musings from a travel-obsessed gal.

This past year, my older brother and I were gifted a trip to Costa Rica from my eccentric uncle who didn't have the time to take his prepaid, and quite costly, trip. We were given few details and were told to show up at the airport with dry bags, water shoes, a bathing suit and a few casual outfits.

We should have suspected that we were in for an adventure and after flying into San Jose and getting into a van to be taken up the mountain, we were both left wondering, "How did I end up here?"

Like all trips that begin with the above question at hand, we never expected to have such a life changing weekend. After arriving to a river bank after a haul up the mountain, we were given paddling instructions and boarded a raft with our river guide and two other companions.

The lodge where we were staying was only accessible by the river, which meant we'd have to paddle through pretty rough terrain to make it there. Being that my brother and I are not the most athletic humans, it was comical to say the least. Upon arrival, we discovered the most comical part of the trip was the fact that we were essentially staying at a honeymoon destination. This meant our existence over the weekend would consist of candlelit dinners, couples-oriented spa treatments, and one bed in a romantic cabin.

My brother and I are close, but not that close. But, as avid travelers, we made the most of the trip and ended up having the adventure of a lifetime. We both had our first experiences with zip-lining, after much trepidation, hiked to waterfalls, enjoyed amazing Costa Rican fare (by candlelight), met generous and inspiring locals and eventually made our way back to land after a three-hour paddle.

My brother and I have been fortunate to travel to some amazing locales but we both agree that because of its unexpected nature, this was our best trip so far. I am so thankful to have created such memories with my brother and hope to be able to recreate them on another trip in the future.