Thirty-seven miles southeast of San Jose, Costa Rica, you might as well be in Pandora.
For about 7 bucks and 90 minutes, you and your homie can ride 2 buses that take you to Orosi.
Don't worry - that price includes the seats you have to buy for your luggage.
Orosi is a tiny village surrounded by mountains, lush vegetation, and family farms, literally with a river running through it.
It's so far off the beaten path, the path had to ask directions.
Orosi is the home of Puente Hamaca, or Hammock Bridge.
The person in front is me, wearing a towel over my head so I can't see the scary stuff. Also finding my religion.
All right, not really. That bridge is in Nepal and you'll never catch me there.
Here is the real Puenta de Hamaca.
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| Rio Reventazon is the home of white water rafting adventures, and white knuckle crossings. |
Notice how the bottom is see-through. That's WATER rushing over BIG, SCARY ROCKS underneath.
Normally, heights above 3 feet give me oppositional / defiance disorder and situational Tourette's. Driving across the Alaskan Way Viaduct was always a panicky adventure in denial: "I'm NOT FALLING! Hug the yellow stripe! I'm NOT FALLING!"
This footbridge shakes, along with my nerves.
Dude.
Kids RIDE BIKES over this bridge. UNATTENDED DOGS come and go like they own the joint.
I HAVE to do this.
Deep breath. And one more.
I bravely clutched the rail on both sides while slowly sliding one foot in from of the other, testing the bridge's weight bearing capacity, but by dog, I crossed that bridge without even crying once!
Maybe it's because the river underneath is fascinating, or maybe it's because the cloud forest feels magical and I can pretend to be Tinkerbelle or something. "Why" doesn't matter - what matters is something is shifting inside of me for the better.
I cross the bridge going the other way, not even scared this time (very much).
"How ya hangin'?"
"Like a pro, yo!"
"Where y'all hangin' out these days?"
"Right here."
"Right now."
"Right on!"
It's all about perspective.
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