McDougall Adventures

Costa Rica McDougall Adventure  July, 2007

Dear Dr. McDougall, Mary and extended family members!

My CR-2007 vacation with you this year was even more enjoyable than last year, 2006! Thank each of you for the wide-variety of experiences/adventures/evening lectures/medical-research topics/and most of all, the delectable Costa Rican style vegan meals at El Ocotal Resort! Par excellence! My taste buds have never had such a delicious adventure at one table. The unique spices and food-preparations Latin/Spanish style were delicious.

Some of the favorite experiences for me this year were, of course, participating in the daily guided adventures with such educated and personable 'tour-guides'. The vast amount of information regarding the terrain of Costa Rica, the Guanacaste Region, the botanical names of practically every tree and/or plants we saw, the mammals and their habitats, flora everywhere and the native 'ticos' were very educational. Evening lectures after dinner provided even better insights into the history of this beautiful land mass called Costa Rica. The slide shows were not only beautifully presented, capturing our attention until the late hours, but the humor and wit of the 'professional guides' commentary kept us laughing and enjoying the human touch of 'learning' and 'good fun'... Thank you, Marcel! and Steven!! Carlos and numerous others. Our drivers were especially competent on the circuitous mountain roads; also 'God bless them' for their patience with our group. Give our best regards to the Chef Extraordinaire! – and the very attentive front desk personnel.

My 'cup runneth over' with fond memories of each day and my photos will have to sustain me until I can return...

Meanwhile, thank you and your wonderful group of McDougallers for a lifetime of memories!

Pura Vida! Good Health!!

- Fran Thompson-Anzelmo

Dear Dr. McDougall,

We want to thank you for a life-changing vacation experience. We have never found so many aspects of a pleasurable vacation all in one trip. It's hard to decide what was the best part. Between the weather, activities, people, food, view, animals & information you provided, it's impossible to choose. Being around so many like-minded people, all on similar journeys to better health and at various stages in their vegetarian journey was a wonderful experience. It was like being with family, only better because family is not as supportive!

We enjoyed the wealth of new sights, sounds and tastes, breathtaking views from our room and the dining area and plentiful vegan buffets for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It doesn't get any better. It will be difficult to think about planning other vacations now since finding healthy foods can be so challenging. Also, it was helpful to talk with our fellow vacationers about their similar experiences with the challenges of vegetarian living and some of their tips & tricks.

And we can't finish without mentioning how informative & convincing your lectures were. When we first started talking about going on a McDougall adventure, Brian was afraid he might come back a vegetarian, and indeed, that's exactly what's happened! The research & presentation is overwhelming. I am so excited now to have a full-time partner on this journey - and that's just a side benefit!

Many thanks to you, Mary, Heather, Tiffany, Conrad, Stephen, Carlos and Marcel for all your efforts in putting together such a well-organized, well-executed, fabulous vacation.

Sincerely,

- Barb & Brian Sparks

McDougalls

Thank you for the wonderful experience we had in Costa Rica. It seems like a dream when recounting all the events. We learned more about animals, birds and plants than we thought we would ever want to know but we now understand the world we live in a little better. The adventure trips stretched the imagination and physical boundaries past what my almost seventy year body thought it could do. The food was flavorful and plentiful and offered the chance of experiencing the tastes of local vegetables and fruits. Papaya and Yucca were among my favorites. The people on the trip were the best and they all had interesting tales to tell about the benefits they gained from a starch-based diet. I love being pill and pain free. Thank you again for great the vacation. We are looking forward to future McDougall adventures.

- Andy and Barbara

I was a first time traveler, and also unaware of the McDougall program. The trip was obviously very well planned. The daily activities were of the right duration and had the proper mix of excitement while being accessible to the whole group. This provided me a rare opportunity to share time performing physical activities with my father. As promised, the people we met on the trip were great companions and friends. The naturalists on the trip filled every minute with stories of Costa Rica - plants and animals, history, artifacts, and the culture and lives of its people. Ocotal was the most scenic location I have seen. The variety of plant and animal life and the vistas from the hills were amazing both during the day and the night. The food was outstanding and abundant, so I ate without reservation and without weight gain. Informative lectures ave prompted me to explore the other literature from the program. As the week went on, I heard stories of remarkable healthy weight loss from other travelers, and witnessed amazing athleticism from people of all shapes and sizes. This is one vacation I will never forget!

