CarbonFeet

It was such a relief to finally touch down on Costa Rican ground after a somewhat long journey. Costa Rica, otherwise known as ‘Rich Coast’ is a tropical paradise, an oasis of pure tranquility!

We had heard that it is a country of many wonders with locations ranging from small beachside towns, dense jungle terrain, to the green, mountain top villages. This was going to be the perfect place in which to spend our vacation, away from the stresses of life in the big, bustling city.

Approaching La Fortuna, San Carlos we were faced by one of the 14 volcanoes present in Costa Rica. It is these volcanoes which make Costa Rica one of the top tourist attractions. ‘Volcan Arenal’ reaches a height of 1633 meters and that night we were lucky enough to witness the hot lava that trickled down the side, like hot caramel sauce being drizzled over a mountain of ice-cream. It was like a dream!

After a good night sleep at one of the observatory lodges, set right at the foot of the volcano, we woke and drew back the curtains to reveal that what we had encountered the night before had in fact been a reality; there it stood towering high in all of its glory.

After our horseback ride we started on our trek down along the winding, forest trail towards ‘La Fortuna’ waterfall and within 30 minutes we were witnessing one the many incredible forces of nature. If I am honest, the waterfall was one of the highest and most powerful waterfalls that I have ever seen before.

The panoramic views were really quite spectacular and it made the bumpy ride up the mountain side to Monteverde all worth it in the end. I felt so connected to nature and at complete peace with my inner self. It was a truly, unforgettable experience!

We had arrived! The road changed from one of dirt and stones to one of concrete and we slowly entered the small, mountain top town. We found a place to stay in this cool, hip run hostel and before we knew it, with the help and advice of the superb staff we had everything planned out for our day ahead. Time to relax!

Like monkeys we passed from tree to tree, the wind in our hair and surrounded by nothing but nature. Heaven! Whilst doing the canopy tour we were told to leave a part of our equipment if we felt brave. I felt brave, until I was perched on the edge of a platform getting ready to jump off! Was I really that CRAZY, I asked myself, and it turns out that yes I am! The tarzan swing was a completely exhilarating and insane experience. It was the vertical drop before swinging 50 meters high that got me the most. A must do!

That evening after a fun packed day in the forest we were blessed with the perfect sunset! We sat on a rock and starred up into the hypnotizing night sky. The fusion of oranges, yellows and pinks was undeniably magical and although we took photos the real memories will remain in our heads. Photographs can never really capture the true beauty that surrounds us! Costa Rica is the perfect paradise!

Costa Rica is a wonderful place to travel to, filled with much splendor and magic. The author has lived for many years in Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. If you ever decide to visit Monteverde make sure to check out Horseback Riding Costa Rica Monteverde.

The environmental trend is stealing headlines all over the world. People are finally realizing the damage that is being done to the environment and are starting to change the way things are done at home and the business world. The travel industry is no different and a positive environmental trend is sweeping through the hotel industry as a whole including airport hotels.

Not so long ago using renewable energy and having a recycling program were not profitable things to do. Because of this Corporate America was not willing to jump in with both feet. While there were some companies that did this anyway (and they should be applauded), others were waiting to see where the environmental trend would lead before they started to make changes.

The travel industry, specifically the hotel niche of it, was infamous for literally pouring money down the drain. There was literally tons of unnecessary laundry being done every day that was not only costing the hotel owners a lot of money, but was using unnecessary energy and water as well. Over the last few years, this whole process has changed for the better.

When a guest checks into their room today, they are going to see something that is not even close to what it was as little as 10 years ago. Hotels will now usually have signs up that suggests to guests to keep their towels for an extra day or to keep the sheets on instead of having them changed out every day. It is impossible to understand the impact that this immediately has on energy and water consumption.

Energy savings is always as hot topic and one that was always assumed to be wasted in hotels. Lights were left on all the time and bulbs were bright and energy wasting. Today, hotels rarely have unused rooms lit up and have gone the way of energy efficient lighting to try and cut down on their bills. This all adds up to enormous amounts of energy that is now being saved instead of wasted.

While most neighborhoods started recycling years ago, not all hotels were with the program. There was a time when the back of a hotel looked more like a trash dump than anything else. Unless you have worked in one, it is hard to imagine the amount of waste that is generated each and every day. Drive in the back of the hotel today and it is an organized area that has all of their trash separated for recycling.

Hotels have always had brightly lit parking lots and extra signage up to let people know that they are open for business. While this is understandable, it has also been excessive. Solar trees are popping up all over the place to replace standard parking lot lighting and more and more hotels are making use of perimeter solar lighting to light pool areas and such that used to burn standard bulbs.

When the corporate world steps up and makes a statement that it is time to start saving energy, people tend to take notice. The trickledown effect is enormous as ideas get put into the heads of guests and staff alike. It is great to finally see the travel industry have and promote a healthier environmental trend.

As Markham hotels and Toronto hotels offer quality service and comfort, Toronto airport hotels have not only proven to be luxurious but also greatly convenient for business travelers. With its convenient location, dealing business has been a lot more cost-effective.