View on the ascent to the first platform, Jaco, Costa Rica
Zip lining is the thing to do in Costa Rica. It didn't occur to me until I reached the top of the platform from which I had to jump that I'd be terrified. It wasn't so much the height that scared me as the vast distance between the jump site and the landing platform. My heart raced as I whizzed above the trees on the first jump. I had to psyche myself up to jump the second time--I would have bailed out at that point but once you jump, the only way down is to keep jumping, and I had 12 cables yet to go. Taking off from the third platform, I was counting down until the tour was over, but something happened on that leg of the descent. Midway between the platforms as I soared through the air, two Scarlet Macaws flew alongside me. I looked out over the canopy to the Pacific Ocean and even though I was speeding along at 65mph, everything felt still. My heart stopped racing and I began to enjoy the experience. By the time I reached the final platform, I wasn't ready for the tour to end. That doesn't mean that I'll be hitching myself to a harness again anytime soon, but I'm glad that I was eventually able to let go and revel in the rainforest.
Interested in this zip line itinerary? Check out Adventure Tour Costa Rica's Jaco Canopy Tour.