Other than Canada and Mexico, my parents have never left the country. When I tell people this fact or that they don’t have any stamps in their passports, most are dumbfounded. Needless to say, when my parents finally booked a flight to come visit me in Costa Rica, I was ecstatic!! I couldn’t wait to show them how I live and adapt to other cultures, as well as be a part of a life-changing experience for them. I may have been too excited because I packed our trip with tons of activities and non-stop adventures.
My favorite part of the trip was after every adventurous endeavor, my mom would say, “I can’t believe I just did that – I would have never thought I would do that!!” This made me so happy to hear! What a great feeling it was to see my parents push their limits and culturally expand themselves.
The trip also reiterated what I strong relationship I have with my parents, which I am so grateful for. Not everyone can say their parents are their best friends, and it is even more rare to be able to spend twenty-four hours a day for seven days with them and still crave more time. Lots of people think I’m extremely blessed because of the amount of traveling and world experience I’ve been able to do at such a young age. However, I believe I am blessed to have such amazing parents that are fully supportive of everything I do in life, regardless if they agree with it or not.
So what did we do on our trip? Well I’ll break it down for you…
Day 1: Drive from Liberia to Samara in a complete Monsoon!
mom insisted on taking a picture of me the minute I met up with them at the airport!
sunset walk on the beach
Day 2: My parents came to the CREAR program with me and got to experience the reason why I came to Costa Rica in the first place. Then beach the rest of the day.
nice shot mom! me and Andrea working with some of the kids at program
daddy and I at the beach
beautiful Playa Samara - my home
dinner, dad got a bit of color!
again
mom
Day 3: Fishing day!
dad and I on the boat
mom and dad
reeling 'em in!
dad and Eduardo fishing
mom being sea-sick
small little Snapper!
rainbow
love
it's a big guy!!
dolphins - i love them!!!
Day 4: Howling Monkey Adventures in Nosara – took the Tomcars through empty river bends, down cliffs, through actual rivers, on beaches and up mountains.
bringing back memories of the Marist trip and starting the day off at the Beached Dog Cafe!
dad getting the tutorial of the Tomcars for our Howling Monkey Adventure
dad ready to ride
riding through rivers and such
the family in front of the Tomcar
taking mom for a ride (disclaimer: please excuse my "rawwring" like a five year old boy playing with his power rangers)
holding on for dear life
mom and I
Playa Juanillo, a nice little stop on our adventure
the family - there was a little water in the camera, sorry!
excuse me torros!
insane view from the top of the mountains in Nosara
sunset at Playa Guiones
the beach was packed
ended the day with an amazing meal at Dolce Vita
Day 5: Left for La Fortuna and Arenal to see the Hot Springs and Arenal Volcano.
found a frog in La Fortuna
hot springs at night
dad and I at the resort
dad being so silly
view from our room at the Tabacon Grand Spa
coffee growing on the grounds of the resort
pool at our resort - all fed with water from the hot springs
view at the Spa area of the resort with the many natural hot springs
the natural hot springs
cold-water pool which was much needed after lots of time in the steaming springs
it was a fantasy land for me - so natural and beautiful
mom ready to get her hot spring on
gorgeous photo of my beautiful mother
trying to use the pressure and natural minerals to massage my back and shoulders, it felt so good
Shang-ri La Terraces
playing in the waterfalls of the hot springs
I could lay on the rock forever
or I could lay here forever, either or
shot of the main pool from the top of the slide
going down the slide
poolside for the rest of the day, maxin and relaxin
haha love this one - dad impatiently waiting for more popcorn
Day 6: Went ATV’ing throughout La Fortuna and Arenal, visited the hot springs.
woke up to this view outside our room, gotta love it
volcano was smoking a bit!!!
let's go ATV'ing
hanging by the rio
gorgeous view of La Fortuna
volcanoes and such
gorgeous view of my parents and I
our guide and his best friend
beautiful parrot
La Fortuna waterfall - this is an inactive volcano too
family with waterfall in the background
swimming hole and Tarzan rope-swing
gotta get a family shot!
off to the magical world of Alice in Wonderland
walking around the grounds of a fully self-sustained restaurant and Inn
still love that pineapples grow from the ground - a fact I learned last year in Bali
love the lush greenery
Day 7: Drive from La Fortuna to Liberia to catch flight home!
the beautiful city of La Fortuna
the amazing couple eating breakfast
went on a nice bike ride to Arenal Lake!
it is a huge, man-made lake - crazy, huh?
view of the volcano from the lake
this was my view the entire bike ride
being silly :)
Seven days is too little time!!
