underneath a waterfall. :) Some soggy clothes are now packed in our suitcases for the ride home tomorrow!

We are back in San Jose and will leave at 4:15 tomorrow for our journey home. Our experiences in Costa Rica have been unforgettable and I am sure that the kids and I will be forever changed. We have met some amazing friends, witnessed gorgeous views, and experienced adventures like never before. As the local people of Costa Rica would say, PURA VIDA!

Cows and Hot Springs - Great 4th of July!

2010-07-04T19:19:00.000-07:00

I can't believe we only have one day left! The week has gone by in a whirl, full of amazing activities and awesome learning opportunities. Costa Rica will always be in my heart. Today we got a first hand experience of cheese making, from the cow to the final product. Also got up close and personal to a ginormous iguana; it was like a large iguana family reunion in a tree next to a shop along the road. We finished the day swimming in hot springs not far from our hotel; Loma de Volcane. It's been yet another fabulous day with Discovery Student Adventures. The teachers and travel guides have been amazing!

July 4th--Day 6 of Travel

2010-07-04T15:04:00.000-07:00

Today! What a day!

First, we had an amazing breakfast at the Lomas del Volcan--made to order omelets are yummy! Next, we set off to visit a local farming community in rural Costa Rica where a small community of farmers raise dairy cows for milk and cheese. We got to milk the cows!!! I double-timed the udder and it was hard work! The farmers taught us how to feed the cattle--Alexi and Jessika fed the grass stalks through the machine. The ground grass is missed with a bit of corn and some sweet sticky concoction close to mollasses and honey. While they eat, we milk.

After we milked the cows, we walked over to the cheese production room and watched the farmers make cheese. They showed us the whole production--when making soft cheese, it can take less than a day! The wives and relatives of the farmers made us a snack of cheese and fresh corn tortillas. They were so inviting and proud to show us their work.

I bet you can't believe that we can pack so much into a day! Because after milking and making cheese, we visited a small pineapple plantation. But we didn't take the 20 minute hike to the plantation. Carlos, the owner, gave us a ride on his blue truck! You should have seen it! We were hanging off the sides like monkeys! Pineapples are an interesting plant. Originally from Brazil, the pineapple was made famous by the Queen of Spain around 1492; well, Columbus brought the plant back to Spain after this year. Anyway, the plant produces one pineapple within 14 months. But Carlos raises his pineapples in one year. An average worker on Carlos' farm can plant 10,000 pineapples a day! Back breaking work! Carlos then demonstrated how to plant a pineapple and a few of us got to try. It's easy, but not that easy! You've got to make sure your hole is deep but not too wide and also make sure you plant the pineapple solidly in the dirt, lest the rain wash it away!

And after another ride on the back of Carlos' truck we were on our way to hike through the forest to a beautiful waterfall part of the national park service here. The hike was good. We saw a Poison Dart frog along the way AND a Toucan! We swam for a bit, just long enough to cool off before we got sweaty again on the hike back. Lunch was provided by two ladies and we ate in the local school's cafeteria--way different from American school lunch rooms; this one was windowless and had an open kitchen. Oh, if we could only watch our school cooks in action!

With our bellies full we were back on the bus to cross over Iguana Bridge. At the shop everyone got some ice cream and took a quick break to check out the lizards.

I'm so sorry this trip is coming to an end! We love it here!

Ms. A

July 3 Pictures!

2010-07-04T14:31:00.000-07:00

Here are pics from July 3rd--this day we completed a reforestation project. Jorge said he'd check on the trees we planted in a year or two and let us know their progress. If all goes as planned, the Great Green Macaw will be feeding on the fruits of the planted trees!

We went zip lining at Sky Trek where we took a sky tram over the rooftop of the rainforest. It was amazing. The views of Arenal and Arenal Lake are absolutely breathtaking! Sorry no pictures! I was a wimp and didn't want to break my mother-in-law's camera!

After planting trees and zip lining, we went to our lodgement for the next two nights, which is Lodge de Volcan! We are literally at the foot of Arenal and we've gotten the chance to see and hear its activity! We are so lucky. 75% of the time Arenal is covered by clouds and visitors can't see it.

Yesterday was my birthday and the kids and the teachers and Meredith were great. They special ordered me a birthday cake (complete with candles). How thoughtful. This truly was one of the best birthdays I've ever had.

