“Well ladies and gentlemen, we’re next for takeoff. I’d like to ask the flight attendants to please take their seats.” So here we go again… Coffee in the lobby with Dad before the flight, an overly thorough inspection of my bags at security (they act like they’ve never seen 600ft of rope and a bag full of metal ascenders and carabiners before), a cramped economy seat on a Spirit Airlines flight and I’m off. It’s business as usual. The takeoff is windy, pushing the plane left and right as we accelerate. It takes a second for the inertia of the plane to catch up to my body as I feel like my head is being smushed down into my neck. We take off east- I-95, the Intracoastal Waterway, and finally the coast gives way to the Atlantic Ocean. I close my eyes a second before we bank right- it’s time to head south. I know this route well. 
My first night in Alajuela was great. I made a friend on the way over here, spent the afternoon shopping and showing her around San Jose, and honestly, smiling all day- it just feels so good to be back! I'm off to meet the Forman team at the airport. We're going to drive up to the Poas Volcano and then spend the night in the Sarapiqui region. First thing tomorrow morning- we're off to Plastico and Rara Avis! Will update in two weeks when I return to San Jose. Then it's off to the Osa to meet up with the group from FIU.
PURA VIDA!
-Don
