From Hayes Family Trip, Pavones, Costa Rica
"A Family Vacation is a Contradiction in Terms"
1) A Scarlet Macaw, the most outrageous of wild birds, settles into Almond Tree outside the Cantina, as Ben and I watch. Two-foot long ridiculous tail flutters above us as we creep forward across the parking lot and watch it crack nuts. The locals leave their bar stools to come gaze with us, and smile with satisfaction.
2) Goofy children grinning and splashing in the hotel pool, well, like children, playing with underwater camera and self timer to get the definitive underwater grin shot. They act like they like each other.
3) The Jungle Vine Swing, a native vine twisted into artisan's work by locals for perfect sketchy rock climb, swing and big splash into Rio Claro jungle river swimming hole. Sudden rain downpour to soak us as we swim just feels that much more more jungly.
Sam test-pilots it, then Ben directs Vine Video of himself dropping,(YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xDAnftEVUo )
4) Horseback ride with family becomes full-on horseback gallop with Eva, as our pair of spirited, willing horses, running hard,side-by-side along mountain roads, leave other horses way behind. I am barely within my ability (but trust the horses and hold on). Squeezing my Gunpowder quarter horse hard with my legs to hold on is like pressing the accelerator, and our paired horses sprinted in mutual competition,well matched. Eva passing me with a determined grin on the inside at full speed, Gunpowder surging to retake the lead, thru shadow and clouds of sudden flower fragrance, with purple sunset over distant ocean, when .. a toucan bursts out of bushes and escorts us down an avenue of jungle trees at eye level. Yow! I am still walking funny.
5) Dawn hike and skinny dipping in Rio Claro with my Jewish Jungle Goddess, no one there but us and the Blue Morpho butterflies.
6) Cool flights in and out , as our single engine plane flies down the Pacific Coast from San Jose, across the wild Osa Peninsula, and then cranks a turn over water and drops into Golfito, the fishing village with jungle airstrip that accesses Pavones. That nice young guy who took ou
r tickets is also the pilot, and I can watch final approach from seat just behind him.
7) Playing guitars and telling stories with the Canadians from the cabina next door, as Sam buys his first legal beer (in Spanish), and Mark from BC tells us about (aboot) his scorpion bite.
8) Ben returns to the (powerful, demanding ) surf 3 days after a bad wave/rock smash, and paddles out calmly, facing his fear.
9) Hot lazy afternoons with the full team on the porch, hiding from sun in hammock and playing chess and Boggle marathons. Music jams with Sam on harmonica and guitar, playing blues and ska.
10) Big Swell arrives on Day 3, and Dad finally gets to surf alone on Day 4, when family goes on Jungle Hike. After excitedly paddling over-the-falls, I calm down, find my takeoff spot, and drop cleanly into half a dozen fast, steep, challenging waves, thru a bottom turn, and burst into a moment of speed, balance, light and magic. Racing down a wall of green water, overhead wave power unfolding in front of me and exploding foam behind, all in motion, all frozen, a breathless heartbeat, until the hanging green lip drops on my head, in an engulfing liquid crush. I surface after the hold-down to capture my board, battle my way back outside, and try again. My dream wave arrived, and found me. I finally stagger ashore grinning.
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