Seeking Shelter On A Costa Rican Mountain
One wrong turn led to an epic 12-hour adventure. Austin was driving our rented Suzuki Jimmy down the only highway near our Airbnb when he decided to take a little sightseeing detour. Turning right, into a portion of unexplored mountain, I immediately ask what he’s doing. You see… him driving is a really big deal because I have control issues. “This guy is riding my ass, so I turned, and now we can explore this area,” he explains.
The only problem with this is that I need to pee, BAD, and it’s almost dark. We already learned that the warning to NOT drive through the Costa Rican mountains after dark is not just a suggestion. It’s extremely dangerous, and I’ve met my near-death experience quota for this trip.
He soothingly says, “It’s fine, I’ll just turn around up here,” when I let him know the state of my bladder. The insanely narrow, winding roads continue up the mountain, and we pass downed trees that cut off power to the local mom-and-pop restaurants along the road.
“Damn, just think, they’ve probably been without power for days because that obviously fell a few days ago.” We create stories about the local experience, wondering if they get as frustrated and angry as those in the USA at the slightest inconvenience. Or maybe they just accept and understand that this is life, and everyone is working as hard as they can to combat Mother Nature?
We finally find a place to turn around, 30 minutes later, and make our way back down the mountain. That’s when the universe had another plan. Apparently, they were bringing in and installing a whole new pole for the power lines, which meant there would be zero traffic through the mountain. We found this out later, after searching a Waze group on FB. At the moment, we were essentially stranded on the mountain with a long line of people behind us who decided to make the event a party.
The only problem here is that my bladder is literally about to explode, and there is nowhere I can pee outside without a whole lot of eyeballs on me. Going down the mountain is not possible, and going up and around the mountain is not a solution because it’s now way past dark. There’s only one obvious answer, right?!
Find a new Airbnb to bunker down for the night. Pee, get a drink, and sleep until the sun comes up so we can make it “home.” Luckily, there was a 6-inch radius inside the car where I had cell service. After about another 30 minutes of searching for an Airbnb in the right direction on this damn mountain, we were inside, and I was finally able to pee.
As I watch Austin, my best friend and love of my life, boil water so it’s safe to drink (the Airbnb guide literally says, “Do not drink the water. It is not safe.”), I start laughing hysterically. Austin looks at me, completely shocked, and asks, “What on earth is so funny?!”
The mountain view we got to wake up and enjoy after the unplanned Airbnb excursion
You see… this is my f*ck yes life. Having the resources to take a wild adventure through the Costa Rican jungle and veer off course as needed to make myself as comfortable as possible, having the most fun possible, while still working on things I love.
To get here, I had to learn how to regulate my ADHD.
Living life with unregulated ADHD is kind of miserable. Your mental health takes a massive hit, which usually leads to your physical health taking a hit, and then it’s really hard to show up for the people and things you love.
To start regulating your ADHD, you first have to be open to what your own version of a f*ck yes life actually looks like. And it’s okay that your f*ck yes life looks different from mine or your friends and family. Honestly, my entire family thinks I am insane, and my friends think I’m wild.
My husband looks at me like I’m the most beautiful and magical being to ever walk the earth, and I love every single day I get to live. That, in my book, is a f*ck life. What other people think doesn’t matter. If you want to do something, go do it.
This is my challenge to you: pick something you’ve been wanting to do but haven't let yourself do, for whatever logical reason you've come up with, and just do it.
I had every reason to NOT come to Costa Rica this summer for an extended trip. But I did it anyway, even though it was illogical, and now I have once-in-a-lifetime experiences and incredible stories to share around a dinner table.
Go live your f*ck yes life!
xoxo, Jennie