Experiencing ... Costa Rica

By Susanne Pettit-Crossman

"Hola" (hello). Close your eyes and picture a tropical rain forest, countless sand beaches and exotic wildlife. This is the Central American country of Costa Rica, nestled between the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east. Costa Rica sits south of Nicaragua and north of Panama.

Costa Rica ("Rich Coast") was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1502, but the country remained relatively isolated and unpopulated for about 400 years. In the 19th century, the scene changed when Costa Ricans began exporting coffee to Europe. Now, the country boasts the highest literacy rate in Latin America.

As it is only four degrees from the equator, the average central valley temperature year round is 22 degrees Celsius. There are two seasons: wet (May to November) and dry (December to April).

The Spanish-speaking population of Costa Rica is approximately three million; half reside in the country’s capital, San Jose.

Costa Rica is an ecology haven. Ten per cent of the country is made up of national parks offering luscious cloud and rainforests, awe-inspiring volcanoes and colourful coral reefs. The land is rich in flora and fauna, with over 1,200 species of orchids, 800 species of birds and countless numbers of wonderful indigenous creatures of all kinds, including turtles, fish, monkeys and iguanas.

Given my addiction to nature and animals, I had pinpointed this beautiful country on my list of dream vacations. However, with my disability, it took me three years to get there. Finally, last February, we had the money, my health was stable and my husband, Peter, actually got some time off. Last but not least, the Toronto Lung Transplant Program granted me another escape (I am awaiting a second double-lung transplant). Once again I organized my medical papers to arrange for wheelchair assistance while en route at the airport, and oxygen support while in the air.

Costa Rica is generally positioned as a country for "healthy" people, able to hike, dive, snorkel, kayak, surf, raft, fish and, most importantly, walk -- something I do not do well with these lungs! However, I researched the country, the climate and the variety of excursions, hotels and transportation to form a holiday/travel plan that worked for me.

In the end, we chose an all-inclusive eight-day package at Playa Tambor Beach Resort operated by Canadian Holidays. Playa Tambor is located in the southern tip of Nicoya Peninsula on the Pacific side, surrounded by the Gulf Islands. Although it was little more costly than "roughing" it, we were comfortable with a medical centre right on the premises of the resort; water on the Pacific side that was very safe to drink (from the tap) -- good for those with immunosuppression; meals and drinks that were controlled and of good quality; and rooms that were air-conditioned, a big plus for someone who cannot cope with constant humidity.

The resort was completely accessible to people with mobility-related disabilities. The grounds were connected by paved and smooth stone walkways, allowing easy transport to the three restaurants, three bars, washrooms, pool, theatre and the ecological park and aviary. Rooms were on three levels, but the main level was obviously designed for anyone with a wheelchair or, as in my case, the inability to access stairs.

I took advantage of the porter and his luggage cart to transport me down to the areas of activity when my lungs wouldn’t cooperate. Puts into perspective the term "old bag." Ha ha.

Although the walkways did take you right to the beach, once there, it was up to you how you negotiated the terrain. There were people staying there who used wheelchairs but I must admit I did not see them down on the beach at all.

I was impressed with the variety of excursion packages the club offered to those who wanted to venture outside and see the local colour. These tours offered a wide range of activities and we were able to choose particular outings which worked for my limitation with lung power. (For example, taking a two-day hike up into the cloud forest or adrenal volcano was out!)

We did do a day cruise of the Gulf Islands, and we took a local trip to Montezuma (a hippy retreat further down the coast). We also rented ATVs (four-wheeled motorcycles) and toured the back roads and farm land surrounding our resort. Peter drove and I clung on for dear life. I must tell you, even though Costa Rica boasts one of the best telephone systems going, their roads are awful: dusty, filled with pot holes and, depending on the rain, at times completely inaccessible. They are so bad in areas that often the taxis and cars will drive in the ditch because it’s easier. The ATVs managed okay, but the dust was something else. My lungs, however, seemed to survive this, although our clothes did not!

The big surprise of this half-day tour was climbing our way down on vines and ropes to a magnificent freshwater pool and waterfall. The vertical drop was at about a 75-degree angle. I was fortunate that there was a fire fighter on our tour who kindly hoisted me on his back and carried me back up from the ravine.

I think the highlight of our excursions was the three-hour horseback riding trip we embarked on. I adore riding -- used to be pretty good at it, too -- but, again, had resigned myself to the fact that this was going to wind me too much. To my surprise, I not only accomplished this rather gruelling ride, but actually was one of the best riders. Peter was ecstatic with my performance. I think, although humid, the air was so fresh there that my lungs found new vitality for this wonderful journey.

All in all, I was most impressed with Costa Rica as a country. The people are delightful, very friendly and willing to please, although many are still working on their English. We were all provided with a small Spanish dictionary to get by. Given that the liquor was included in the cost of our package, we quickly learned how to say, "Una cerveza, por favor," (one beer, please) with polished flair.

The biggest problem was I did not have enough time in Costa Rica. Even though it is a small country, it is appropriately named, with many riches to share that cannot be done justice in a week’s time. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants something refreshing and different from the standard and rather overdeveloped Caribbean. If you do go, have some wonderful Pacific lobster and a "cafe con leche" for me. Adios!

(Susanne Pettit-Crossman is a broadcast journalist/freelance writer and former host of CBC’s "Disability Network." She has cystic fibrosis and diabetes. Susanne lives in Burlington, Ontario.)