Honeymoon Blunders

It was supposed to be the perfect vacation. Sunshine, crystal clear ocean, wildlife at every turn and many fun adventures planned. Some of the adventures included a catamaran tour, snorkeling, a volcano tour, a dip in the hot springs and zip lining. There was only one problem. Although my husband at the time was the adventurous type; I was not. Some may call him an adrenaline junkie. I liked to play it safe. But this was a chance for me to broaden my horizons and step out of my comfort zone.

The all inclusive resort we stayed at was a taste of paradise. We had our own little bungalow, and the resort had a gigantic pool with a poolside bar. We enjoyed all the alcoholic beverages we could consume and tried the country's native cuisine. This is the first time I ever tasted dragon fruit. There were geckos, parakeets and spider monkeys amongst the palm trees right on the resort's grounds. It was the perfect place to relax and unwind after a wedding.

It was our honeymoon and I wanted my spouse to be happy with our choice in activities. I was striving for an equal partnership. Truth be told, most of the excursions went off without a hitch. Take the volcano tour for example. The volcano was dormant, so it wasn't dangerous to take the tour. It was interesting to learn the history and topography of the land. The tour's final destination was a rejuvenating mud bath and a cleansing immersion into the hot springs. The soil from the mud bath and water from the hot springs had one thing in common. They were both infused with therapeutic minerals from previous volcanic activity.

However, one excursion which evoked my fight or flight response was ziplining. I have a colossal fear of heights. This fear kept me from riding tall rollercoasters, rock climbing and riding the Tower of Terror at Disney World. The fact that I would be in a harness, with an expert as a guide; did absolutely nothing to alleviate my anxiety.

We arrived at Sky Adventures in Monteverde Park bright and early that day. I must admit the view was breathtaking. There was an expansive cloud forest amongst the canopy of tall trees. And I thought to myself, if I can just focus on the view then I will make it through this. The harness is there to keep me safe, and so is the guide. My spouse at the time was very excited for our upcoming adventure.

The lines of people awaiting the excursion were very long. This only served to heighten my anxiety. I started sweating, and my mouth became dry. Inch by inch we were slowly approaching the first zipline. There were 8 ziplines in total from tree top to tree top. Each at varying distances between start and finish.

After what seemed like an eternity; we finally reached the front of the line. We both climbed up the ladder onto the first bridge to meet the our guide. We put on our harnesses, and our guide did a safety check to make sure we were tightly strapped in. We were ready to go!

The first zipline had a short distance to travel between each tree. They ease you into the process. Our guide went first to demonstrate and met us at the end. After that, my spouse glided down the zip line. Less than a minute, and it was over. The smile on his face revealed the adrenaline rush he felt. Now it was my turn.

I was still a little hesitant, but proceeded to launch myself down the zipline. I gained speed towards the end. I had to brace myself with my feet against the tree at the finish line to keep from colliding with it. My heart was beating quickly, but I survived. The first 4 or 5 ziplines went on in the same manner. They were considered "practice" ziplines.

Nothing could adequately prepare me for what was yet to come. There was a much higher zipline with a much lengthier traveling distance. You could not see the end point in the distance. You were embarking on this journey blindly until you reached your final destination. I felt my muscles start to tense up, and the water accumulating behind my eyelids. Fear was overtaking my body, and yes I even started to cry a little bit. There was a line of patrons behind us waiting to ride the zipline. I had an audience. They received an excursion and a show.

Following in suit with the previous ziplines; the guide glided across the zipline with my spouse behind him. I watched them both disappear into the distance. It was my turn again. I gulped down the frog in my throat and launched myself across the zipline. My heart was beating a mile a minute. And halfway across the zipline between the two trees.... I was stuck. Just sitting there, suspended in air unable to move. I must have leaned in the wrong direction and not distributed my weight properly. I was unable to gain any momentum at all.

I sat there frozen in fear and embarrassment as my guide had to launch himself on the zipline to meet me in the middle. I felt my cheeks burning hot red as he dragged me across the zipline. I was a spectacle for everyone to see. And it was too late to turn back, so I reluctantly completed the zipline course. I felt ashamed and defeated in this adventure gone awry. The breathtaking landscape did not negate my fear, trepidation and new found repulsion towards ziplining.