“Travels to a Different Time” : March 2004: Puntarenas Costa Rica: A Gringo Tourist for a Moment: Canopy Trail Zipper Ride

In some countries you can escape being typecast as a gringo tourist. Costa Rica is not one of them. You participate in gringo attractions you predominate even more. So off to the Canopy Trail Zipper Ride with son Andrew. We were picked at the hotel at 15:30 and had a 90-minute ride to the Ride. It was a 50-minute drive and the most interesting was the last 10 kilometres on a dirt road. We were in what looked to be “cattle country”. The cattle all have lumps on their backs so they are called Brahmans. They try to sell you some ecological benefits of the Ride i.e., that you are amongst wildlife at the treetops. However, at this height there is not so much wildlife to be seen except for some Howler Monkeys making a grunting noise giving the impression they are larger than they actually are. We had a training session and after you are buckled in a pulley and off you go with a loud ZZZZZZ as you zip along the cable above you. You can brake by grabbing on to the cable wearing the thick gloves that they give you. A short but thrilling ride with photographs of your ride available for sale! About the most educational part of the expedition was the 10-kilometre ride on the dirt road. The cost is $50USD per person.