About twenty years ago, I traveled to Costa Rica with a bunch of fellow travel agents. It was a whirlwind trip – not much more than a long weekend – and we were on a tight schedule of hotel inspections and fly-by experiences. On one afternoon, we had the choice between taking a dip in the hot springs at a volcano or hiking through the rainforest. The hike sounded more my speed, and I had all kinds of romantic ideas about seeing giant snakes (from a safe distance) wrapped around trees. I especially wanted to see some monkeys swinging to and fro.

After a long bus ride to a lodge at the foot of a mountain, we set off into the jungle, as it were, and listened to the guide tell us interesting things about the foliage and the forest itself. I kept my eyes peeled. Sometimes we were on boardwalks, and other times we were on a little worn path on the forest floor.  I walked carefully, but I kept glancing up and around to see if I could spot monkeys.

We went on like this for an hour or more.

I think I saw one or two interesting birds, but nothing I would consider exciting. Certainly no monkeys. I was a little disappointed.

But then I thought cheerfully, I can still say I’ve hiked in a Costa Rican rainforest. And it was beautiful, cool, and damp in there. I learned a thing or two about the forest and the plants. I have met some nice new people here, and I have walked across different soil than my own back home.  Who can complain?

That’s the point, isn’t it? We may have things that we want to see or do and then be disappointed when reality is different from what we dreamed. But we have to be flexible and look at what we did get to do and see. When you set off to see a new place, it may look different from what you expected. That’s one reason we travel: so we can know what it’s really like.

We rode back to the resort, and I felt grateful for all of the experiences I’d had that day. And just as we turned into the gate, the driver exclaimed for us to look up. Guess what was hanging around in the trees? A whole bunch of monkeys! What a delight – I was able to stand outside my hotel room and enjoy them for far longer than I might have on that hike.

I got my monkeys, but they were hanging over a parking lot instead of swinging from vine to vine in the rainforest.

So be cheerful and flexible when you travel. With a good attitude, you may be surprised at the experiences you do have, even if they turn out differently from what you expected.

Book your Costa Rica tour or cruise with Azalea Travel.