4 June, 2011

I still cannot believe how amazingly lucky we have been with the weather during this trip.  We got up this morning at 6:30 to see the sun shining once again.  My stomach feels much better this morning after sleeping a lot and not eating dinner; however my sunburn still hurts a ton. I am just going to suck it up in order to join the group for kayaking and sea snorkeling.  It should be really fun, especially out in these clear waters with small coral reefs underneath.  Once again, breakfast was rice and beans with fruit.  I never thought I would get sick of such simple food but I cannot eat anymore of it.  Just the smell of rice and beans makes me sick. 

The morning took a lot longer than we expected so we were forced to rush packing, but it was fun.  We left the hotel at 8:15 and went kayaking until about 1:15.  Getting there took a while and my arms were tired, but it was amazing to see the island and the clear water.  It would have been much better if I had a stronger stomach and did not get seasick while trying to kayak and snorkel.  It was still a good experience however. Spending lots of time out there would provide a great way to learn a lot about different species that we never see in the US.  Maybe getting sick in the water would help me attract the fish so I could study them up close, but I think I will pass on that opportunity and stick to business.

On another note, I can only imagine how good of shape you have to be in in order to give tours like that multiple times a day. It is also interesting to think about how evolution happens and people are selected for certain things such as darker skin in order to prevent damage from the harsh sun in this environment.  It is obvious how ones climate and environment can affect each person.  Fray, our guide did not seem to care nearly as much about the money after our tour as someone from the USA would have.  Being a good person instead of just a business person does help him come across as a nicer, more well rounded person in general though. 

Finally, we rode the bus back to San Jose bringing us very near the end of our trip.  It is bitter sweet because the trip has been great, and has shown me so much about how another culture works. However I am definitely ready to eat something besides rice and beans.  I cannot wait to take a long warm shower and drink a gallon of milk.