Sloth tales

Having left San Jose yesterday, we took our public bus towards Manuel Antonio. Sadly, the bus did not have goats or chickens...or air-conditioning on a 37 degree day with 90% humidity. That wasn't the worst of it but more on that later. Today we went to the Manuel Antonio National Park. Within 50 metres we saw our first sloth, well really a guide pointed it out, we spent ages trying to spot something that didn't move and looks like a branch but eventually we got our sloth eyes on. 

Other than sloths we also saw agouti, squirrel monkeys, white faced capuchin, raccoon (really), forrest crab, basilisk (not the sort that turns you to stone), hummingbirds and giant mating female spider that eats her tiny husband after sex...for which the main event was happening while we were there.

...the small mass at the bottom of the big female spider, is the man spider

Above is our tour group at one of the beaches in the national park, great bunch of people.

Debbie stayed at the national park that afternoon to continue her hunt for sloth and other exotic creatures, while Tracey went to tame the rapids with a few of the group. We had a choice of being in one of two boats, the first level 2/3 rapids for beginners and the second for crazy thrill seeking adrenaline junkies who wanted to be thrown into the water and hurled toward rocks. Tracey chose the first given her interest in maintaining all her teeth. There was a great stop part way along the rapids to walk to a waterfall. We all had a swim in the gorgeous pool at the base before continuing downstream. Photos on that one later. And by the way, two days ago on the bus Debbie's bag was stolen that included her passport, cameras, money, credit card...yep really, but not letting it ruin the holiday.