Sobreviví…. I don’t know how, but I did it. If I thought yesterday was bad with the 500 step hike back up… Idk what I was thinking… I think today their plan was literally to tire us out like we are toddlers needing a nap. Not only did we do a hanging bridges hike we also did kayaking. Look I know the hanging bridges hike wasn’t that strenuous, but it was a lot of walking, and then to kayak!?! Then we had a sugarcane and pineapple farm tour, which was very interesting, but also included walking!!! Look, I’m lazy sometimes ok. Even though I am lazy at heart though, it was incredibly fun, I liked all of the activities we did.

To start off we did a hanging bridges hike, which we had a scavenger hunt with to win a prize. Guess who won… ME!! With some help ofc (everyone say thank you Peyton) but nonetheless the prize is in fact mine. Now me and my new buddy, name still in progress, are going to finish this trip together, hand in hand, or maybe more like limbs wrapped around my arm. Although this hike came with a wonderful reward, it also made me scared. Being high up, no ground seen for miles, the only thing holding me up being a suspension bridge that sways and moves. If it didn’t move, I would be fine, but it did, and it was terrifying. Every step I was scared that I was either going to drop my phone or the bridge was going to break and I would go splat on the jungle floor. It also doesn’t help that it kept raining, making me more scared of slipping. However, I have lived to tell the tale. Right after we went kayaking, which was fun but was definitely an arm workout. It was a very beautiful lake though.

Moving on, we went on another tour of a farm, we specifically looked at the sugarcane and cacao sections of the farm. To start off we had lunch, and we learned that the farm only supplies the restaurant. (Ask if that’s true.) After the lunch, we walked around the farm and had multiple demonstrations on juicing sugarcane and grinding up chocolate. While getting the demonstration we also learned about the farm, such as the fact that it is a family farm. Instead of monoculture, they practice intercrop, which means that they plant different crops rather than just one. The farm actually has 116 different crops (woah), some of them being sugarcane, corn, pineapples, and passion fruit. And, seemingly on the same train as the other farms (though it’s not a common practice), it was also organic. They use a toxic fruit, pichichio, to protect the plants. The business is also sustainable, using the left over juice sugarcane, bagasse, along with molasses to feed the cattle. The tour was very educational, as always, and the demonstrations and seeing everyone participate was very entertaining.

As mentioned before, it rained today, which did not mess with our activities directly. We were still able to do everything, just with some rain. We were also lucky to mostly be inside when it was raining. However, most tourists don’t visit Costa Rica at this time, due it being the rainy season, so many businesses experience a slow season. The companies may plan for this slower season by diversifying their market and their products. For example, the farm today did not just focus on farming their 116 crops, but a restaurant and tours as well. Having these options makes the slow season hit not as hard because you’re not fully dependent on one thing. Though it may be harder for tourist centered companies, they might diversify to the locals, offer discounted prices, or offer packages for schools (its educational and not season dependent). Also, although it is rainy, some people prefer that, so they might also lean into that. Costa Rica is known for its rainforest, so maybe framing the season as a real life rainforest or jungle experience could attract tourists that want the real deal. I mean, rain is in the name people!!!.

Overall, I feel that despite the rain, I still had a lot of fun. I am however exhausted, so I will be passing out in bed. I honestly cannot wait to continue to tour companies and learn about them some more, because although it may seem boring (boo school), it is really interesting. Y así, sobreviví otro día más.