Undoubtedly, as every father, I had been dreaming about setting off on a fascinating journey with my son. Only the two of us. To embark on an adventure and share it with him only. Even the thought of it was something fantastic. I decided to put my idea into action. My choice fell on a country far away from Europe, situated in South America. We flew to Costa Rica!

From Poznan, where Maksymilian is studying, it is easy to reach Berlin. We reached the capital of Germany in a comfortable EIC train. We had a lot of time to talk during our journey. In early morning, after a nice evening and night spent in Berlin’s beautiful city centre we set off to the airport. We went to Madrid by Iberia Airlines, then, after one hour, we changed our planes and set off to the destination airport. The flight took 11 hours. We took our seats in economy class. Despite the fact that we are both quite well-built men, we had enough space. The service on board was very nice, there was a good entertainment system and a rich offer of films. I watched “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”, as usual, which I recommend to everyone! We were not bored by our company, there was also some time for a nap, so the flight passed faster than we had expected.

We reached San José, the capital of Costa Rica in very good moods. We stayed in Costa Rica Marriot San José for two nights. The hotel is very pleasant, with a big garden, a big swimming pool and one can spend time well there. However, the city did not enchant us. Of course it is worth sightseeing with a guide to feel its atmosphere better. There are some architectural pearls, it has got an interesting history, but there is nothing outstanding about it. We continued our journey in rented BMW series GS motorbikes. It was so much fun! What is more, we had great guides thanks to whom we visited marvellous vantage points and volcanoes.

At the end of the day we reached a spot from where we were transported to Pacuare Lodge by 4×4 cars. The journey was amazing! It started as if in one of Tarantino’s movies: an empty crossroad with a roadside bar, where local machos sit for many hours sipping warm beer of dubious quality. They were gazing at us thinking ‘Strangers…’. We did not feel frightened of course, we just had a chance to feel the local atmosphere. Our toothless driver Hose was smiling cheerfully and showed us the way to a Toyota pickup. It is worth mentioning that Pacuare Lodge can be reached by car only recently.The extreme terrain drive took about 30 minutes. When we reached the river it turned out it was not the end of the journey – we got across it in a very roughand – ready gondola-like boat. There was not much space, so we could take only a little luggage. Our agent took care of the rest and delivered it a few hours later.

Pacuare Lodge is a luxurious place. Guests are accommodated in spacious and well cared-for villas with big balconies, hammocks, comfortable canopy beds, big safari-style bathrooms with inside and outside showers. The villas do not have electricity. A few candles are the only source of light. Big-sized windows do not have glass window-panes but mosquito nets. You get the feeling of being in the deep jungle. You can hear the nature that is alive and very, very loud. Frogs, birds, lizards, and monkeys called lesulas… as amazing as in Axl Rose’s ‘Welcome to the Jungle’. I was sleeping like a baby.

The cuisine of Pacuare is outstanding and it could be called Jungle Gourmet. What is more there is a wide range of wines. Beautiful landscapes, the proximity of nature, a nice and competent staff, the choice of activities and authenticity – these are the biggest assets of this place. We spent 3 memorable nights there. We were walking tightropes under waterfalls (the highest was 30 metres), striped to steel ropes we were gliding like Batman or Superman, we were wandering in the jungle. We had a great time, totally relaxing and uniting with nature. It was a real adventure with a touch of luxury. You can return to the source without giving up modern conveniences. It is amazing there still are places like that in the world. The time for checking out and returning to civilization came. But how? Over a white-water river. Another challenge that we took up eagerly. Rafting lasted 4 hours with a lunch in a picturesque place. The return to civilization was slow, but inevitable. ‘Can you smell the odour of fumes?’, Maks asked at some point as there was a busy road nearby. During these 3 days our lungs got used to fresh air. Such clash with civilisation gave us food for thought…

The rafting finished in the town of Siquirres. We reached a base and took a shower. The car we had rented had already been waiting. The choice fell on Toyota Land Cruiser, a vehicle perfect for local roads. Filled with positive energy, we set off to Areal ‘armed’ with a good GPS device. The 200-kilometres route took about 5 hours. Costa Rican roads leave a lot to be desired with their omnipresent chaos, traffic jams and poor quality surface. After completing the first part of our journey we had to make a stop due to a traffic jam. Local people are really impatient and, despite the fact that the road was very narrow with ditches at both sides, they started to overtake and pass us. Suddenly, it turned out that on this two-lined road there is enough room for a huge American lorry, two pick-ups, a SUV and 4 motorbikes, all moving in one direction. Not surprisingly, the drivers from the other side of the road moved from their places! A deadlock. Fortunately, a compromise was reached in the end.

