The Backpacker's Life: Central American Adventure

Guatamala-> Honduras-> Nicaragua-> Costa Rica

Crazy...yes.  Smart...extraordinarily.--->  This trip is probably the wildest thing I have done in my life, but it also was the best thing that I could have done. While living out of a backpack, taking almost exclusively cold showers for weeks, managing with no air conditioning, trying exotic foods, and doing things I never dreamed I could do...I realized that I know exactly who I am.  (Not what you thought I would say, right?)  I didn't "find" myself on this trip, rather I realized that I'm not lost.  I enjoy my home town (relatively small city with a dash of country and southern charm),  I have a great family and supportive friends, I am proud of the career I have built for myself and love my job,  I have the sweetest dogs, I've moved beyond the limitations that my feet have put on me, and most importantly, I'm happy and feel centered and balanced.  It's taken years to get back to this level of peace, and this trip showed me that I've accepted all the ups and downs of my life and no matter what, I am choosing to make the best of it.  

Trip Highlights: 

~Guatemala- Explored markets, streets, and nightlife

~Honduras- Horseback riding up and down a mountain to see Mayan ruins and visit ancient villages; scuba diving, lounging in natural hot springs, 

~Nicaragua- Volcano boarding (hiked up an active volcano and rode down on a wooden sled), looked into an active volcano's crater (close enough to it to cough on the sulfuric gas), made a clay pot with a manual pottery wheel, spent 3 days living with a local family who spoke not a word of English (I had to pull out my Spanish language skills big time!), completed a 6 hr hike of an active volcano

~Costa Rica- climbed a hollow tree, went ziplining (including flying superman style on a line that was 1 mile long!), visited a coffee, chocolate, and sugar cane farm, more hot springs, canyoneered and repelled waterfalls, went white water rafting

Here are some of my favorite photos from the trip:

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Reflection

2 YEAR ANNIVERSARY- Right

*Right: 2 year surgery anniversary*

I was having so much fun living my life that I actually forgot about my anniversary until a couple days after it passed...whoops. This is another major sign that I've moved on from the impact these surgeries have had on me and have defined a new life for myself...crappy bionic feet in tow. On June 4th, 2015, my 2 year right surgery anniversary, I spent the day doing something I had never dreamed of doing and certainly something I thought I was too scared to do. I mean...I'm the girl that believed that there were sharks in the deep end of the swimming pool for the better part of my childhood and I went SCUBA DIVING!!! Like in the legit ocean...40 ft deep...in Roatán, Honduras. I loved it so much that I went back and dove again the next day. It was an unforgettable experience. I think that any time that you are that far outside your comfort zone, there is always a lasting impact on your life.

The tank alone was 60 lbs!!!! The biggest challenge for my feet was standing up with all the equipment on in preparation for jumping off the boat to begin the dive.  It was also quite the challenge to get back up in the boat with the heavy equipment.  I felt my ankles and knees buckling :/