My favorite part of the trip was after every adventurous endeavor, my mom would say, “I can’t believe I just did that – I would have never thought I would do that!!” This made me so happy to hear! What a great feeling it was to see my parents push their limits and culturally expand themselves.
The trip also reiterated what I strong relationship I have with my parents, which I am so grateful for. Not everyone can say their parents are their best friends, and it is even more rare to be able to spend twenty-four hours a day for seven days with them and still crave more time. Lots of people think I’m extremely blessed because of the amount of traveling and world experience I’ve been able to do at such a young age. However, I believe I am blessed to have such amazing parents that are fully supportive of everything I do in life, regardless if they agree with it or not.
So what did we do on our trip? Well I’ll break it down for you…
mom insisted on taking a picture of me the minute I met up with them at the airport!
sunset walk on the beach
Day 2: My parents came to the CREAR program with me and got to experience the reason why I came to Costa Rica in the first place. Then beach the rest of the day.
nice shot mom! me and Andrea working with some of the kids at program
daddy and I at the beach
beautiful Playa Samara - my home
dinner, dad got a bit of color!
again
mom
Day 3: Fishing day!
dad and I on the boat
mom and dad
reeling 'em in!
dad and Eduardo fishing
mom being sea-sick
small little Snapper!
rainbow
love
it's a big guy!!
dolphins - i love them!!!
Day 4: Howling Monkey Adventures in Nosara – took the Tomcars through empty river bends, down cliffs, through actual rivers, on beaches and up mountains.
bringing back memories of the Marist trip and starting the day off at the Beached Dog Cafe!
dad getting the tutorial of the Tomcars for our Howling Monkey Adventure
dad ready to ride
riding through rivers and such
the family in front of the Tomcar
taking mom for a ride (disclaimer: please excuse my "rawwring" like a five year old boy playing with his power rangers)
holding on for dear life
mom and I
Playa Juanillo, a nice little stop on our adventure
the family - there was a little water in the camera, sorry!
excuse me torros!
insane view from the top of the mountains in Nosara
sunset at Playa Guiones
the beach was packed
ended the day with an amazing meal at Dolce Vita
Day 5: Left for La Fortuna and Arenal to see the Hot Springs and Arenal Volcano.
found a frog in La Fortuna
hot springs at night
dad and I at the resort
dad being so silly
view from our room at the Tabacon Grand Spa
coffee growing on the grounds of the resort
pool at our resort - all fed with water from the hot springs
view at the Spa area of the resort with the many natural hot springs
the natural hot springs
cold-water pool which was much needed after lots of time in the steaming springs
it was a fantasy land for me - so natural and beautiful
mom ready to get her hot spring on
gorgeous photo of my beautiful mother
trying to use the pressure and natural minerals to massage my back and shoulders, it felt so good
Shang-ri La Terraces
playing in the waterfalls of the hot springs
I could lay on the rock forever
or I could lay here forever, either or
shot of the main pool from the top of the slide
going down the slide
poolside for the rest of the day, maxin and relaxin
haha love this one - dad impatiently waiting for more popcorn
Day 6: Went ATV’ing throughout La Fortuna and Arenal, visited the hot springs.
woke up to this view outside our room, gotta love it
volcano was smoking a bit!!!
let's go ATV'ing
hanging by the rio
gorgeous view of La Fortuna
volcanoes and such
gorgeous view of my parents and I
our guide and his best friend
beautiful parrot
La Fortuna waterfall - this is an inactive volcano too
family with waterfall in the background
swimming hole and Tarzan rope-swing
gotta get a family shot!
off to the magical world of Alice in Wonderland
walking around the grounds of a fully self-sustained restaurant and Inn
still love that pineapples grow from the ground - a fact I learned last year in Bali
love the lush greenery
Day 7: Drive from La Fortuna to Liberia to catch flight home!
the beautiful city of La Fortuna
the amazing couple eating breakfast
went on a nice bike ride to Arenal Lake!
it is a huge, man-made lake - crazy, huh?
view of the volcano from the lake
this was my view the entire bike ride
being silly :)
Seven days is too little time!!
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