Ms. A

Pineapple Plantation & Hike to the Waterfall - July 4, 2010

2010-07-04T14:26:00.002-07:00

Last night was our first night at the Lomas del Volcan resort. Our cabins sit at the foot of the Arenal volcano. We watched the volcano erupt and saw the lava through the darkness. It was unreal! This is a hotel I truly will never forget. Here's a picture of it erupting this morning, too!

This morning, we went to a local farm and helped out in the cheese-making process. We all got to milk the cows ourselves! Later, we went for a hike to a local waterfall. It was like a hidden paradise! On our way, we tasted a plant that indigineous people used to use for a natural anistetic. It made out tongues numb! We also saw a tarantula, a poison dart frog, hummingbird, turkey vulture, and different types of fungi.

After our hike, we went to a pineapple plantation and learned about the harvesting process of this delicious fruit! We (of course!) got to try some straight from the plantation! It was so sweet! We also learned that when we go to the store, we shouldn't pick out the yellow pineapples because those have already started to ferment. Go for a green pineapple that is hard with leaves that are still strong. Those will taste the best!

Tonight, we will experience natural hot springs! Look for my next post!! :) -Amy

Pictures from Reforestation and Ziplining :)

2010-07-04T14:10:00.000-07:00

We had a truly amazing day yesterday. Giving back to the community in the morning and releasing some serious energy on the zipline (Proof is Kiara's face! Haha!)

Reforestation Project, Ziplines, and a Volcano!!

2010-07-03T19:52:00.000-07:00

July 3^{rd Giving Back to the Rainforest & Experiencing Volcanic Eruptions All In One Day!}

Today, we checked out of the Tirimbina Nature Preserve Lodge and drove to take part in a reforestation project with a local rainforest conservation learning center. We took on the heat with out shovels and seedlings of the trees the green macaw is dependent upon. The green macaw is endangered and, without our help, expected to become extinct within two generations. We helped to plant these trees in an area where they can grow and continue to sustain the green macaw population. With combined efforts, we planted 200 trees! It was very rewarding to give back to the environment by completing this project.

In the afternoon, we drove to the Arenal Volcano. We rode zip lines above the rainforest canopy, witnessing amazing sights one could only dream of! It was an invigorating experience! We checked into our hotel at the foot of the Arenal Volcano! We are staying in cozy cabins with a spectacular view of the volcano. We even were lucky enough to see it erupt! It was incredible! The black smoke from the volcano caused a rain cloud to evaporate, helping to clear the skies back to blue! We know you won’t believe it, so check out our pictures! (Theyre coming soon, but the internet won't load them right now- Ill try again in the am!)

July 2 - Kayaking, Snorkeling, Biking and Rainforest Walk

2010-07-02T21:50:00.000-07:00

Today was absolutely one of the best! It started with a leisurely morning and breakfast, and since we didn't have to be on the bus until 8:45, we got to catch some of the Brazil/Netherlands game. Elena and I were sure that Brazil was going to stomp the Netherlands after we saw the first goal scored, but to our dismay Jorge told us later that Brazil lost 2-1, what a surprising victory for the Netherlands! Anyway, back to the trip. I don't have pictures from this morning because we did mostly water activities, but we started first with kayaking and it was great. We've been so lucky with weather and the conditions for kayaking were perfect. It was probably our favorite activity of the day. However, our kayak trip wasn't long. We made our way to the other side of the beach where we met up with the other half of our group and we prepared to snorkel. There were some cool fish out there--I can only identify one, the Angel fish. In the distance we could see a storm rolling in, and we had to high tail it out of there on our beach cruisers back to the resort where we had rented all of our equipment. We were able to get showers and play a few games of pool before we had an excellent lunch. Everyone had their choice of a great sandwich--chicken, beef, vegetarian, or fish. And we all agreed that each sandwich was delicious. What is so amazing about the hotels and restaurants where we've been staying and dining is that most are out door and we get to eat surrounded by lush, green plants and we can hear the Howler monkeys in the distance.
After lunch we had to pack up our gear and take off for a 4 hour bus drive to Tirimbina, We are headed inland to Arenal. Tirimbina is an eco-friendly lodge north of Limon. Jorge talked to us about the agriculture and exports of Costa Rica. We now know that bananas are the #1 export followed closely behind by pineapples. Did you know that the pineapple is ripe as soon as you pick it and that it's perfectly fine to eat a pineapple that is green--it's actually better Jorge says. He also says to refrigerate your pineapples, I never knew that!
Tonight we had an excellent dinner and then headed out to the rainforest, guided by Christian, to check out the rainforest that is practically in our backyard! Our group saw Leaf Cutter ants, mating Walking Sticks, spiders, an Emerald Basilisk, the Dink frog, and some people swear they saw an armadillo, but I didn't :(! Christian told us that pumas and other large, wild mammals make their homes in the rainforest, but their keen sense of smell and hearing alert them to our presence so we definitely didn't see any.
We're now in bed and getting some shut eye. We need it because tomorrow we trek further inland to Arenal and we'll participate in a reforestation project and then go ZIP LINING!
Can't wait to update you guys about tomorrow and I promise I'll have more pics!