We arrived in Tabacon at 20 PM. We spent the night in the fabulous Nayara Springs Hotel which prides itself on a nice staff, great atmosphere and beautiful gardens. Standard rooms are great and suites with swimming pools are even better of course! Besides, there is an exceptional Wine Club and a sushi bar serving some excellent bites. We had dinner in the main restaurant where a chef made pancakes next to our table. We were so full and happy that we fell asleep immediately after returning to our room and having a shower. It was a very interesting day which ended in an amazing place.

The next day we had scrumptious breakfast and decided to relax after the time we spent in the jungle. Although there is a nice spa in Nayara, I knew something better could be found in the neighborhood. We went to the Tabacon Hotel, located a 3-minutes’ drive from Nayara. The top-class spa in Tabacon is situated outdoors in a lush garden. There is a water park with hot springs where everyone can find something for themselves. The park is cut with tiny rivers and cascades. I could not believe it was a real river separated into smaller parts as its water was very hot – about 40-44°C. From rainy Tabacon we headed for the Papagayo Peninsula. The journey took approximately 5 hours. The GPS device was working without a flaw, so it was impossible to get lost, yet heavy traffic and traffic jams made us feel exhausted. One hour from Arenal we visited Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park. There are 5 different trails with the longest taking about 2 hours which we chose and, thanks to our guide, it was an extraordinary experience, even despite heavy rain.

Papagayo is a private peninsula with luxury villas, a golf course and two great hotels. It is worth mentioning that we changed climate zones – from a rainy to a dry one, where the rainfall is not heavy and happens between May and August only. What is more, it is short and sudden and does not last for a whole day. During our visit the temperature in the evening fell to about 30°C and during the day it exceeded this temperature.

Hyatt Andaz 5*, where we spent 1 night, and Four Seasons Five-Star Luxury Hotel, where we stayed for 2 nights, are the hotels I mentioned above. The closest way (about 30 minutes) to Papagayo is from the international airport in Liberia. The lobby of the Andaz Hotel made a big impression on us! We reached the hotel after dusk, what, together with a spectacular light illumination was like entering the six-star world. The staff in the hotel is cheerful and tries to remember its guests’ personal preferences. The hotel is situated by the sea and it has a small sandy beach covered with little trees, so there is plenty of pleasant shade. There also is a beautiful vast sandy beach 5-minutes’ drive by hotel car. The Hyatt Andaz Five-Star Hotel has got many other assets like 3 fantastic swimming pools from which beautiful views can be admired, great cuisine, luxury rooms and suites, all overlooking the ocean and a spa with a private zone for adults, a swimming pool and an amazing ocean view. There is also a golf course nearby and a bar where guests can listen to live music. It is a luxurious and cool place at the same time and a bit cheaper than the neighboring Four Seasons.

After staying in Andaz we went to the Four Seasons (10-minutes’ drive by car). It is situated at the end of the peninsula, with sandy beaches at both sides. On the windy side there are great conditions to take up water sports, the second side is calm with a gentle descent to the warm ocean. It is a great place to relax, separat- ed from the hotel with a green area covered with trees which provide pleasant shade. However, guests have to be very careful – it is full of little monkeys which like looking inside people’s bags. The hotel has 3 restaurants and a bar, standard rooms with big balconies and villas with one, two or three bedrooms. There is also an 18-holes’ golf course.

After leaving the Four Seasons, we set off on the last part of our journey, to the rainy zone where we spent one night in El Silencio Lodge&Spa. It offers accommodation in comfortable apartments in stand-alone houses. Bathrooms are with Jacuzzis situated both inside and outside the houses. The quality of food is of high importance – there is a big vegetable garden and 4 ponds full of trout. The crystal-clear water in the ponds has definitely a lot in common with the quality of meat – I have never eaten such tasty trout in my life! Besides, ‘happy chickens’ which only activities are squawking and laying eggs are bred there. There is also a very nice spa. A curiosity – it is South America’s first hotel that belongs to the prestigious Relais&Chateaux chain. Unfortunately, after one and the only night spent in El Silencio, we went to the airport in San José (it took about 1 hour). t was how our Costa Rican adventure came to an end.

We returned delighted, rich in new impressions and experiences. We saw amazing places in a country that is simply perfect for tourism. Nevertheless, the most important thing was the fact that our journey and the time we spent together brought us closer. I do not have to guess what my son would say if someone asked ‘Who is your best friend?’. He knows he is mine, too. The journey will stay in our minds forever as a great male adventure. And we have already been planning another one!