Chapter Thirty-seven
Three months later
‘Becca, come on. If I can do it, you can,’ I call.
‘I’m not bloody going up there, and definitely not down there. I’ll stay and have some après-ski.’
‘It’s not a ski resort, Becca. It doesn’t have après-ski.’
‘Well, that’s a bit of a letdown,’ she shouts back.
I laugh. It has been great having Becca here. She was disappointed at first that I wasn’t coming home, and the uni replied saying I could defer my place or reapply at a future date if I should change my mind, but I won’t. I get to study animals– sloths– firsthand here. I don’t need a degree to do that. I gain so much on-the-job knowledge from doing what I do day in, day out; that’s a far better education and much more useful than sitting in a tutorial or doing exams. I can always return to studying in the future. And I’m already in at the animal end of the action.
Plus the scenery’s not too shabby. I finally made it to the Monteverde Cloud Forest. Our planned trip kept being pushed back for one reason or another, but now I’m here and it’s every bit as spectacular as I thought it would be. It really does feel as if I’m in the clouds, and a little mist has shrouded our view, on and off all morning. We already completed one of the trails and crossed the most amazing suspension bridge so we could see some of the incredible species on offer here, although I admit the crossing was a little scary.
The orange-bellied trogon was a particular favourite, mainly because of its long, cool name, and the three-wattled bellbird– now that’s an odd-looking but still beautiful bird, with its chestnut lower half and its white head and breast. I’m beginning to think they don’t go in for short names here, though, but they’re so wonderfully descriptive, I don’t care.
Talking of scenery, the view’s not too bad either. Dexter walks towards me and enfolds me in a hug. ‘Is Becca moaning again?’ he asks.
‘She is. She’s a total lightweight.’
‘I am not,’ she yells.
‘Go down then,’ I shout up to her as my fingers find Dexter’s and I clasp his hand in mine.
‘Not a chance in hell!’
For someone usually so fearless, she sure is spooked by this zip line.
‘We’re leaving you here then until we get back,’ I call.
‘Sounds good to me,’ comes Becca’s voice.
I laugh. ‘Looks like we’re on our own. You ready?’
Dexter grins. ‘Yep. Ladies first.’
I shoot him an incredulous look. ‘You’re really making me go first?’
‘I am.’
‘In that case, wish me luck.’
‘Good luck.’ He kisses me one more time, a long, lingering kiss which is featherlight and leaves tingles on my lips after we break apart.
I check my harness. I’m good to go. Then I push off, down over the jungle. ‘ Pura vida! ’ I yell. What a rush! The jungle canopy zooms past me and I plummet towards the ground.
When I land five minutes later, my first thought is ‘let’s do it again’. Moments later, Dexter lands behind me, and I give him a long, lingering kiss until Alejandro, Ella, Mariangeles and Mum encircle us in a group hug. Yes, Mum. She decided when I chose to stay, and told her I’d pursue my veterinary studies here, too, that she was coming to visit. What an experience. What a life. I’m so lucky. I came to Costa Rica on one adventure, and ended up falling into another. Finally, I’ve found my place in the world and I couldn’t be happier.
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