A TRAVELOGUE FROM A TRIP TO COSTA RICA DURING THE GREEN RAINY SEASON.
Who’s afraid of a few drops of rain?Come on!
So off we went, from the capital, San José, toward the southern Caribbean coast—barely 200 km, nothing to get worked up about, even with two babies under 2 years old on their first trip to a tropical destination.
Well-organized, well-equipped, with a supply of meals, an extra bottle, a GPS that’s supposed to work, flip-flops in the trunk, and our taste buds already tingling at the thought of grilled fish andpapaconeswaiting for us, all against the backdrop of an orange sunset over a turquoise sea!
Ah, the dream…
I’d reply,“Not even scared,” whenever someone told me I was about to embark on a long trip in the middle of the rainy season in October in Costa Rica with young children.
200 km on a winding road with trucks loaded to the brim with bananas—it takes a little longer than expected…it took us 7 hours.
Especially when you add a flat tire right in the middle of Braulio Carrillo Park, in the rain and fog, with animals everywhere, snakes crossing the road, and a not-so-new jack that refused to lift! That wasn’t part of the plan either.
Once we got there, we discoveredan unexpected side of Costa Rica: it rained—a lot. Not all the time, of course, but it definitely rained! Raindrops as big as marbles!Real rain that gets you wet…
Goodbye to lazing around on the beach, cocktails in a lounge chair, and sunsets in a thousand colors…
What we also didn’t expect was to discover a tropical country in a tropical climate, showingits true face!
Because the trees are greener than green, in a whole spectrum of green…
Because the insects are running wild—ants are swarming at the base of the trees, termite mounds are bursting open, and butterflies are going crazy…
Because howler monkeys take advantage of every lull to howl their joy of living in such a paradise…
Because the sea changes color depending on the color of the sky…
Because the rain is so warm that you don’t feel it running down your cheeks…
Because we’ve finally put images to the word “adventure”…
Because the mud under our shoes is orange, just like that sunset we never got to see!
Costa Rica during the rainy season is a burst of energy, a return to nature, a breath of fresh air.
And by the way—and this is far from insignificant—there are far fewer people, prices are more affordable, and interactions are more authentic. In short, we’ll be back in Costa Rica soon, during the green season—that’s for sure!
Jérôme, Terra traveler
