High 4 with a spider monkey

We are now in La Fortuna, at the base of the Arenal Volcano. Thirty years ago, it erupted taking the lives of many people and sloths. We'd post a photo if we could actually see it, but rain and cloud means we just have to take their word for it that it actually exists. Here Tracey - now hooked on adrenalin - threw herself off waterfalls for her next fix. Canyoning. Sometimes it is just as well when we arrive at a new location we often don't have time to time think about the crazy thing we've decided to do before we're on our way.

Canyoning included abseiling or repelling down 4 waterfalls (the tallest was 220m), climbing down and through small waterfalls and creeks, cannonballing into a rock pool and something called a tsunami. A tsunami is when someone blocks off the water flow of a small waterfall while the group climbs down and positions themselves along it, the human dam moves and the torrent of water falls over the group.

Deb spent her afternoon riding a tube down the river rapids, hitting almost every rock, cliff and jungle vine on the way down. Her manouvering of a tube is a little less skilled than her 4-wheeler ability. Though, in true Thomas-twin fashion, she fell off gracefully, backwards. Thankfully she slowed her descent down the rapids by hitting the large rocks with her ribs. 

The next day we thought we'd give a little back, by doing volunteer work at the local wildlife rescue centre. We thought we'd be shovelling poo and mucking out cages but instead we held hands with monkeys. Some of the monkeys here used to be pets, they need the hand holding or they get depressed...yep, just doing our bit to help out.

...and giving back rubs. Built up quite a sweat with the hard labour (I'm sure nothing to do with the heat and humidity). 

This monkey didn't want us to leave, but we had to get back to work.

Preparing dinner for the monkeys, parrots and coati.

Here are a few of the friends we made...

...but we couldn't quite shake the feeling that we were being watched.

After our hard labour at the rescue centre, we thought we deserved a little relaxation time, so went to Baldi Hot Springs, which has 25 thermo mineral hot water pools flowing naturally from the base of volcano. The springs range from around 33 degrees to 48, with a few smaller ones at the extremes. 

 Some of the pools had a swim up bar. At least it doesn't hurt when you fall off the bar stool after a few cocktails.

This is the last night that all together as a full group, some go on to Panama and others home. 5 of us continue to the Caribbean side of Costa Rica with 2 new people and a new guide.