July 21: Day 7

Hello people who actually have DRY clothes!
Today started off early, Pablo promised us a chocolate lesson after ingesting the chocolate previously mentioned on a earlier blog (well at least that's what I read). We hiked up to the ranch (the place where we eat foods), it was early so it seeeeeemed suuupeeeer faaaar awayyyy. Everyone who stumbled out of bed in time got to enjoy the top-secret chocolate making and the chocolate smells.

 After breakfast, we got started working on our experiments. We are making lots of progress and many of us are starting to see results, During our experimental time (yes we realize that sounds ____, we know) some of us got to work with unusual lab materials, such as ant butt-extract and nic-o-tea (specialty Costa Rican brews). We were feeling pressed for time because of the loomingly impending doom-full presentations. We, or I, feel as the experiments are compressed because of lacking time. We have all started to create the presentations and the act of writing the lab book write-up. Apparently some of us are not pressed for time as they are thinking of other related time filling entertaining experiments (I learned this while typing). We were heading off for lunch with vision of ants dancing in our heads (normally its sugarplums).

All activities today were earlier because of our daily adventure, which today consisted of hiking through a primary rainforest sopping wet for a large majority of the time. We lumbered off in the army tank-truck (like tow-truck, but not), today's ride was significantly longer and the treachery was high. At one point, never-mind two points we went "swimming" in our army tank-truck, in case you didn't understand our swimming, we went off-roading to cross some fast paced river where the bridge was uncrossable (probably not able to sustain any weight). When we finally survived the raging rivers of death and the lashing tree branches of terror, Sensoria was a safe haven. I wished I could have hugged the ground getting off the army tank-truck.

THIS WAS THE CALM/EASY RIVER TO CROSS

Sensoria is a primary rainforest, meaning the majority of the trees have never been cut (if you aren't satisfied with this explanation GOOGLE IT). Our plan was to hike to the cold spring first as it was the farthest away and if we would have done it last it would have been super-duper cold and over half of us would still be trying to hike back as this very moment. We all should have been in better shape coming on this trip, we were not educated on the this when we signed up (it probably would have made a difference in our decision, actually just kidding, we love it here. (Good bye mom and dad, I am running away to live in Costa Rica, and getting away from grammar.(my friends are fixing the errors (yes I actually have friends))) (if you cant tell its pretty late now). To end my period of digression, on the way up, actually down, we saw many cool trees and wildlife (more of the former because it's a forest.... with rain) including but not limited to massive strangler figs, funny tree turkeys, and an eyelash snake. When we finally reached the cold springs we all were amazed with the waterfall leading in to the pool area where we swam. I didn't think it was too cold but others were complaining that the water was freezing. The water we managed to carry with us the rest of the hike-pool-crawl. Next we went to a hot spring, on the way, the stairs made in to the path seemed so much longer and the steps higher, vertically challenged people were not enjoying lifting our legs above our belly-button region. The spring was a wonderful temperature, although the water was deep and murky. That mixture was not ideal when a waterproof camera was dropped (thanks Jack). We didn't spend too much time here because there was another warmer spring for us to swim in. The hike to it was so much shorter and gave us time to enjoy the majestic qualities of the forest. The hot spring was much shallower and there was an assortment of leaves floating in the water and layered on the ground. Finally we had to leave because it was going to get dark soon, so we started to hike, I was expecting a long hike back but we had barely started to move before it was over. The workers at Sensoria provided delicious cookies and juice (but its not too notable, the science is). The ride back on the army truck-tank was short seeming because of the exhaustion rate of everyone.So its pretty late and people are starting to complain so we will be done here.

Cold Spring

BUT SUPER QUICKLY.
Happy Birthday Molly!!!! I hope you have had a wonderful day and the Twins provided entertainment or maybe won (not likely though). Pretend we are all singing for you. Love you.

Also its  cool to see comments on the blog.

 Good Night
Olivia and Bridget