Ms. A

Day 3 - A Day

2010-07-02T21:34:00.000-07:00

Day 3 - July 2, 2010

After a good nights rest, we arrived at the Almond and Coral Resort. From here, we rode bicycles to a nearby beach. We snorkeled the coral reefs and saw some awesome fish! Erique shared, “This is just beautiful.” We traded transportation methods for our journey back to the resort and rode two-person kayaks. As we were paddling, the seas began to swell and we all ended up flipping over! It sure was a good thing we had out life jackets! It was surely an adventure!

We had lunch at the resort in a small restaurant set in the middle of the jungle. As we ate, we could hear the howler monkeys calling each other!

After a four hour drive, we arrived at our jungle lodge in Heredia. Tonight we went on a rainforest walk and experienced the rainforest at night! Luckily for us, 65% of the animals in the rainforest are nocturnal, so we were able to spot a lot! We saw dink frogs, emerald basilisks, spiders, termites, an armadillo, and much more!!

Kayaking, Biking, Braving the Jungle...

2010-07-02T21:28:00.000-07:00

What a day! We started bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at 8am. First stop - Kayaking, biking, and snorkeling. Kayaking was an absolute blast,we tackled the waves head on. We managed to dry off with a bike ride along the coast line and through the lush Costa Rican landscape.

The day ended with an entertaining and enlightening night-walk through the jungle, complete with flashlights, suspension bridges, lizards, giant bugs, and other creatures of the night.

It was a fantastic day had by all - lots of smiling faces and lots of stories to tell!

July 1 - Bribri Tribe and Sea Turtle Release

2010-07-02T21:22:00.000-07:00

Hello!!!

Our third full day was AMAZING! First off, we had to get up again at 5, but that was fine because we took about a two hour drive to the Panama/Costa Rica border (we actually could have crossed over into Panama if we wanted) and took motorized canoes upstream to a remote village of indigenous peoples called the Bribri tribe. It was drizzling a little, but we didn't care because we had our ponchos and we looked cool sporting them!

This tribe has lived in the area for over 12,000 years! They were so welcoming! They showed us to how to shoot a bow and arrow just as if we were hunting for our meal, then how to weave palm fronds to make a roof, and the highlight was learning how to harvest, roast, and grind the cacoa seeds! Believe me that this chocolate they make here is DELICIOUS! After sampling pieces of their culture, we sat down for a wonderful meal all prepared by the women who run the organization of the tribal center. We ate monkey tail (a local root), bread fruit, rice and beans, heart of palm, chicken, and stewed veggies. You can tell that love went into the cooking because it was the best meal we've had so far. Everything was fresh. There is no electricity on site at the complex, so they had to go into town that morning just to get fresh chicken for our lunch!

Our canoe ride back was much easier for the guys manuevering because we were going down stream and it stopped raining and the beautiful sun came out.

And the day wasn't over! Our awesome tour guide, Jorge 1, had special info that a group of baby leatherbacks were going to be released that afternoon at the beach very close to our hotel. And since we hadn't been able to see the sea turtles the night before, he knew this would be a special surprise! So we were able to help release the hatchlings that were born that morning around 10 am! It was so beautiful to see this delicate, new life right before your eyes and to hope that they make it once they get past the powerful breakers and other sea predators.