- Glen Nixon

What can I say - it was the vacation of a lifetime!! What more beautiful place to spend a week than Costa Rica - and with the great company we enjoyed. John said we should "stretch ourselves" and enjoy the adventures that were planned - and with that challenge, we did......we went white-water rafting, rode the zip-line thru the jungle tree tops, snorkeled, went scuba diving, and so much more - experiences we'll never forget! The Ocotal Beach Resort is fabulous - the staff is friendly and efficient, the adventure tour guides were terrific - extremely competent and fun, the food was delicious and healthy, and we're having a hard time coming back to reality. The McDougalls took care of every detail so that all we had to do was relax and enjoy ourselves - and we did - we highly recommend this trip to others looking for a wonderful time in a beautiful country!

- Kathy Grieve

Fabulous vacation! Already thinking about my next trip. I was impressed at how well everything was planned and organized. The adventures were super, the guides absolutely amazing and a wealth of information. The meals were excellent and it was so nice to not have to worry about getting healthy food. Thank you Mary and John McDougall.

- Penny Turnbull-Fox

Dr. McDougall,
Thanks so much for your, Mary's, and your staff's hard work to make this possible. I couldn't really have asked for a better vacation. The hardest decision (literally) I had to make was what time to get up in the morning. I'm not sure how you managed to gather such an interesting and diverse group of travelers together, but thanks! Some of my favorite moments on the trip were around the dinner table, chatting about everything from the plant-based-diet world to the baby boa constrictor we spotted on the rafting tour.

Amazing plant and animal life, phenomenal guides, your informative lectures, and new-found friends all made this a fantastic experience. Expect me back! (And thanks for a great roommate pairing, Mary!)

All the best to you,

- Erin Lockley

Costa Rica Trip "Comments"

My wife and I had a great time on the July '07 Costa Rica trip. Every day was an adventure involving a new activity like snorkeling, sailing, river rafting, taking a mud-bath in the rain forest, and watching monkeys in the trees. The vegetarian food was outstanding, the hotel on the Pacific ocean was excellent, and the service was good and friendly. John and Mary McDougall, and their staff, run a quality vacation experience with an emphasis on fun and good health. I highly recommend this travel experience and plan to go again.

- Jim Sanford

COSTA RICA 2007

This was a return trip for me, having first been on the McDougall Adventure trip to Costa Rica in 2006. I cannot say enough about the fun and education of this trip, and I enjoyed it even more the second time. Wonderful people from all walks of life, committed to learning about this special country as well as to health and well being. The Hotel Ocotel offers spectacular ocean views, infinity pools, great beaches, and the best guides available for tours through rainforests, ocean adventures and history of this beautiful country. Excellent food, entertainment and well organized adventure tours make this a trip not to miss. The McDougall lectures are profound and entertaining to boot. I will be going again.

- Jane

This was a trip that changed my life in so many ways. I was transformed by my ability to still be physical - it seemed easy in paradise (and supported by my daughter).

I was given hope that I could live and eat this way - it's hard but here were ALL these people talking daily about McDougalling and even more stricter plans (I'll wait on those 'til I have this down! I gave up my worse addiction—to Diet Coke—I was drinking up to 12 cans a day! Again surrounded by the magnificent natural setting we were in it seemed (and was) much easier to do than being at my desk at work. I can't thank you enough for having these trips to get the average 50+ American out into the world where I watched no TV (who had time?) and had no snacks or temptations, saw beautiful wildlife and rainforests and challenged myself to prove that I do not have to follow the lemmings to an overweight, disease ridden end— I can move and play and love this planet and life given to me as gifts. I can save my own health and give me time to watch my husband and I and our children grow older and hopefully have a peaceful end.
I will see you at a 10 Day soon-I promise.

