Arenal volcano hike

Hiking in Costa Rica is the cat's pajamas. You should probably go and do it. 
I can be a harsh critic when it comes to scenic hikes. My eyes have witnessed some pretty cool eye-popping views. You know I wouldn't say a country was beautiful unless it took my breath away, at least a couple of times. 
Costa Rica is beautiful.

Minus the crazy inflated price of Costa Rica, it has a lot going for it. My draw to the country was the wildlife and nature. I didn't leave disappointed. 
From the town of La Fortuna you can hike to the edge of a volcano called "Arenal volcano" with a mesmerizing blue lake in the middle. I had seen pictures and I was captivated by its beauty. I must see this lake!!

Along with Kate, an energetic backpacker from Florida, we set out to tackle the climb. A taxi brought us to the base of the volcano, which is a national park, so we had to fork over $10 before we could get in. 
The hike ascended the entire way, flattening out for just a small break, perfectly positioned at areas with the best views. 
Bright green vegetation surrounded us as we huffed and puffed up the hill. We joked about how we would have buns of steel by the end. 
Playing hop-scotch with tree trunks, we treaded gingerly up the volcano, gripping mosey trees for balance as we admired brightly colored flowers. 

Scrambling over rocks, the path became muddier the closer we got. My shoes would squish deep in the mud and make a funny suction cup noise when I yanked them out. 
Ever since I was a kid, I loved playing in the mud. 
Not much has changed. 

There's something about being connected to nature and getting intimate with the organic materials of this earth. Nature is my sanctuary. I'm my happiest there. 
A light mist breezed by and cooled us off as we neared the top. 
We met the rare hiker coming back down. 
"How was it?!", I asked with mud caked to my shoes and legs, a smile from ear to ear. 
They all said the same thing. Can't see anything because of the fog. Bummer rummer. 
We didn't let this get us down, the hike alone was rewarding enough. Even though Kate was 8 years younger than I and in the army, I had no problem keeping up with her. She was quick to get on my case in true military style when I stopped too long for a picture. 
"We gotta make it to the top before it gets dark!", she would yell.
We both got a great cardio workout in that day. 

The canopy of trees sheltered us from any further rain showers. 
The other hikers were right, you couldn't see anything at the top. 

Feeling successful nonetheless, we started our descent down. The slippery slopes were a challenge as we negotiated across the big boulders. 

The hike took us 4 hours altogether. We were pretty hungry at this point. Our 1.5 liter water bottles were nearly empty, too. We had sweated up a storm hoofing it up that mountain. 
On the way down, we stopped to pet some horses and take some silly pictures. 

 At the base of the mountain, there were no taxis to be found. The visitor center was shutting down also. We had a good hour of daylight left, so we decided to hitchhike back to town. 
(You didn't read that, mom.) 
Moseying on the gravel road back to town, we waited for a car to pass, but only semi's and dump trucks were plowing through the dusty road. 
Veering from our thumbs-up job, we see 2 little girls playing with a poodle puppy on their porch. Kate and I both squeal at the cuteness overload. We ask the little girls if we could pet him and before they could answer, the black fluffy pup ran over to us. He was full of energy and loved to give kisses. He had a tongue quicker than grease lightening!!!

Kate with the pup

Keeping a close eye on the clock, we continued on, just in case we had to walk the entire way back. 
Soon enough, a truck comes by and we jut our thumbs out. A truck with 5 local men pulls over. The driver has a sweet face and the rest of them look shyer than Buddhist monks. 
Ok, this looks pretty safe. 
In Spanish, we ask for a ride into town. They obliged and we jump into the back of the truck. 
We trucked down the dirt road for about 15 minutes before arriving at our destination. Thanking them as we jumped out, they looked for nothing in return. Good people. 
Traveling on the fly. That's how I roll. 
Floating around this world, I realize that days like these are some of the most memorable. I live for adventure, and that day I had found it.
The fog decided to steal our view of the lake that day, but I wouldn't mind the journey back up that volcano for the view another day.