And our day still wasn't over! We then went swimming and it's just so hard to describe how wonderful the water is here! It's blue and salty and the waves are tumbling down and breaking so hard. The beaches spoil us! Dinner was waiting on us back at the hotel and we ate quickly so about 20 of us could go into Puerto Viejo and do a little shopping. We found a surf shop owned by a couple from Spain. And one of the owners designed all of the artwork himself! We chatted a bit about the World Cup. We spent about an hour and a half in town, then came back and went to bed! We could rest easy knowing that we didn't have a 5 am wake up call the next day!

Day 2- Visiting the Bribri People !

2010-07-02T21:08:00.000-07:00

Tuesday was extraordinary! We woke up at 5 am to board our bus that led us on an excursion through the rainforest. Our bus traveled up windy hills, crossed streams, and tackled the brush as we arrived in Puerto Viejo. From there, we traveled by canoe miles away to meet the indigenous people of Costa Rica, the Bribri people. Our journey alone was an experience, teaching us first hand the way of life of another culture.

We met the leader of the tribe who showed us around his village, taught us how to shoot the bow and arrow, weave a common village hut roof, and make chocolate from the cocoa crop. We ate a scrumptious lunch, including chicken, breadfruit, rice, beans, heart of palm, star fruit juice, and money tail (Don’t worry, it’s a veggie!)

The entire day was a humbling experience. Malcolm decided he should write Hershey’s and stop them from putting in preservatives and chemicals because “ that chocolate was way better!” We said goodbye to the Bribri people after supporting their women’s group and purchasing some homemade souvenirs.

Our journey back was just as beautiful as the first, but was even better when we returned to the bus to find out about an exciting surprise. Because we trekked so far and missed the sea turtle Wednesday night, the sea turtle conservation group invited us to help with the release of hour-old leatherback baby sea turtles!

After saying good-bye to the newborns, we did some body surfing and took advantage of being in a very well known surf spot. We took a cab and went back into town to do some souvenir shopping. (Parents – You’re getting some great presents!)

I am sure none of the students will ever forget this day. They experienced a completely different way of life, spending the day with the Bribri people. They got to hold and release baby sea turtles into their natural habitat! It was an amazing day that has opened our eyes to just how lucky we are to be here.

Pictures from Day 1

2010-07-02T21:00:00.000-07:00

Hi, Mom!

2010-07-02T20:57:00.002-07:00

Oh, man! It's been a while since I've been online...sorry, Mom! I've been so busy with all my activities and making new friends that I seem to forget to sit down and tell the rest of the Sloth clan what I have been up to recently. Well, I visited my second cousin, once removed, Buttercup the Sloth. She is very nice and promises to visit the family reuion next May.

Next there was our beachside hotel in Limon and making chocolate with the Bribri tribe. This morning we got up and went kayaking in the ocean, then snorkeling and finally a bike ride. Just as we got back to the lodge for lunch it started to rain cats and dogs! Good thing we had some amazing coffee with lunch as well as the yummiest sweet milk cake for dessert!

We are now at the Tirimbina Rainforest Reserve and Lodge. I just finished a nighttime nature walk with my new friends from Ms. A's class. Oh, my goodness! It was the coolest and creepiest thing ever! We saw bugs and lizards and ants...oh, my!

Pura Vida!

2010-07-02T06:54:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! We are enjoying our trip like you wouldn´t believe!!

Our first full day (Wednesday, June 30th) in Costa Rica was a busy one! We visited Aviaros del Caribe, a rehab center for sloths. We learned about the species and saw rescued sloths and the newborns up close and personal! Miles and Kiara were brave enough to go cheek to cheek with a sloth, making one awesome photograph!!

We had a delicious lunch at the rehab center and then went for a canoe ride in the nearby river. We discovered first hand the amazing diversity of plants and animals in this country. We saw herons, crabs, iguanas, sloths, and some spotted the monkeys (while everyone else DEFINITELY heard them!)

After the Sloth Center, we hopped on the bus to our hotel in Limon. We learned that Limon was named after the abundant source of lemons that settlers found here. We they arrived, they were dehydrated and very sick and in desperate need of Vitamin C. When they discovered the lemons, they scarfed them down, pulp in all!! In turn, they named the town Limon!!

