Day 4, part 3: Flash floods and dancing in the rain!

Our return journey from the caves was not uneventful. The "torrential downpours" from the previous days now appeared like dripping water from a leaky roof in comparison to today's downpour. There was flash flooding everywhere, water was pouring into people's homes and shops (and this is in a country prepared for heavy rain) as the rain water overflowed the ditches. The roads were completely covered in water.

We reached an area where a flash flood was actually blocking the road. There was about a 10 foot culvert for the water to pass through, but there was so much water that it was backing up on the other side and was now flowing over the road like a river, taking tree size logs and sweeping them across the road like they were sticks. On the other side of the road, a 10 or 15 foot raging waterfall had formed. This was our road, and the ONLY road to get us home.

We waited for awhile hoping the water would cease a bit, but without luck. We were in a very lightweight two wheel drive 4-seater van/mini truck thingy... not good odds against a raging river. Images were flashing across our mind imagining our little van getting swept off the waterfall.... yikes!

So, I figured we might as well enjoy the situation as much as possible! I jumped out of the van in the downpour and our guide and I walked through the raging river that was our road (keeping close eye for trees floating down).  It was about 10 or 12 inches deep and pretty fast, but not as strong as I had imagined it being. We helped push a few large tree trunks that were lodged on the road and got them to float off and out of our main crossing route, then returned to the van to wait for the water to subside a bit.

We danced salsa in the rain! It was so much fun. By now I'm soaked head to toe and thoroughly enjoying myself (I mean, come on, dancing salsa in the rain with a local Costa Rican and running through flash flood rivers that have wiped out our only route home. How cool is that?).

About 20 more minutes or so and the water had subsided to about 8 or 10 inches deep (still moving pretty fast) and we decided to brave it. We made it through and continued our way home, awing at the amazing amounts of water that were creating mud slides (one had covered half of the road), wiping out people's homes and shops, destroying the roads, and creating waterfalls everywhere. We made it home safe and sound (although I was officially a Mojadatica, a costa rican very wet girl).

That was an exciting day! We signed up for the adventure tour, and we are getting all that we paid for and more! This trip could not be going any better (although I think many tourists might think otherwise, but I find enjoyment in the more adventure side of things I think). Apparently I'm "loca" and "valiente" along with a variety of other words according to the Ticos...



Mom's language accomplishment of the day:
Started to learn the world "quiero"
Successfully utilizing hola and gracias with more confidence, and remembering "donde esta" much easier, although hasn't actually used it in practice yet.
Was able to recognize when I called her crazy (ella esta loca) to my guide as she was kayaking over near near some buzzards... to look at a dead fish. Ewwww.



Random observations/thoughts:
'Nuff said I think. :)