Photo map of Cahuita area. Click on image for interactive map.

I met a time traveler. And she was livid, darling.

Here’s a scandalous little secret that every globetrotter shares: sometimes we just don’t want to go. It’s not about the destination, the plans, or your traveling companions. But humans get tired, life gets hectic, and as much as you love it, sometimes you just don’t have it in you. In the days before this trip, I felt this way. I had been under a lot of stress at work and hadn’t been home much in the few weeks prior. The thought of packing up and heading to the airport again was almost too much, and I was really considering sitting this one out.

Then the room grew cold, the edges of my vision got dark, and I was visited by the phantasm of 15-year-old Susan. The one who had never left the US but had a world map on her wall, dreaming of the destinations she was determined to visit one day. The one who would have given anything to go absolutely anywhere, anytime, given half a chance and a ride to the passport office. With a menacing psychic roar, she threatened my soul, my noise-canceling earbuds, and my metaphysical buttocks with imminent annihilation if her future incarnation had the chance to go to Costa Rica and said no. You think I’m aggressive now? I’m a kitten compared to this chrononaut. Ok, homegirl, chill. You had me at earbuds. I’ll go pack.

The deciding factor that got me stomping the jetbridge was the promise of a relaxing trip once we arrived. Our destination was Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast. We had been to Costa Rica once before, but to the Pacific side. The opposite coast would offer a peaceful vibe and the opportunity to see one of Jay’s friends from high school, who lived in Cahuita. Everyone knows that Costa Rica is a birder’s paradise, so we were also looking forward to adding to our life lists. I brought my Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary for the birds, and my Canon EF 700-300mm L for larger animals such as monkeys and sloths. We arrived late in San Jose and got some sleep before renting a car and driving to Cahuita the next morning.

The drive over was better than I thought it would be. Good roads, not too much winding through the mountains, and little traffic. We made it to our rental by noon, then walked into town for lunch. We were greeted by capuchin and howler monkeys as we passed, as well as a friendly agouti who lived in the yard. We turned on our Merlin apps and got to work learning about the birds visiting the house. If you haven’t heard of Merlin, it’s like Shazam for birds, and it’s really helpful when you’re learning to identify species. We planned to meet a birding guide early the following morning, so we got to bed early so we could be ready to go before dawn.

An agouti enjoys a snack in the backyard.

When the clock struck 0500, we were up and the rain was coming down. We didn’t have direct contact details for our guide Justo, so we gathered my equipment, got into our rain gear, and drove into town to meet him. He rode up on his scooter, and we all agreed to postpone our birding hike until the following morning in hopes of better weather. Jay and I headed back to our place, made some more coffee, and went out to the back patio to see who might fly by.

Keel-billed toucans understand takeoff separation.

I like big beaks and I cannot lie, so I was on the hunt for toucans. There were three species in the area, and I was ready to spot them all. It didn’t take long for a pair of yellow-throated toucans to appear in a tree. Following closely behind them in the same tree were the rainbow-snouted keel-billed toucans. Not one to miss a party, a collared aracari completed the toucan trifecta. This all happened within an hour of our return to the house. We weren’t too bummed about missing our hike as we kicked back in our lounge chairs, listening to the soft rain and the calls of the birds. Twenty species later, we took a break for lunch with Jay’s friend and his son. They took us to a great local spot we never would have found on our own, and we had a great time learning more about the area from someone who had lived there for years. We did more late-afternoon backyard birding, then called it another early night.

The next morning dawned clear, and we got down to birding business with Justo. He took us up the side of a mountain and introduced us to many more bird species to add to our list. Since we got an early start, we had time to swing through the Cahuita National Park to visit some sloths and snakes. We packed up and headed back to San Jose, making a stop at a deserted stretch of beach where I took my DJI Mini 4 Pro drone up for a few shots. An open beach at a low latitude is an strict teacher in the ways of sunscreen and neutral density filters. My skin still ended up a little overexposed, but the highlights of my videos were kept in check.

Hitting the beach for a little drone practice.

Now I had some perspective and could reflect on the change in my mindset from a few days ago. When a seething specter from your past is right, she’s right. Planning trips is fun and exciting, but taking that first step out the door is where it gets real. We’re humans with lives, bodies, and feelings that don’t always show up the way we want at departure time. I considered not only my past self, but future Susan as well. If I had stayed home, I would have rested and recovered, but I would have felt a sting of defeat for allowing myself to miss out. By recognizing my temporary dip in energy for what it was and choosing not to surrender to it, I was able to recover in a much more meaningful way. Thanks, teenage Susan. Now go put a another pin on your map in Cahuita.

Boarding Pass: SJO

Preflight Checklist: Gorilla Trek