Posting from McDougall Adventure in Costa Rica!

[DianeR]

Thanks for posting your pictures. I was there also but didn't take that many pictures. The good shots seemed to be when the camera was in the room ...

If you look at the last page, second row, I'm in the two pictures at the end of the row to the right -- just behind you. I don't know why I have such a look on my face. I was enjoying myself. Maybe I was thinking about having to come back to the cold the following day My husband is the big guy to the left.

Dr. McDougall said he hasn't heard of anyone gaining weight on the vacation, but I did. And I didn't have bread or desserts since I was avoiding gluten. Oh well, it was still worth it.

I have to figure out how to make corn tortillas like we had, to find some good plaintain recipes, and to discover a source of cassava locally.

[funcrunch]

DianeR - I'm not sure which photo you mean? The last page from my Flickr set has photos from our hotel in San José.

Don't feel bad about gaining weight - I was up a pound or two myself the first day I got back, though it's now gone again. Probably in my case because I didn't get my usual amount of exercise (despite walking up the steep hill for every meal), and I sampled every single dessert.

- funcrunch

[ncyg46]

you photos were wonderful...wish we could go sometime...

I gained also a few pounds after the 3 day Celebrity Chef Weekend and a few more in the past 6 months Hopefully they will come off...still working on it!

[DianeR]

The photos I mean are on page 5, the second row, on the right -- of the hot pool at Buena Vista. You are smiling and I have a worried expression on my face.

I wish I could say that the weight has gone but it hasn't yet. I think I just ate more than I am used to and I didn't get the same amount of exercise, although I did hit the exercise room when I could. But it will come off shortly -- I'm determined.

I would like to go to Costa Rica again some time. I surprised myself doing both the river rafting and the zip line. I'm a weinie usually, but I found both were really fun. I had a picture taken when I did the zip line because I knew my kids wouldn't believe I did it. Here I'd been agonizing for months about whether to try or not ...

I wish I had ridden a horse rather than the wagon at Buena Vista, but my husband dislikes horseback riding and I thought I should keep him company. So that should help you remember me -- hubby and I were the only two in the wagon going up to the hot springs.

[funcrunch]

The photos I mean are on page 5, the second row, on the right -- of the hot pool at Buena Vista. You are smiling and I have a worried expression on my face.

Ah OK, you must mean this one: http://flickr.com/photos/funcrunch/3272 ... 549910770/ It's on a different page for me. I wish I'd gotten more photos with my good camera at the hot springs, but we left it in the locker and just used the low-res still mode on our camcorder, which my husband brought along for the horseback ride.

I wish I could say that the weight has gone but it hasn't yet. I think I just ate more than I am used to and I didn't get the same amount of exercise, although I did hit the exercise room when I could. But it will come off shortly -- I'm determined.

I went jogging on the beach twice while in CR, but only lasted 20 minutes each time; I usually go for 30 or more.

I would like to go to Costa Rica again some time. I surprised myself doing both the river rafting and the zip line. I'm a weinie usually, but I found both were really fun. I had a picture taken when I did the zip line because I knew my kids wouldn't believe I did it. Here I'd been agonizing for months about whether to try or not ...

Good for you! Everyone tried to convince me to do the zip line but in the end I didn't. I do wish I'd done the river float though as from what everyone said it was really gentle and I needn't have been concerned about actual rapids; I'm nervous about any water activities since I can't swim, though I did do the ocean and beach trip, while wearing a lifejacket. (I know everyone on the river trip wore life jackets also.)

I wish I had ridden a horse rather than the wagon at Buena Vista, but my husband dislikes horseback riding and I thought I should keep him company. So that should help you remember me -- hubby and I were the only two in the wagon going up to the hot springs.

Ah, I do remember. My husband really, really hated the wagon ride going back, but I didn't want to ride the horse again and he didn't want to separate from me. So we had a similar situation.

[DianeR]

That's the one!

Yes, the rapids are very mild (class 1 and 2, once I got splashed a little and that was it). They've never had anyone fall out of a boat. I'm thinking I could handle class 3 (4, I don't know ). Particularly with a life preserver there is nothing to fear. I wouldn't want stronger rapids on that particular river, though, because of the crocodiles.

My lack of fear of the zip line once I did it surprised me. I think it was because I felt so secure with all the rigging. It wasn't like walking at the edge of a cliff or something I wasn't ready to do the superman or hanging upside down trick, though.

[Clary]

Is there an opportunity for the people on the McDougall Costa Rica cruise to meet each other? Do you eat together?

[dlb]

Clary -

I went on last years trip. Yes, you do eat together. Then they organize you into small groups for the adventures. You are with the same small group all week. We had the opportunity to meet some amazing people that I want to keep in touch with forever. I was in tears when we had to say good bye. If you ever get the chance to go, it is wonderful. Sharing your days with like minded people is fun. Not one person asked me where I get my protein from . My SO, who is not a McDougaller, loved it too.

Donna

[funcrunch]

I've posted a couple of video clips my husband Ziggy took at the zipline:

http://funcrunch.livejournal.com/228477.html

If anyone here knows anyone else from these videos, please pass the URL on to them, thanks!

- funcrunch / Julie

[momof4]

Julie, was that you going tandem in the last one? Looks fun--thanks for posting!

[funcrunch]

Julie, was that you going tandem in the last one? Looks fun--thanks for posting!

No way, I wasn't even there! My husband took all that video, I just edited and posted it...

- funcrunch / Julie

[DianeR]

If anyone here knows anyone else from these videos, please pass the URL on to them, thanks!

- funcrunch / Julie

I find it hard to recognize who's who in the videos. But we are all supposed to be getting a disk of our pooled photos shortly, plus the email addresses (of everyone who didn't opt out of sharing that information).

I'm glad you posted the videos. Now I have action shots to show my kids. I had a still photo taken to prove I did it, but it doesn't show how high I was.

Did the horse people get up to the hot springs by the time the set of people did this other zip line above our heads? They were going a lot faster! But this only lasted a few minutes when a small group went and then no one else I noticed.

[Health~N~Happiness]

Wow, looks like you all had a wonderful time. I would love to go one day! Thanks for sharing your photos and descriptions, it makes me want to go even more. Everyone looks like they are having a terrific time.

Health~N~Happiness

[Faith in DC]

excellent wonderful pictures. I bet you both had a wonderful time. I can't do heights, like clifs or tops of buildings either, but I think I could zip wire. I've parasailed, and that is easy, I even got my parachute collapsed and dropped like 50 feet.

What I was surprised at is folks weren't wearing their life jackets for snorkeling. When I've been in Cancun we had to wear one.