- Joan Grealis

I can't say enough good things about this trip. First and foremost would be the food - as an avid traveler and staunch vegan, food is always a consideration while traveling. To not have to even think about it was such a weight lifted.... and then to have it be so delicious (and plentiful!) was just an added bonus. Food aside, the whole trip was just so amazing - from the snorkeling to the rainforest, the volcanic mud to the river rafting - I fell in love with Costa Rica. The guides are the most knowledgeable I have ever encountered, the nightly entertainment was great, and you just can't beat the views from the resort. I can't recommend it enough!

- Sky Chari

Thank you for making this a wonderful vacation. Aside from the adventures I met an extraordinary group of people. They were fun, interesting and supportive. The accommodations were very comfortable. The food was plentiful. We all ate so much we thought we gained a ton of weight. We all actually lost. It is amazing how it works. I know a lot of planning and work went into this by the Mc clan. It was nice to see you all again....

- Barbara Green

Dear Dr. McDougall and clan,

Just a quick note to say thanks for putting together such a marvelous week in Costa Rica. We loved every minute of it. The food, lodging and surroundings were fabulous and beyond our expectations, your brief lectures confirmed our choice to eat right, and the guides took the week up over the top! Not only did the guides seem to know everything about Costa Rica's history, politics, geography, and plant, animal and bird life, but they were willing to go beyond just keeping us safe on our adventures. They helped me discover 38 new species of birds for my life list. Marcel even went out of his way to help me find the bird that was at the top of my Costa Rican wish list, the long-tailed manakin.

We made friends with people we plan to stay in touch with, too. You, Mary, did a super job of putting together the adventure groups for the week. We really clicked with the members of our group!

It was a wonderful, really memorable way for us to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary with our 4 children.

Thanks again.

- Sue, for all six of us

Dr. Mcdougall, Mary and all the staff,

The trip to Costa Rica was a trip of a lifetime for me. I enjoyed every minute. It was made very special by being able to be with my sister. We took part in all the activities and ate like there was no tomorrow. We met many interesting and fun people. My husband and daughter even enjoyed the pictures of the iguanas. They still are surprised I went on the tree top tour. Many thanks for a great trip.

Sincerely,

- Dorothy Braninburg

Dear John,

Dwight and I had a wonderful time in Costa Rica. We were impressed with the beauty of the country and the kindness and warmth of the native people.

Since returning, Dwight has lost 5 # and I have lost 2 1/2 #. We are faithful to the starch based diet now, even Dwight, which surprises me. He was an-every night after I went to bed- ice cream junkie and now doesn't miss it.

We have so many great memories to share with family and friends. Thank you and Mary and all your staff for making our tropical vacation enriching and fun.

Sincerely,

- Sherry Hayden

Dear Dr. and Mary McDougall,

I want to start off by saying thanks to the whole McDougall Clan for the best vacation I've ever had, in my entire life.

It really was a great adventure, just as you said it would be. There were planned exciting things to do every day. The food was out of this world. Everyone I talked with, vegan or not, thoroughly enjoyed the entire adventure. I never ate more, nor better in my life, and didn't put on a single pound. I don't believe the adventure could possibly have been any better. I saw no one the whole time I was there, that wasn't enjoyable to be around (either at Ocotal or on any of the adventures).

The four Guides (Carlos, Conrad, Marcel, and Steven) were absolutely phenomenal. There seemed to be nothing they didn't know about everything pertaining to Costa Rica. Assuredly, they must be the best guides in the whole country. Carlos was the first licensed tour guide in all of Costa Rica, his license number actually is (001).

Everyone looked forward to hearing Dr. McDougall's very informative daily lectures, and many made personal commitments, to become McDougllers upon their returning home.

I am 71, have been a Vegan for over ten years and have never been healthier. When the time comes, I'm planning on being active to the end and leaving with a smile on my face, (maybe even on a "Costa Rican Adventure Tour." At least, not lying incapacitated in some nursing home, incoherent or praying for death to take me away. Thanks to Dr. McDougall and others like him, for showing people how this can happen. May God bless them.

I want to end by saying, Thanks again to everyone who helped to make this my best vacation ever, including my son Glenn, who accompanied me.
 

- Tom Nixon