First 24 hours in Punta Uva - post by Margaret

Stoppy stoppy stop stop!!! Howler monkeys to the left of us, sloths to the right. Toucans at 12 o’clock! And that was just on the drive down from San Jose.

Adorable sloth

 

Same adorable sloth from another angle 

 

Howler monkey

Spent a couple of hours just walking around the grounds - amazed at how much we saw in that short time. Hummingbirds, smelly planking green iguanas, crabs, shitloads of lizards, birds (none of which I know the name), tortoise.

 

Hummingbird 

 

Hummingbird

 

Squirrel eating a coconut

       

 Lizard  

Settled into our amazing treehouse (separate post to come with photos). Lovely shower in my outdoor bathroom, wind whistling around my nether regions, then off to an early night in air conditioned comfort while Sam sweated it out in the jungle room.  

Up at a respectable hour to tackle Manzanillo wildlife refuge with tour guide Abel.    After fording a river which we didn’t know about, we were into primary forest and just about tripped over a poison dart frog. Poked Margarita the tarantula with a stick (because Abel told us to) and nearly stepped on an exceptionally venomous snake (bothrops asper, or fer-de-lance for the uninitiated). Reliably informed that poisonous snakes have vertical pupils - confirmed when we came face to face with a HUGE  eyelash viper.  

 

Fear-de-Lance - highly venomous but very little 

      

 Eyelash Viper

 

Margarita the tarantula

     

Woody woodpecker 

 

Another Jesus basilisk lizard 

 

 Poison dart frog 

 

Toucans tantalisingly close but just out of view. Toucans now main mission. Finished off with delicious lunch and beers at Soda Mimas Spot, recommended by Carlos from the Sea Hunter.

Back at the tree house Stephanie asked if we wanted a jacuzzi. Naturally we said yes. 2 hours for the wood fired water heater to do its job (helped along by a dude poking it with a stick - bit of stick poking theme developing) but worth the wait.

 

Early night, another day of adventures tomorrow. It’d be nice if you could get any of your bloody clothes to dry.