At our hotel, we went for a swim in the Carribean and took some amazing pictures of the incredible shoreline. The kids were ecstatic when they put their masks on and saw the coral reefs below and the accompanying fish!!

Before dinner, we listened to a local sea turtle conservator discuss his efforts to protest the critically endangered Leatherback turtle. After dinner, we took the bus for a 2 hour ride to check out the first hand ritual of the Leatherbacks laying their precious eggs, but missed the turtle by minutes!

We drove back to our hotel and had a few hours sleep before the start to our next exciting day!

The Sloth Sanctuary - Aviarios del Caribe

2010-07-02T05:51:00.000-07:00

June 30th
Oh my! This day was filled with fun and adventure. After I our 5 am wake up call, we went to breakfast where we all tried this strange new fruit called mamon. When you break open the wild red shell, you find a delicious little egg of soft white sweet sour fruit. Really cool!

We were then on the road and off for about a four hour drive to the Sloth Sanctuary that is in or near the province of Limon. The sloths were amazing. We watched a video and found out about the history of the sanctuary and then we got to see some sloths up close and personal as they lounged in their cages!

This was a pretty long travel day because after seeing the sloths and taking a picturesque canoe ride through the sanctuary´s property, we were BACK on the bus traveling to our hotel in Puerto Viejo. Our tour guide Jorge 1 (turns out Jorge is a pretty popular name! our driver´s name is Jorge and the guide for the other bus named Jorge as well) told us about the PanAmerican highway, bananas, and the most famous saying here in Costa Rica--Pura Vida!!!
I´m not kidding this was a loooong day. After arriving at our hotel, we all got to go swimming in the beautiful ocean and we were able to catch some huge waves, unlike the little three and four footers that we get in SC. We couldn´t swim for long because we had a special dinner planned with a local expert on sea turtles. He told us about the lives of sea turtles, the different species, the many dangers that they face, and how we can work to protect them. And after our lecture and dinner, we rode out to a special spot where we literally hiked through the sand for about 4 or 5 miles to see a mother turtle burying her nest. Alas! We were too late and missed the whole thing! BUT we learned much on our adventure and it only heightened our awareness and our hopes to see a sea turtle in the future!

I´ll try and get back to the computer later today because I´ve got to tell you guys about what we did yesterday with the Bribri tribe. One word, AMAZING!

Love you all!

Ms. A

On the road again

2010-06-30T09:33:00.000-07:00

Headed to see some of my distant relatives at the sloth sanctuary. Riding on the bus with my friends from NJ, NM and SC. Our tour guide Jorge is talking to us about bananas. Did you know that a banana plant has to be cut down before in can grow another bunch? Go bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

On our way to Costa Rica

2010-06-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

In the airport!

Our First Day of Travel

2010-06-30T00:03:00.000-07:00

Waiting for the plane...

and waiting some more...

Just arrived and waiting to take off! These are our new friends from NM! They are charter too!

Our first dinner. Yummy!

Arrived Safely!

2010-06-29T23:32:00.000-07:00

Greetings from San Jose!

Despite a brief delay at Miami airport and some lost luggage, we´ve arrived safely in San Jose and are psyched for the adventure that lies ahead. Right now, everyone´s snug in their hotel rooms and happy because they get to room with familiar faces tonight. (That`ll change tomorrow!)

5 am wake up call and then we´re off at 7 to see some sloths and play in the rainforest! We`ll be on the Caribbean coast staying in Limon.

Hope all is well state-side!

Ms. A

We've here!

2010-06-29T23:05:00.000-07:00

We have successfully arrived in Costa Rica! With a long day of traveling behind us, we get right to it as we prepare to wake up tomorrow at 5 am to head to the rainforest! We can't wait!!

Here are some photos from our "slight delay" in the airport!

Hola from Costa Rica

2010-06-29T21:16:00.001-07:00

Hola from Costa Rica! My BBF Meredith and I just arrived here in Costa Rica and we are already hanging out in our hotel. I must say, I wasn't sure what to expect when I arrived. I am normally I pretty independent sloth and use to doing things on my own. Boy was I surprised when I got off the plane and through customs!

We were greeted by a nice gentleman from Discovery Student Adventures who instructed us to get our luggage off of carousel #2 and exit to the right. We didn't get more than 30 feet until we saw another Discovery Student Adventures Travel Manager who instructed us to meet two other Travel Managers, Jorge and Jorge, outside the doors. Boy, with all the attention I kinda felt like a celebrity.

