Happy New Year

It has been an awesome holiday season to say the least. However, it has not been the same without my parents here. They love the holidays and have a tendency to go "all out" with decorations, food, gifts and parties. They were complaining on the phone that it only took 30 minutes to set up Christmas in their little apartment in Spain....as opposed to the two week set-up and two week take down process they are used to at home. Anyway, we are all very proud of them and the example of service they are setting for the rest of us.

The latest on my Costa Rica adventure???? mmmmm...... I hesitate to say, for fear of losing the thousands of readers who visit my blog daily.... I am moving back to the states!
There are many reasons for pulling the plug but basically what had felt right, at one time for me, changed once I got down there and got into it. I will however, continue to run my all-inclusive package tours, this allows me to live pretty much wherever I want. I am not exactly sure if I will be moving back to Salt Lake City, I am currently looking into some options to do the rest of the year, when I am not running trips. I loved every minute of my experience living down there and trying to start a rafting company. I have no regrets and take peace in the fact that I will never look back and say, "I wonder what would've happened if I had tried....." So here is my sum up of my 6 months in Costa Rica this year-

flat tires- 3
stuck in the mud- 2
mangos consumed- muchos
lung infections- 4
food poisoning- 1
trips to mechanic- 5
ocean sunsets watched- 15 (roughly)
waves attempted to surf- 500
waves actually surfed- 2.5
round trip flights to and from US- 5
attempts at a bank account-13

On a more personal note, I am grateful for the experience for many reasons, but if anything I think I am taking perspective from it. I have had friends comment from time to time on how jealous they were of me living down there. There is no doubt the place is beautiful and the activities and adventures were unforgettable, however, I couldn't help but feel often times that despite the fact that I was living in paradise, there was a certain emptiness to it. It's hard to explain, it wasn't loneliness, but more of an idle feeling.....does that make sense? Other than the unbelievable moments spent surfing, looking at the beautiful views, rafting the river, or watching the sunset, there really wasn't much else going on. So "living the dream" was not really "the dream" as you would imagine it.