Day 12: when lightning strikes sand, does it turn to glass?

Today was Canyoning Day, but not before we spent 2 hours with the
resort folks pitching us a timeshare-like program. Between the cost
and location, we weren't convinced of the investment.

On our way to Hacienda Guachipelin for our canyoning, we came across a
McDonald's and made a stop for food and an ice cream cone.

Our adventure started off with a horseback ride to Victoria Falls. As
we were learning how to control our horses, one of the cowboys decided
to pull on next to taemi on a bull... A BULL!

Our horses are extremely smart, but they do wanna go at their own pace
and direction. The cowboys have trained the horses so well that they
know where to go automatically, including knowing where to stop to
drop us off and head back to the ranch all on their own.

Our guides strapped us into our harnesses and helmets and we headed
over go the first launch point. To our dismay, the guides thought it
would be fun to do a free fall drop into the river after our first
decline. NO BUENO. Thank goodness we had TaeMi around to translate
since our guides could barely speak a lick of english. We got them to
lower the rope end into the water and I was able to make the first
decline.

Different from reppelling, canyoning is more of a self-managed rope
descending activity. After landing in the water, we ended up climbing
back up on the side of the canyon where the pressure of the waterfall
was less than the main section. They rigged these metal handles into
the rock for us to climb up. It was easily a 30ft climb up to the top
with the weight of our wet gear and gushing water ensuring that it was
not an easy task.

We descended the first rope again and swam to our next launch area.
The second climb down included a bit of reppelling off the rocks to a
rock landing next to the second waterfall. From there, we were tightly
hooked up to a set of ropes and pulleys to do a Tarzan swing across
and into the waterfall. And boy does water fall hard!

The Tarzan swing was the last part and we hiked back up to the top of
the falls. Surprisingly, the falls is 3km away from our original
starting point. After we changed, we drove back to Playa Hermosa for a
quick dip in the ocean right at the end of sunset.

Dinner included a lightning show, so if any of our readers know why
there's always lightning in the northwest region of Costa Rica or how
it's possible to have lightning without thunder or if lightning does
turn sand into glass.. We'd really like to know. Thanks!

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