Jorge, #1, escorted us by private bus to our hotel. Now Meredith and I are hanging out and enjoying our box dinner provided by the hotel staff and having fun playing with all the free toiletry goodies.

Night, night!

At the Airport

2010-06-29T13:10:00.000-07:00

HEY!
Charleston airport photo op! A big shout out from Charleston travelers to our fellow DSAers! We'll see you in a few hours.

2010-06-29T09:41:00.000-07:00

Headed to Costa Rica, Baby! Left the Spokane Airport at 6:15 AM dressed in my Discovery Student Adventures t-shirt and carrying my backpack. Now I am sitting here in Salt Lake responding to a few emails and enjoying what could be my last grande Starbucks latte in seven days! Somehow, I think I'll manage to survive. I've attached a pic of my new awesome shoes. I'm all caffeined up and ready for the rainforest!

Waiting for our connecting flight to Costa Rica

2010-06-29T09:28:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!!!

Our flight from CT was a success and we are currently enjoying the pool in Miami as we wait for our connecting flight to COSTA RICA!!

We are already having an awesome already!! :)

Getting Ready for Costa Rica

2010-06-27T17:32:00.000-07:00

Hi!

It's us from the Mellow Mushroom in South Carolina. This is a first and last dinner: Our first dinner as a group and our last dinner together before we depart on Tuesday!

We're amped and ready to go!

Meet you in Miami!

Ms. A

Packing for the Adventure

2010-06-25T14:51:00.000-07:00

It's time to start packing! I can't wait until the flight on Tuesday; and i've been thinking about what I need to be prepared for a week in Costa Rica. Here's my list so far:

Reef Sandals
Hiking Shoes
Lots of Socks
Several pairs of shorts, especially quick drying nylon
Sports swimsuit
Convertible pants
Waterproof Jacket
Baseball cap
Mesh bag for wet clothes
Money belt
Water bottle
Mp3 player
Sunglasses
Toiletries

What else?

WISE words of advise from Costa Rica

2010-06-16T15:03:00.001-07:00

The students from Amarillo, New Orleans, and DC had some words of advise...

DON'T leave home withOUT
Madison...dry-fit clothes
Alan...spending money & a way to call your mom to deposit MORE money!
Joe...more than one pair of shoes
Nathaniel...extra socks

Brenda...pants, NOT jeans, to wear through the rainforest
Desiree...pepto chewables
Miranda...travel detergent
Alex-the Driver...OLD shoes, they will get EXTRA muddy & EXTRA wet!
Danny-OUR AWESOME Travel Manager...your best dance moves, with your Idol voice (poonchi, poonchi, poonchi)
Ms. G **especially for the teachers... everything that your wonderful students will FORGET...
Alix (me)...a flashlight!

and the WHOLE GROUP says..."bring your appetite for BEANS & RICE!"

From our new found love, Costa Rica....Pura Vida!

First Follow Me Contest Winner Announced

2010-06-08T22:20:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Madison M.! She is our Follow Me Contest winner for our June 8th trip to Costa Rica. Way to go, Madison! Students, you too can earn a chance to win a free iPod Touch. Just get as many people as you can to register to follow your blog by directing them to DiscoveryStudentsAdventures.com/destinations/blogs. Let them know what dates you are traveling and ask them to register to follow you on your adventures this summer. Good luck!!!

Sal the Sloth!

2010-06-07T14:57:00.000-07:00

Welcome, Sal the Sloth! Sal will be joining us on our trip to Costa Rica at the end of the month. Sal is very friendly, and although he looks lethargic and shy, looks can be deceiving. Sal is a sucker for fast-pace adventure like zip lining and repelling down waterfalls. Sal also likes visiting his extended family at the sloth sanctuary.
Some of Sal's SECRET favs:
Candy- especially Starbursts and Junior Mints
American Idol and Ryan Seacrest
Twilight- Team Jacob!
Sweet-talking flight attendants into getting extra pretzels

Get Ready!

2010-06-07T14:47:00.000-07:00

Get ready to meet the newest traveler on the June 29th trip to Costa Rica! He is a native to Costa Rica and enjoys spending time with his friends in the rainforest.